Writing Your Novel – Six Months
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Writing Your Novel – Six Months
If you’re working on a novel and want to take your writing seriously, get the best out of your work-in-progress and learn how to pitch to agents and publishers with confidence, then our flagship six-month course is for you.
You will join a group of 15 writers tutored by bestselling novelist and experienced tutor Laura Barnett. This course will also take a four-week break over the summer, to allow students extra time to work on their novels-in-progress and to reflect on what they've learnt before joining us again in September, feeling refreshed and ready for more workshops, tutorials and teaching from Laura.
You will also have the opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals, with the opportunity to share the opening of your novel informally with the agent teams at Curtis Brown and C&W at the end of the course. Course runs from 14 Jun to 11 Dec 2023.
Laura gave a full spectrum of useful feedback, from close line reading to structural suggestions, not afraid to challenge me and push towards a better approach. It was a pleasure talking about my writing with her; her honesty and openness about her own work was empowering.
Tutor
Laura Barnett
Laura’s first novel, The Versions of Us (2015) was a number-one bestseller, it has been translated into 24 languages, and was shortlisted for Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards. She’s had three further books out since then: Greatest Hits (2017), which features an accompanying musical soundtrack by Kathryn Williams; Gifts (2021), a novel in short stories; and This Beating Heart (2022). Her fifth novel, Births, Deaths and Marriages, will be published in 2025. She delivered a TedX talk on originality in fiction, and worked as a writing mentor for the charity Arts Emergency. She is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Writing School. Laura has taught many novel-writing courses for CBC in London and online, and she currently mentors members of our alumni community.
Guest Tutor
Ayisha Malik
Ayisha Malik is the author of the critically acclaimed novels, Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, The Other Half of Happiness, and This Green and Pleasant Land. She was a WHSmith Fresh Talent Pick and Sofia Khan was a London CityReads choice in May 2019. Ayisha is winner of The Diversity Book Awards and has been shortlisted for the Asian Women of Achievement Award, Marie Claire’s Future Shapers Awards and h100’s Awards for Publishing and Writing. Her fourth adult novel, The Movement, is to be published in summer 2022.
What does this course give you?
- Live teaching sessions in London: Laura will teach on a variety of novel-writing topics in dynamic sessions on Weds evenings. She will also set homework tasks to further your learning.
- A community of writers: Our selective applications process means that you will be writing your novel in a peer group of 15 students working at a high level. Many of our former students have found their trusted readers with us – and form strong working friendships with classmates which go on long after the course is over.
- Writing workshops: Across the course, you'll get three dedicated workshops centring on 3,000-word extracts from your novel-in-progress. These sessions offer in-depth feedback from your student group and tutor, and are also designed to help develop your self-editing skills.
- 1-to-1 tutorials: You'll get two 25-minute, one-to-one tutorials. Tutorials will be based on 3,000-word extracts of your novel-in-progress. Use these tutorials to address your specific concerns about your writing. Near the end of the course all students will also get a 45-minute one-to-one with an experienced CBC editor or a Curtis Brown/C&W literary agent. They will read a 6,000-word extract from your novel-in-progress plus your synopsis.
- 4 industry masterclasses: These special sessions will feature guest literary agents, authors and publishers. Industry experts will talk about writing, editing and submissions process, they will draw on their experience of real-life publication journeys. There will also be opportunities to ask questions.
- Guest tutor sessions: Acclaimed author Ayisha Malik will lead two evening teaching sessions (as listed on the schedule). She will share wisdom from their writing career and set relevant tasks for the group.
- Synopsis & agent letter feedback: We’ll draw on our expertise to give you the vital ingredients needed for a great synopsis and the all-important pitch letter. Individual feedback will come from experienced members of the CBC editorial team and/or a Curtis Brown/C&W literary agent.
