Novel in a Month (course)
Details
Early bird offer - £60 (instead of £150) for the entire course
Dates - 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th August (price covers all sessions)
This 4 week face to face course takes place in Manchester city centre, tutored by Dr Sarah Dobbs, author of Killing Daniel (Unthank, 2012). Sarah tutors at Edge Hill and has previously lectured at Blackburn, Lancaster, Manchester and The Open University, as well as on The Guardian's Masterclass series. Other work has been broadcast by the BBC, published in international journals and nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Who is the course for?
Anyone who is writing or has ever wanted to write a novel. What will I study? You will undertake a series of intensive exercises each week which will help you focus and hone the work you are currently writing or have written. The weeks are broken down into: the idea, the plot, genre and markets. The first hour will be dedicated to exercises and models that can be adapted to improve your own ideas or novels. Work will be underpinned with critical analysis of published work.
Week 1 -
The idea (fine-tuning your premise, ensuring conflict and character)
Surgeries: intensive peer and tutor feedback on work in progress/drafts
Week 2 -
The plot (Freytag's Pyramid, building your architecture, suspense, plot pictures)
Surgeries: Work in progress/drafts
Week 3 -
Genre (some weeks will interconnect, but knowing your genre, writing within it and also how to write outside and subvert it will hone your writing and give it identity and marketability)
Surgeries: One to one tutorials / group feedback, as group prefers
Week 4 -
Markets (the importance of agents, editors, copy-editors, how to self-edit with lenses. The covering letter and synopsis. Where to go from here.
Surgeries: final WIP and reading of polished work
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS: all course participants receive a free 1 hour follow-up critique of work in progress worth £40 (e.g. 3 chapters / synopsis analysis etc.) These can be taken at any time within 3 months of completing the course.
How will I study? With a small group (max 12) of like-minded writers in a friendly, informal setting. This is intensive but isn't school! You'll be asked to bring in writing each week in order to fully benefit from the surgeries.
All other materials and refreshments will be provided.
You can email Sarah to ask any questions on sarahjanedobbs@gmail.com
You can also book here, or just look at some of our other courses: