Testimonials

160 of the students who've taken our creative writing courses now have major book deals. 124 of these deals come from our selective-entry Writing Your Novel course alumni and 36 come from students who took one of our six-week online writing courses. Here’s what our students have to say about us...

Jessie Burton, Author

Jessie Burton

‘Curtis Brown Creative is world-class. I will always be grateful for my place on the course.’

Bestselling and award-winning debut novel The Miniaturist published by Picador, July 2014, winner of National Book Awards Overall Book of the Year 2014 among other awards. Second novel The Muse published by Picador, June 2016.

Bonnie Garmus

‘Anna Davis is brilliant. She gives solid, empathetic advice about so many things, but it was her ideas about what to do when you’re stuck in the middle of the book – and I was really stuck – that made me rethink where I was going and how I was going to get there.’
Debut novel Lessons in Chemistry was published by Doubleday in 2022. Lessons in Chemistry is also set to be adapted into a series for Apple TV, starring and produced by Brie Larson.

Jane Harper, Author

Jane Harper

‘If it hadn’t been for the CBC course, this book would not have been written, simple as that. It was such a turning point for me, not just in all the fantastic lessons and feedback, but also in motivation and actually realising for the first time that I could finish a novel. I will be singing the praises of this course for the rest of my life, and I’m so grateful for having the chance to be part of it.’
Debut novel The Dry (first published 2016) is now an international bestseller and was adapted into a film starring Eric Bana. Jane also the author of four further acclaimed crime novels.

Clare Pooley, author

Clare Pooley

‘When I started the course, despite having already published non-fiction, I had very little confidence… The support and enthusiasm of my wonderful writing group and my tutors made me believe, for the first time, that I really could do it. Without that support, I doubt I would ever have finished the first draft.’
Clare’s debut novel The Authenticity Project was published by Transworld in 2020, it is now a New York Times bestseller.

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Tim Glencross

‘The CBC Novel-Writing course was invaluable. The tutors were brilliant, and it was through Curtis Brown Creative that I found representation at Curtis Brown and now a publishing deal.’
Debut novel Barbarians published by John Murray, May 2014; shortlisted for the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Best First Novel Award 2014, as well as for the Paddy Power Best Political Fiction Book of the Year 2015. His second novel, Hoffer, was published by John Murray in Spring 2017.

 

Kate Hamer, Author

Kate Hamer

‘Workshopping the novel on the CBC course with people who were interested in the same things as me and took the writing process very seriously was invaluable. They would ask questions about characters’ motivations and query anything they weren’t clear about; and having that outside view coming in to what you’d done quite privately until then was just amazing.’
Debut novel The Girl in the Red Coat published by Faber & Faber February 2015, and shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. Her second novel, The Doll Funeral, was published in February 2017. 

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Janet Ellis

‘The course really helped me to put everything together. Writing into a void is lonely and a little scary- getting reactions (of any sort) really shaped and focused what I was doing. The support of the group and the experience, professionalism and encouragement of the tutors was a fantastic combination and prepared me brilliantly for the next stage.’
Debut novel The Butcher’s Hook published by Two Roads in February 2016. Longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize 2016.

Julie Ma

‘That three-month course was a good experience in self-discipline. You have your deadlines to write and feedback and you don’t want to let anyone down by being the one who didn’t hand in their homework… That time spent examining each other’s writing and having your own examined can be excruciating but is invaluable.’
Debut novel Happy Families was published by Welbeck in 2021 after winning the Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition.

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James Hannah

‘Thanks so much for your advice and encouragement; I doubt I’d have secured an agent for my finished novel if I hadn’t attended the Curtis Brown Creative course. More specifically, it seems that the quality of my pitch swung it for me, so tell that to the next crop!’
Debut novel The A to Z of You and Me published by Black Swan, March 2015. Longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize 2015.

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SD Sykes

‘My novel just wouldn’t have happened without attending the Curtis Brown Creative novel-writing course. The teaching not only improved my skills as a writer, but also taught me about the business of writing and publishing.’
Debut novel Plague Land and sequel The Butcher Bird published by Hodder & Stoughton, September 2014 and October 2015.

 

Elizabeth Lee

‘I honestly can’t express how grateful I am for the opportunity, and I’d urge anyone considering applying for a Curtis Brown Creative scholarship to do it. The chance to spend time working on my writing, focusing on it and learning from our tutor, Lisa O’Donnell, and the other students was so precious.’
Elizabeth was awarded the Marian Keyes scholarship to study on our six-month online Writing Your Novel course.  Her debut novel Cunning Women is to be published by Windmill in 2021.

Catherine Chanter

‘Even stepping into the lift at the Curtis Brown offices for the first time gave me a wake-up call. This is a business: there are editors, publicity people, lawyers, agents, media rights… I hoped the Curtis Brown Creative course would empower me to come out as a writer who actually wanted readers. And it did. One hundred per cent.’
Debut novel The Well published by Canongate, March 2015.

Struan Murray, author

Struan Murray

‘Having the chance to meet with industry professionals, and get first-hand insight into publishing was hugely helpful, as was being part of a small group of people who were just as passionate about writing as I was.’
Debut middle grade novel Orphans of the Tide was published by Puffin in 2020. Puffin are also publishing two further books that make up this trilogy.

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Nicholas Searle

‘The tuition I thought was excellent – a big shout here for Chris Wakling – and focused on writing a real book that might even get published in the real world.’
Debut novel The Good Liar published by Viking, February 2016. Second novel, A Traitor in the Family, published March 2017.

Aliya Ali-Afzal

‘For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by a group of people who took their writing seriously… The authors and agents who came along to talk to us every week, introduced me to a world where writing was a profession. Suddenly, writing a novel no longer seemed like just a vague fantasy, but a possible reality.’
Debut novel Would I Lie to You? to be published by Head of Zeus in 2021.

Jenny Pearson, author

Jenny Pearson

‘I cannot overstate the huge impact the course had on my writing. I learned so much … I started to take my writing way more seriously and dedicated time to it. And I learned the value of seeking out feedback and listening to it.’
Debut middle grade novel The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates was published by Usbourne in 2020 and it is was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award.

Penny Chrimes

‘I found the very structured and practical process of working through the course really useful – and the wisdom and advice from Catherine Johnson was inspiring. I learned so much from the other students on the course – everyone was very supportive of each other, and the variety of imaginative worlds that people had created was amazing.’
Debut middle grade novel Tiger Heart was published by Orion in 2020.

James Bailey

‘I started the course with the bare bones of a plot idea and about 20,000 very rough words, and thanks to Chris Wakling’s expert tuition and the help of my course mates, I developed my plot and my writing style enormously. I learnt so many valuable lessons, and having a diverse cross section of readers in the group gave me a good audience to test material on.’
Debut novel The Flip Side was published by Michael Joseph in 2020.

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Alice Clark-Platts

‘I have loved doing this course. I have gained a great deal from it, made some friends and been shored up in confidence as regards my writing.’
Debut novel Bitter Fruits published by Penguin, January 2015. The sequel, The Taken was published 2016.

Ella Dove

‘I will forever be grateful to CBC. Not only did the course offer invaluable industry advice and help me to secure an agent, it also allowed me to meet the best bunch of writing pals I could have ever hoped for!’
Debut novel Five Steps to Happy was published by Trapeze July 2019.

Annabelle Thorpe

‘I’m one of those people who never wanted to do a creative writing course.  You can’t teach it, or so I thought. How wrong was I?  Everything I learnt – from the tutorials to the author’s talks to the fourteen amazing writers I shared the course with – made me a different class of writer.  A huge THANK YOU to Curtis Brown Creative.’
Debut novel The People We Were Before published by Quercus, April 2016.

Lisa Williamson

‘I’ll be forever indebted to Curtis Brown Creative for giving me a much-needed boost of confidence exactly when I needed it most, and for gently pointing out that I might be suited to writing for young adults. Lightbulb moment! I now can’t imagine writing for anyone else.’
Bestselling novel The Art of Being Normal published by David Fickling books, January 2015; shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and nominated for a Carnegie Medal, among other awards.

Julia Armfield

‘The CBC course was an invaluable resource to me when I was just starting to figure out the kind of writer I wanted to be. Writing can be extremely lonely and coming together with a group of people with a shared goal, all of whom took each other seriously, was calming and galvanising in equal measure.’
Her first short story collect Salt Slow was published by Picador in June 2019, her debut novel will also be published by Picador.

