Writers’ Workshop  Short Courses

This is an advanced fiction-writing course designed to help experienced writers develop creative ideas, acquire new skills and move ongoing work towards a publishable standard. Students' fiction (chapters from novels or short stories) will be circulated in advance and then constructively critiqued within the group, in a mutually supportive, non-competitive atmosphere. You will be encouraged to consider the following in relation to your work-in-progress: developing themes and ideas imaginatively, developing a distinctive voice, editing, finding an agent or publisher, and publishing opportunities for new writers. The size of this class will be restricted to 12 students, so early application is advised.

Course Information

Dates and Fees to be confirmed

Tutor Info

Katy Darby's short stories have been read on BBC Radio, published in magazines including Slice, Mslexia and The London Magazine, and won prizes in several international fiction competitions. Her first novel, Victorian drama The Whores' Asylum was published by Penguin in 2012 (the paperback title is The Unpierced Heart). She has a BA in English from Oxford University and an MA in Creative Writing from UEA, where she received the David Higham Award. From 2010-12 she edited short story magazine Litro, and she co-founded and currently runs the monthly live fiction event Liars' League, involving regular collaborations with Granta Magazine.

Eligibility

You should have taken an introductory fiction-writing course or be writing regularly, and some experience of workshopping is advisable.

What will I learn?

  • To structure a piece of imaginative fiction.
  • To use a range of techniques for problem-solving.
  • To revise and edit your work.
  • To identify markets and the requirements of publishers.
  • To give, receive and apply constructive criticism.
  • You will learn how to develop your work by reading, and how to learn technical strategies from other writers' works'

Recommended Reading

Mittelmark, H. and Newman, S, (2009) How Not To Write A Novel. London: Penguin

The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (annual). London: A & C Black, or

Barry, T., ed. (annual) The Writers' Handbook. London: Macmillan

Mullan J. (12 Oct 2006) How Novels Work. OUP Oxford

Application Deadline: