How we work with agents
We help writers tell their stories, we demystify the publishing industry and empower our students to pitch their novels with confidence.
As a Curtis Brown Group company, we work closely with the literary and talent agent teams at Curtis Brown and C&W. Curtis Brown and C&W represent some of the most successful authors in the world. Our courses are rooted in practical, industry-focused advice. Literary agents provide their insider knowledge to our students in multiple ways:
- Exclusive teaching videos: Our bestselling six-week online Edit & Pitch Your Novel course features specially recorded videos with pitching tips from Curtis Brown and C&W literary agents. Our new four-week online course The Literary Agent – with Jonny Geller will give you the inside track on what a literary agent does, how to get one, and how a good agent can help you build a career as an author.
- Expert feedback on your work: Get individual feedback on your pitch letters, synopsis and novel-in-progress directly from literary agents on our flagship Writing Your Novel course and our advanced Writing YA & Children's Fiction course. If you're a screenwriter, you'll hear directly from talent agents on our Writing an Original TV Drama Serial course.
- Agent-led masterclasses: Agents regularly visit our students and answer their questions during special London sessions or online Zoom webinars about writing, editing and the submissions process, alongside authors and other industry experts.
- Share your opening with the Curtis Brown and C&W agents: At the end of our selective-entry courses (including Writing Your Novel) students get the opportunity to share their work with the agent teams, as well as a select group of agents from other UK-based agencies.
While we can’t guarantee publication or representation, we lavish our expertise on our students. The agents of Curtis Brown and C&W are hungry for new authors – and the CBC team are on hand to help our selective-entry course alumni submit their finished, polished novels to the agency as and when they are ready to do so.
'I owe so much to CBC and their nurturing and championing of the writers they work with. Nearly all of my debut writers have been on one of their courses: my list, indeed my career, is defined by my work with their students.'
Curtis Brown Literary Agent
The Curtis Brown Group
Curtis Brown Creative are part of the Curtis Brown Group, a vibrant ecosystem of companies that span the arts and culture sector.
Breakthrough
Our exciting programme of free scholarships, courses and mentoring opportunities for under-represented writers. Fully funded by the Curtis Brown literary agency and our partners.
Agent interviews
Find out more about pitching, submission packages, and the agent’s role in an author’s career on our blog.
Courses to help you edit, pitch and submit to literary agents
The Literary Agent – with Jonny Geller
Learn from leading Curtis Brown agent Jonny Geller. Get the inside track on what a literary agent does, how to get one, and how a good agent can help you build a career as an author. 4 weeks.
Edit & Pitch Your Novel
Great novels are made in the rewrite. Get the best out of your novel and learn how to confidently pitch your novel with advice from Anna Davis and the Curtis Brown literary agents. 6 weeks.
Writing Your Synopsis – Masterclass
Across two hours, CBC's Head of Courses / Editor Jennifer Kerslake will guide you step-by-step through the tricky art of summarising your story in a few short paragraphs, with examples and top tips. This special evening masterclass takes place 7-9pm. Don't delay in signing up – we have limited places left.
The Rewrite Doctor – One Day
This one-day intensive Zoom course led by CBC’s Founder and MD Anna Davis is the perfect next step for writers who have finished the first draft of their novel and want to knock it into better shape. 16 writers will learn her tried-and-tested Rewrite Doctor method for editing a novel and be given the opportunity to ask questions.
Pitching Your Novel – One Day
Join CBC editors Abby Parsons and Jennifer Kerslake for a day of interactive Zoom teaching. They'll walk you through the elevator pitch and how to write your query letter to literary agents. Includes a masterclass Q&A with Curtis Brown literary agent. Don't delay in signing up, just 16 places per course.
Edit & Pitch Your Novel – Advanced
Our ultimate course to help you get your novel into the best possible shape and then learn how to pitch it to agents and publishers. It includes all of the teaching materials from our shorter Edit & Pitch Your Novel course, but it has lots more feedback from an expert tutor and a series of Zoom masterclasses from agents, authors and publishers – just for your group of 15.