Kirsty Eyre

‘I went on the CBC course with a comedy diary (rough cut of Cow Girl) with a completely different name. CBC advised against the format of a diary, which I took on board and rewrote. I probably rewrote three times.’
Kirsty won the inaugural Comedy Women in Print Prize for unpublished authors. Her debut Cow Girl was published by HarperCollins in 2020.

Kirsty Capes

‘Being able to study at CBC with Charlotte Mendelson had a hugely positive impact on the development of my novel.’
Kirsty was awarded the HW Fisher Scholarship to join our Writing Your Novel course. Her debut novel Careless to be published by Orion in May 2021. It is a Cosmopolitan, BBC, Stylist, Daily Mail, Good Housekeeping and Guardian best book pick for 2021.

Laura Marshall

‘The teaching and feedback I got on the CBC course from our amazing tutor Erin Kelly, as well as from Anna Davis and my fellow students, enabled me to look at my own writing with a critical eye, and to understand what was wrong with it, and how to make it better. It also gave me the confidence I needed to keep going, as well as an invaluable insight into the publishing industry. I would never have finished my novel, let alone be looking forward to publication in 2017, if I hadn’t done the course.’
Debut novel Friend Request published by Little, Brown in July 2017.

Greg Chivers

‘Curtis Brown Creative do a great job of taking the fear out of writing and submitting a novel. It never completely goes away, but by the end of a course, your manuscript will be stronger, and you’ll get good support to get it into the right hands. More than anything, the course is FUN, and that’s the best possible reason to do it.’
Debut novel The Crying Machine was published by HarperVoyager in April 2019.

Hannah McKinnon Author Tips

Hannah Mary McKinnon

‘The CBC course was nothing short of fabulous. My classmates were incredibly talented both in their writing and at critiquing submitted pieces, and I still refer to the materials our brilliant tutor, Chris Wakling, shared. The course had a profound effect on both my writing and confidence, and it confirmed I want to continue making up stories for as long as I can. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity.’
Debut novel Time After Time published by Maze Books, June 2016. Second novel The Neighbors was published by Mira Books in March 2018.

Hazel Barkworth

‘My tutor on the CBC course was the incredible Erin Kelly. I took the course because I knew she’d be teaching, and I’d always adored her writing. She pushed me to understand what I wanted to do with my novel, and gave me the confidence to develop that vision. I loved how the course was a potent mix of the pragmatic and the imaginative.’
Debut novel Heatstroke was published by Headline in 2020.

Catherine Bennetto

‘Not only did we get this constant feedback but the weekly tutorials from our fabulous and supportive tutor, Chris Wakling, taught me vast amounts. The course was vital to completing my novel. I’m constantly recommending CBC to friends. Sign up! Get on with it! You won’t regret it one bit.’
Debut novel How Not to Fall in Love, Actually published by Simon & Schuster in January 2017.

Polly Crosby, author

Polly Crosby

‘When I started the course, I had written the very basics of the novel, but what the course did was teach me how to turn it from a collection of ideas into a fully stitched together story.’
Polly was awarded the Yesterday Scholarship (funded by author Felicia Yap) to join our six-month Writing Your Novel course. Her Debut The Illustrated Child was published by HarperCollins in 2020. 

Jenny Quintana

‘Curtis Brown Creative helped and challenged me in so many ways. From propelling me from my desk to travel to London every week, to gaining the insight of Erin and Anna, to receiving great feedback from my fellow students and meeting professionals from the industry. Not least, it was through the course I found representation at C&W and then a publishing deal.’
Debut novel The Missing Girl published by Mantle, Macmillan in January 2018.

Rachel Marks, author

Rachel Marks

‘After the CBC course, I finally had the confidence to go ahead and finish the novel. I tend to edit and re-write as I go along anyway, as I am a bit of a perfectionist, but once I’d reached the end, I put it aside for about two weeks, then re-read and did a fairly major structural edit to make sure the pace and relationship development felt right.’
Debut novel Saturdays at Noon was published by Michael Joseph in 2020. 

Caz Frear, Author

Caz Frear

‘CBC didn’t just set me on the path to publication, it pretty much steered me all the way, as the support, friendship, constructive advice and cheerleading continues even after you’ve left the boardroom for the last time. The rigour and high standards set by both the tutors and your fellow course-mates really stretches you and makes you question, not so much, “Can I write?” but, “Do I want this enough?”  In my case, the answer to that question was a resounding yes and I owe CBC everything.’
Caz Frear’s debut Sweet Little Lies won the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition and was published by Bonnier Zaffre in July 2017.

