Many people start writing novels, but not so many get to the end. It takes creativity, stamina, determination, discipline, focus – and lots and lots of time at the desk. Perhaps you’re writing and writing without a clear sense of where you’re going? Or maybe you’re just not sure how to keep building forward from those early chapters? If you’re feeling lost, we’ll help you find your way. This online course will give you the resilience and strength of purpose you need to get all the way to the end of your novel.
Across six weeks, we’ll take you on a journey to help you complete your novel. We’ll show you how to use ‘active planning’ to solve your writing problems, and teach invaluable storytelling techniques, such as how to build suspense, how to masterfully unfold your narrative scene by scene and how to come up with a satisfying ending to your story.
This bestselling course has been given a major upgrade with brand-new teaching videos, an entirely new module, substantially updated notes and new tasks. Enrol now to experience the supercharged edition of this much-loved course, available from September 2025.
An entirely new module 'The scene': on how to write compelling scenes and use them to build your novel strongly forward.
All six modules include . . .
Our online courses are designed for flexible learning. Allocate your own study time and take part from wherever you are in the world. Each week, we recommend spending at least four hours on the course. It’s also important to be planning and working on your novel throughout the six weeks.
All students will be given the option to purchase feedback on their final task from a CBC editor.
This is the second course in our popular How to Write Your Novel series, designed to take you from first idea to final draft.
It sits in between Starting to Write Your Novel and Edit & Pitch Your Novel. You can take the courses in succession or choose the right course for your current stage in the writing process. All three courses have been updated with brand-new videos, expanded resources and revitalised teaching materials (available from September 2025).
Encourage your writerly friend or loved one to get creative! We have £250 digital gift vouchers available, enabling you to buy any six-week online course as a present.
Anna Davis is the founder and Director of the Curtis Brown Creative writing school. She is the author of five acclaimed novels which have been published in twenty languages. She has been a journalist and Guardian columnist, as well as a Curtis Brown literary agent. She taught creative writing at the University of Manchester and in many other settings before founding Curtis Brown Creative in 2011.