Writing Your Novel – Three Months
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Writing Your Novel – Three Months
This is a course for those with a strong idea for a novel who wish to take their writing seriously (whether you’re in the early stages of writing or even reworking a complete draft). You'll join a group of 15 writers taught by tutor Charlotte Mendelson. Charlotte will lead weekly in-person writing workshops and deliver teaching sessions on key topics such as how to create memorable characters, write authentic dialogue and develop a strong arc for your story.
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.
It was the smartest thing I could have done… I got to meet other writers.
Multi-million-copy bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
Tutor
Charlotte Mendelson
Charlotte Mendelson’s previous novel, The Exhibitionist, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and was The Times Novel of the Year 2022, as well as a book of the year in The Telegraph and The Guardian. Her other novels include Almost English, which was longlisted for both the Man Booker and the Women’s Prize for Fiction; When We Were Bad, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and was a book of the year in The Observer, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Statesman and The Spectator; and Daughters of Jerusalem, which won both the Somerset Maugham Award and the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. Wife, her sixth novel, will be published in August 2024. She was a publisher for twenty years, reviews and broadcasts and has been the Gardening Correspondent for The New Yorker.
What does this course give you?
- Live teaching sessions in London: Charlotte will teach on a variety of novel-writing topics in dynamic in-person sessions on Tues 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 two 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 a 30-minute, one-to-one tutorial with Charlotte based on a 3,000-word extract from your novel-in-progress. Use the tutorial 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.
- 2 industry masterclasses: These special sessions will help demystify publishing. Leading literary agents, authors and publishers will discuss writing, editing and the submissions process – they will draw on their experience of real-life publication journeys. There will also be opportunities to ask questions.
- Synopsis & agent letter advice: 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.
Masterclass speakers
Join a Q&A session with a top UK literary agent and author.
Course schedule
All teaching and workshop sessions will take place on Tues 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.
INSPRATION AND READING AS WRITERS
Tues 18 Apr, 7–9pmOPENINGS
Tues 25 Apr, 7–9pmWRITING FROM LIFE
Tues 2 May, 7–9pmSTORY, PLOTTING & PLANNING
Tues 9 May, 7–9pmMasterclass
Thurs May, 7–9pmVOICE AND NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW
Tues 16 May, 7–9pmCHARACTERISATION
Tues 23 May, 7–9pmDESCRIPTION, TONE & STYLE
Tues 6 Jun, 7–9pmDIALOGUE
Tues 13 Jun, 7–9pmBUILDING SUSPENSE
Tues 20 Jun, 7–9pmSYNOPSIS – ONLINE
Tues 27 Jun – Tues 4 JulAGENT LETTER/PITCH WORKSHOP
Tues 4 Jul, 7–9pmENDINGS
Tues 11 Jul, 7–9pm:EDITING AND REWRITING
Tues 18 Jul, 7–9pmCOURSE CONCLUSION
Wed 19 Jul, 7–9pmEND OF COURSE SUBMISSION
Thurs 3 Aug
Course fees
The course fee of £1,990 (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 26 Mar, and we will respond to applicants by Thurs 30 Mar.
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.
Scholarship available
There is also one scholarship place available, sponsored by HW Fisher, we will award one talented writer of limited financial means a free place on this three-month Writing Your Novel course with teaching in London. Find out more and apply by clicking the button below. Deadline Sun 2 Apr.
HW Fisher Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers with Low Income
Our ever-popular original course in London. Get the best out of your novel with expert tuition and exclusive insights from publishing professionals.
Tutor
Charlotte Mendelson