Our other published authors

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Maria Grace
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Maria Grace

‘Anna particularly helped me. She really helped me to be objective with the story and structure everything to make the plot more dramatic for the reader. The students who were on the inaugural course with me that summer were an amazing bunch of people. Not only did they really help me with all the workshopping and genuinely constructive feedback, but they made my time with CBC unforgettable.’
Debut novel White Petals published by Firefly Press, June 2015.

 Jake Woodhouse
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Jake Woodhouse

 

Debut novel After the Silence published by Penguin in July 2015.

 Alex Clare
Alex Clare, Author

Alex Clare

I applied for the Curtis Brown course because I had a story and wanted to make sure I did it justice. Chris Wakling was a great tutor and the the online delivery made it easy to fit around commuting. The best bit? Having shared the experience, a group of us are still in touch, providing amazing support, critique and encouragement, which has helped me get from a work in progress to publication.
Debut novel He’s Gone published by Impress, August 2016.

 Clarissa Goenawan
Clarissa Goenawan, Author

Clarissa Goenawan

Rainbirds

‘The course was invaluable in helping me improve my writing skills. Anna and Chris were knowledgeable, generous, and inspiring. My classmates were incredibly supportive. I’m forever thankful for the opportunity to study with CBC.’ Debut novel, Rainbirds  was published by Soho Press in March 2018.

 Caroline Beecham
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Caroline Beecham

‘As an agent-based course it gave a valuable insight into the UK publishing industry and plenty of tools to work with to continue developing and practicing the craft. The structure of the on-line course worked really well with a good balance of tutorial, workshopping and homework so that we were able to gain a real depth as well as breadth of knowledge in key areas. A great opportunity to meet other aspiring novelists to share fun and frustrations with too!’ Debut novel Maggie’s Kitchen published by Ebury Press in July 2017.

 Jessica Jarlvi
Jessica Jarlvi, Author

Jessica Jarlvi

‘The Curtis Brown Creative course not only helped me to focus on my writing, but it also connected me with writers around the world, some of whom I am still in touch with. To have had the opportunity to both give and receive feedback was an invaluable part of the course.’ Debut novel When I Wake Up was published in September 2017. Second novel What Did I Do? will be published in May 2018.

 Lisa Duffy
Lisa Duffy, Author

Lisa Duffy

The Salt House

‘The course breathed new life into the work, as well as into me as a writer, into that space inside of us that can get clogged with doubt and angst and sometimes just needs a little bit of kindness and encouragement to wash it away.’

Debut novel, The Salt House was published by Touchstone Books/Simon & Schuster in June 2017. Her second novel, This is Home will be published by Touchstone in Spring 2019.

 Michelle Kenney
Michelle Kenney, Author

Michelle Kenney

‘Signing a trilogy deal for Book of Fire was a dream come true, and CBC have been a vital part of my writing journey. I got very lucky with my cohort in Autumn 2015, who turned out to be a very dedicated, supportive group, and the very best writerly friends anyone could hope for. And the Novel Writing for Children Course, led by the inspirational Catherine Johnson, left little room for hiding – trust me, I tried. The workshopping and individual sessions were fantastic for focusing on individual manuscripts and showing up weak areas, while the online format suited me perfectly as I live in Devon with young family. My key take aways were simple: keep your reader close. You can have the most amazing hook, and all the elaborate plotting skills in the world, but if you don’t consider your target audience throughout, you’ll be sailing up a literary creek without a paddle.’ Debut novel, Book of Fire was published by HarperCollins August 2017. The second book in the Book of Fire series is out Summer 2018.

 Jo Jakeman
Jo Jakeman, Author

Jo Jakeman

‘Curtis Brown Creative gave me the kick up the backside that I needed. If it hadn’t been for the six month online course and the support of my course mates and tutor I would still be floundering. When you live outside London and can’t afford the time or money to travel up and down the country, courses like this make the impossible possible.’ Debut novel, Sticks and Stones will be published by Harvill Secker in July 2018.

