Writing a Novel

​Course Description:

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Whether you’re just beginning your first novel, searching for the ideas that will carry you into a draft, partway through a manuscript, or struggling with a project that isn’t quite working, this course is designed to support you. It offers practical guidance and fresh inspiration within a supportive community of writers.

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We’ll explore elements and aspects of novel-writing, including:

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• Getting started — or finding new pathways into an existing draft

• Developing compelling ideas and characters

• Narrative voice and point of view

• Creating atmosphere and a sense of place

• ​Structure, storyline and shape

• Writing vivid, effective dialogue

 

There will be regular opportunities to share your work for constructive feedback and discussion (but there’s no pressure to read aloud if you’d prefer not to). You’ll see your writing develop, week by week, supported by detailed feedback from Susanna, including practical suggestions for further development. If you miss a session, you can catch up with activities and writing prompts in your own time.​

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This is a mixed-level course. Some experience of writing fiction is helpful, but not essential. If you’re unsure whether the course is right for you, please feel free to get in touch to discuss.

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Many writers who complete Writing a Novel go on to join the MA-style Advanced Fiction Workshop, continuing to develop their novels within a committed and supportive workshop setting.

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Susanna Jones has over thirty years of teaching experience.  She has worked with a wide range of writers, from complete beginners to novelists at MA and PhD level. She was for many years the main fiction tutor on the MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. Many of her former students have gone on to publish novels and win awards. She will help you discover new ways into your material, shape and deepen your fiction, and refine your narrative voice. In a supportive atmosphere, your ideas will flow more freely and you'll gain or renew confidence in your writing skills.

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For more information or to book a place.​​

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'I taught the novel as literature and writing fiction in Universities for over thirty years but putting this experience into practice when writing is much harder. Susanna Jones really knows how to help. She is an accomplished writer who really understands storytelling but also how a novel is structured and built from the blank page. I found her advice and encouragement priceless. Her novel writing courses and workshops are excellent and I recommend them without reservation. I am still writing and learning and I will return.'

Andrew M