- End of course celebration: To mark the course coming to a close, you will attend a special two-hour reception with tea, cakes and fizz. This celebration will give you a chance to mingle informally with your fellow students, the CBC team and literary agents from Curtis Brown and C&W.
- Submitting to agents: Ahead of the end of course celebration, all students will be invited to submit the 3,000-word opening from their novel, plus a synopsis, to be shared with the agent teams at Curtis Brown and C&W as well as a select group of agents from other UK-based agencies. This is not a formal submission but a chance to give the agents a taste of your work at this stage. When you are ready to formally submit – no matter how long after your course has finished – the CBC team will give you guidance and support with your submission to the Curtis Brown and C&W agents.
- Alumni services: You’ll be given access to a range of exclusive writing services, available only to the alumni of our selective courses, which you’ll be able to access after your course finishes. These services include individual mentoring, editorial reports on your completed novel, and submission reports on your ‘pitch package’. Read more about the opportunities available to our alumni here.
Course schedule
All teaching and workshop sessions will take place on Weds evenings from 7pm to 9pm (unless otherwise stated below). Classes will be held in the Writers' Room of the new Curtis Brown offices (Cunard House, 15 Regent Street, London, SW1Y 4LR).
In extenuating circumstances, classes may be moved from London to Zoom, with prior notification to all concerned.
Masterclass speakers
Join live Q&A sessions with top UK literary agents, authors and publishers.
INSPRATION AND READING AS WRITERS
Weds 14 Jun, 7–9pmOPENINGS I
Wed 21 Jun, 7–9pmOPENINGS II
Wed 28 Jun, 7–9pmWRITING FROM LIFE
Wed 5 Jul, 7–9pmSTORY, PLOTTING & PLANNING I
Wed 12 Jul, 7–9pmSTORY, PLOTTING & PLANNING II
Tues 18 Jul, 7–9pmVOICE & NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW
Wed 26 Jul, 7–9pmSYNOPSIS ONLINE
Mon 31 JulSUMMER BREAK
No teaching in AugustVoice, Style & Genre – Guest Tutor
Wed 6 Sep, 7–9pmBuilding Tension – Guest Tutor
Weds 13 Sep, 7–9pmPLACE & SETTING
Wed 20 Sep, 7–9pmCHARACTERISATION I
Wed 27 Sep, 7–9pmCHARACTERISATION II
Wed 4 Oct, 7–9pmDESCRIPTION, TONE & STYLE
Wed 11 Oct, 7–9pmDIALOGUE
Wed 18 Oct, 7–9pmBREAK WEEK FOR HALF TERM
23 Oct – 27 OctBUILDING SUSPENSE
Wed 1 Nov, 7–9pmENDINGS I
Wed 8 Nov, 7–9pmENDINGS II
Wed 15 Nov, 7–9pmEDITING & REWRITING
Wed 22 Nov, 7–9pmAGENT LETTER & PITCH WORKSHOP
Wednesday 29 Nov, 7–9pmCONCLUSION
Wed 6 Dec, 7–9pmEND OF COURSE SUBMISSION
Mon 11 Dec
Course fees
The course fee of £3,190 (inc VAT) per student is payable, in full, by bank transfer or cheque before the start of the course. However, if you are unable to pay the full fee upfront, let us know and we can arrange an instalment plan.
Ready to apply?
Please apply with the first 3,000 words of the novel you’d like to work on during the course, and a synopsis of no more than a page (both need to be in the same document, as you can only upload ONE file in the application below).
The CBC team will select applicants based on the quality of the writing sample provided. The deadline for applications is midnight, end of day Sun 14 May, and we will respond to applicants by Thurs 18 May.
We read all application material promptly after the closing date and make our selection of students swiftly at that time. However if you require an earlier response from us in order to be able to take part in this course, please email us with full details and we will consider and respond on a case by case basis.
If you encounter any problems during the application process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
Get the best out of your novel with expert tuition and advice from publishing professionals on our flagship writing course in London.
Tutor
Laura Barnett