 Dawn Goodwin
Dawn Goodwin, Author

Dawn Goodwin

‘If it wasn’t for the online course I did with Curtis Brown Creative, I wouldn’t have finished and polished the manuscript that became my debut novel, The Accident and secured a two-book publishing deal. My tutor, Chris Wakling was instrumental in building my confidence and helping me to fine-tune my writing skills and the fellow writers I met on the course are now lifelong friends. I cannot recommend the course highly enough.’ Debut novel The Accident was published by Aria in October 2017. Her second novel will be published later in 2018.

 Rae DelBianco
Rae DelBianco, Author

Rae DelBianco

‘Curtis Brown Creative’s brilliance is its commitment to both students’ artistic goals and publishing goals, which makes it one of a kind in a literary education landscape that often focuses solely on the former while ignoring the latter.  In only six months, I was equipped with a mastery of pitching my novel, querying agents, and navigating a longterm publishing career, in addition to an invaluable writing education and lifelong friendships.  I came to CBC on a whim from the USA, and it was the best career move I ever made.’ Debut novel Rough Animals will be published in June 2018.

 Samuel Pollen
Sam Pollen, Author

Samuel Pollen

‘I had a terrific time on the course. In particular, hearing about the practicalities of getting published from agents and editors was invaluable. And I still meet up with my fellow writers five years later!’ Debut novel, The Year I Didn’t Eat will be published by Bonnier/ Yellow Jacket in Spring 2019

 Maria Realf
Maria Realf, Author

Maria Realf

‘One of the best things about studying at CBC was meeting other aspiring authors who were so supportive. That’s not to say everything went smoothly: during my time on the course, I attempted to write a psychological crime thriller, despite the fact I really love reading romance novels. After about 20,000 words, I completely ran out of steam and had to make the difficult decision to scrap it and start all over again. It felt like the end of the road back then, but ultimately it was the beginning of something better – and my CBC friends were there to encourage me every step of the way.’ Debut Novel, The One was published by HarperImpulse in March 2018.

 Fiona Perrin
Fiona Perrin

Fiona Perrin

How Not to Get Divorced

‘CBC was the start of me writing seriously: I came in with a full draft, threw most of it away as I learned, but emerged with the beginnings of a book and a writing career. Commercially-focused, not afraid of the nitty-gritty and a great spirit – CBC is a fantastic course and a supportive community. Thank you.’ Debut novel, How Not to Get Divorced, published by Aria July 2018.

 Ann-Marie Howell
Ann-Marie Howell, author

Ann-Marie Howell

The Garden of Lost Secrets

‘The brilliant CBC Writing for Children Course, and its super-talented course tutor Catherine Johnson, gave me the kick start I needed to take my writing seriously, as well as opening my eyes to the world of publishing. I’m certain I would not have a secured an agent or publishing deal without it!’ Debut MG novel, The Garden of Lost Secrets, published June 2019.

 Rachael Blok
Rachael Blok

Rachael Blok

‘Taking the Curtis Brown course was the first time I began to think of my writing as real, and not just a hobby. It gave me the confidence to edit, and to take the next step in finishing my novel, find an agent and get a publishing contract. The tuition and support offered on the course was outstanding.’ Rachael’s debut thriller Under the Ice was published by Head of Zeus in November 2018.

 Susan Hurley

Susan Hurley

‘Workshopping online with talented writers from around the world, overseen by the Curtis Brown Creative team, helped me refine my novel and gave me the confidence boost to take it out in the world. Thank you CBC!’ Debut novel, Eight Lives, published by Affirm Press March 2019.

 Lesley Sanderson
Lesley Sanderson, Author

Lesley Sanderson

‘I had only written one chapter when I applied for the CBC course and a vague outline of the plot. Pulling my plot document apart and getting feedback from the group was such a valuable exercise and helped me clarify my thoughts and the direction of the characters. Summer school with Erin Kelly was a fabulous experience and gave me so much insight into writing psychological thrillers.’ Debut novel The Orchid Girls was published by Bookouture in November 2018.

 Jack Meggitt-Phillips

Jack Meggitt-Phillips

‘Probably the most useful [advice from the course] was to think about plot and story as separate entities. Plot is what happens, and story is what the book is actually about.’
Debut novel The Beast and the Bethany was published by Egmont in 2020.

