Curtis Brown Creative, the creative-writing school run by Curtis Brown Literary Agency, is inviting applications for two writing courses for aspiring novelists – a London-based Novel-Writing Course and an Online Novel-Writing Course.
Previous courses – the only ones in the UK to be led by agents – have seen more than fifteen students secure book deals with major publishers and several others find representation.
Applications will be accepted until midnight on Sunday 18 October 2015.
Novel-Writing Course
The Novel-Writing Course will run from 7th November 2015 to 16th March 2016, and will be taught by author Erin Kelly and Curtis Brown Creative’s Director Anna Davis, a literary agent and author of five novels.
Open to 15 students, the course will include weekly evening workshops, teaching sessions and one-to-one tutorials with Erin Kelly, plus pecial visiting speaker sessions hosted by Anna Davis and featuring literary agents from both the Curtis Brown and Conville & Walsh agencies, paired with leading writers and top publishers. Anna will also meet with each student to give detailed feedback on their novels and discuss next steps, including industry advice. At the end of the course, the full agenting teams of Curtis Brown and Conville & Walsh read the synopses plus openings of the students’ novels, and the students get to meet the agents and discuss their works-in-progress at a drinks evening.
The course fee is £1,800.
Find full details at www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk.
Online Novel-Writing Course
This more flexible option – tutored by Commonwealth Book Prize-winning author Lisa O’Donnell – will run from November 02 2015 until February 22 2016, and brings all the ingredients of the London-based novel-writing courses to those unable to attend sessions at Curtis Brown’s offices.
Places will be offered to 15 students, selected on the basis of ability as demonstrated in their applications. Commonwealth Book Prize-winning author and tutor Lisa O’Donnell will give direct feedback to students on their novels-in-progress via weekly online workshops and one-to-one tutorials. Lisa will also deliver specially designed teaching sessions on key topics and set homework exercises. The course features dedicated advice and Q&As with agents from Curtis Brown and our sister agency Conville & Walsh. Literary agents from both companies will read the openings and one-page synopses from all students at the end of the course.
The course fee is £1,600.
Applications must be submitted by midnight on Sunday 4th October.