‘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.

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

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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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 is to be 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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘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.