 Caroline Day

Caroline Day

‘The course gave me an insight into just how much of the material which lands in the inboxes of agents and publishers has genuine flair and potential – and that if, as a writer, you want to give your work the best chance of being a submission that sings, you need to know precisely what story you are telling and why you are telling it. Good writing is a given. Self-awareness and strategy are more important – and so is luck.’
Debut novel Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life will be published by Bonnier Books in March 2021.

 Fiona Sherlock

Fiona Sherlock

‘Doing the CBC course was a game-changer for me. I really felt like a writer when I finished it. The quality of the interactions with the tutor and my peers was invaluable.’
Debut novel Twelve Motives for Murder was published by Hodder Studios in December 2020. Preserved (the novel she worked on with us) was published by Poolbeg Press in February 2021.

 Anna Bailey

Anna Bailey

‘My first submission to the course was pretty much an entirely different novel. It was all set years after a crime had taken place and focused on characters returning home and reflecting on how their lives had changed since it happened. It was cathartic for me to write at the time, but not especially interesting to read, and I needed someone to point that out to me, which Lisa [O’Donnell] did. She was always honest with me about my writing – if a plot point wasn’t working or a character arc felt boring, she wasn’t afraid to tell me, and that’s the kind of teaching I appreciate.’
Debut novel Tall Bones is to be published by Doubleday in April 2021. It is a Stylist best book pick for 2021.

 Heidi Perks

Heidi Perks

‘I loved the course. The workshops were great and from day one I had some invaluable advice that I carry with me still. (For me this was to stop overwriting!). Receiving feedback was nerve wracking and brilliant at the same time but the course was definitely the first step in turning myself around as a writer.’
Heidi self-published her first book Beneath the Surface. Her second novel Now You See Her was published by Century in 2018 and was selected as a Richard and Judy Book Club Favourite.

 James Hall

James Hall

‘Seven of us from the course have met every other Monday since 2012 to carry on critiquing each other’s work… I think this support network has almost been as useful a part of the process as the lessons themselves. It has been invaluable as writing is a solitary activity. And you celebrate each other’s successes (and commiserate over the rejections).’
Debut novel The Industry of Human Happiness was published by Lightning Books in 2018.

 Cynthia Murphy

Cynthia Murphy

‘There’s something very special about children’s writers and I feel so lucky that I was placed with this group. I also left with a sense of ‘I can do this’, especially after my chats with the lovely Catherine Johnson. During one call, she told me that whatever ‘it’ was, I had it. That vote of confidence has stayed with me, even when I felt like throwing the towel in.’
Debut novel Last One to Die was published by Scholastic in 2021.

 Frances Quinn

Frances Quinn

‘During the course a group of us started meeting once a month for a writing day, and we still do. My book owes a lot to them – they’ve read countless drafts, and whenever I’ve dug myself into a big black plot hole, it’s been one of them that’s got me out of it.’
Debut novel The Smallest Man was published by Simon & Schuster in 2021.

 Nikki Smith

Nikki Smith

‘I learned so much from the courses – they were really invaluable. I started with the sic-week online courses after a ‘now or never’ moment – I’d wanted to write a novel for many years (I actually wrote one when I was much younger but it was pretty dreadful) and, despite getting an English degree, I’d ended up working in finance – which doesn’t leave a lot of room for creativity… Signing up to a course that allowed me the flexibility to write around my other commitments and to connect with other writers and amazing tutors really appealed. I realised how much I loved it quite quickly, so signed up for another course and, after that, applied for the longer three-month course. I learned more than I could possibly summarise here, but one of the most valuable features was that it enabled me to find other people who I trusted to bounce ideas off, and who listened and supported me through the writing process.’
Debut novel All in Her Head was published by Orion in 2020.

 Louise McCreesh
Louise McCreesh, author

Louise McCreesh

‘When I applied for the CBC scholarship, I had just quit a full-on day job because I could not stop having panic attacks about it and was worrying about my future. I thought I had no chance whatsoever of receiving the scholarship – so when I did, it felt like permission for me to pursue this thing that I had loved for so long… Anna [Davis] also helped me make a few key editorial decisions which, to an extent, made the book what it is today — and she knew my original title would have to go years before I did.’
Debut novel Cracked was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2020.

 Stephanie Wahlstrom
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Stephanie Wahlstrom

‘The tutors really knew their stuff and I was introduced to “plot”, which I thought I knew about but totally didn’t. The course allowed me to get feedback on my work from a wide range of people as well as a realistic view of the publishing industry.’
Debut novel The Accidental Socialite and sequel The Accidental New Yorker published by Piatkus, December 2013 and February 2015.

 Jon Teckman
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Jon Teckman

‘I had such massively high expectations of this course when I arrived that it would have been hard to live up to them all, but the way the programme was designed and delivered absolutely met and exceeded my unreasonable aims. It was interesting, informative, challenging and fun – and I loved every minute.’
Debut novel Ordinary Joe published by HarperCollins, July 2015.

 Antonia Honeywell
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Antonia Honeywell

‘For me, the Curtis Brown Creative course provided an invaluable opportunity to work with talented, motivated writers in an atmosphere of aspiration and support.’
Debut novel The Ship published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, February 2015.

 David Barbaree
Author David Barbaree

David Barbaree

‘There is so much I enjoyed on the course. The quality of instruction, invaluable feedback from my peers, insight into how the mysterious world of publishing works. More than anything, I appreciated the confidence it gave me to keep writing and finish my book. I will always be indebted to CBC and my classmates for this.’
Debut novel Deposed was published by Bonnier Zaffre in May 2017.

Testimonials

‘The Curtis Brown Picture Book Course was my first course, and helped me gain a deeper understanding of the market. The modules and tutor highlighted the relationship between illustration and text … The Curtis Brown students and tutor were lovely and some of us are still in touch. Their feedback gave me the courage to keep going, and now one of the stories I wrote on the course has been published. I recommend the course to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the genre.’

Laura Muncie
Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book, Spring 2019

‘I’ve appreciated all the support from Curtis Brown staff and the course content has been excellent. The way it’s built up week by week has been great and now we are at the end of that process, I can really see how it’s been constructed to equip a keen but inexperienced person like me to start to peep into the world of illustration.’

Amy Martin
Illustrating a Children's Picture Book, Autumn 2018

‘I particularly appreciate the thought put into creating a course that’s affordable to people like me who work part-time, without compromising on the quality of the content. It’s certainly the best £200 a writer can invest in their novel, and I’m sure I’ll take all Anna’s brilliant advice with me to any future novels/ writing projects I undertake.’

Bethan James
Six Week Edit & Pitch Your Novel Course, Spring 2018

‘I learned a great deal from the course – not only where I need to improve and strengthen my writing, but also my strengths themselves, which has allowed me to feel more confident in my pursuit of a long term career as a writer.’

Lia Middleton
Six Week Write to the End of Your Novel Course, Spring 2018

‘The course gave me a fantastic group of writers to work with, and we are staying in touch and continuing to work together. That is a priceless, ongoing resource. Every part of the course was perfect, from the selection process to the video lessons to the tutorials. I’ve never had the pleasure of being in a group like this, a group completely made up of serious novelists.’

Lorrie Sprecher
Three-Month Online Novel-Writing Course, Autumn 2017

‘The tutorials and advice were brilliant as was getting feedback from the group and having the opportunity to Q&A with agents and industry insiders. The knowledge that there will be an opportunity for a submission to be fully considered by an agent a later point is an incredible piece of added on value.’

Shaun Stevenson
Three-Month Online Writing for Children Spring 2015

‘When you take part in it you realise you’re getting the best teaching, the best advice, a name you can trust, an insight into the industry and a group of like-minded students. In other words, it is very good value.’

Ian Brooks
Three-Month Online Writing for Children, Spring 2015

‘The course has helped me enormously in all areas of my writing – my motivation, my confidence and willingness to try new things with my novel have all improved! It was also a fantastic social experience and I have left with a lot of new friends.’

Megan Hodson
Six-Month Novel-Writing London Course Spring 2015

‘The course was a fantastic experience and has given me the skills, confidence and focus to finish the first draft of my novel. The group workshops and one-to-one workshops were invaluable, as was the interaction with the group , which continues to be a helpful source of support.’

Charlotte Northedge
Three-Month London Novel-Writing Course Autumn 2015

‘A lively, dynamic course which establishes trust and positive expectations. The forum encourages critical evaluation in a safe, yet lively space. Excellent value; felt like a treat to me!’

Janet Lewison
Six Week Starting To Write Your Novel Course, Spring 2016