Do you want to develop your book idea, taking it from a kernel in your mind to something fully-formed?
Join writer Natalie Young for this new course designed to help you do just that. Natalie will take you through each stage of idea and story development, asking you to consider structure and the all-important hook, character and voice, as well as how to define your plot. She'll share techniques and methods to keep you writing once the course is finished, and tell you everything you need to know about getting your writing ready to submit to agents and publishers.
The course builds in regular workshopping sessions to allow for feedback on your story from both Natalie and your peers, as well as feedback on your book idea and pitch from a publishing industry professional,
Participants are encouraged to come to the course with an idea for a book in place or perhaps a couple of ideas that you'd like feedback on.
This course includes:
- Six online sessions - 2 hours in length - for a maximum of 15 students.
- Practical workshops with takeaway exercises to be applied to your work in preparation for the next session
- The chance to pitch your book to a publishing industry professional and get instant feedback
- A private online Slack forum, for discussion and sharing of writing throughout the course
- A copy of the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2024
- A book bundle from Bloomsbury Publishing
- Discounts on W&A editing services
Optional Extra: Bespoke Feedback. All course participants will have the exclusive opportunity to submit 1500 words (plus working synopsis/chapter outline) to their course leader ahead of a 30-minute one-to-one consultation. This is entirely optional and comes at an additional cost of £50, with details to be circulated ahead of Week 6.
Schedule
Week 1 - Structure in Theory - an overview on the importance of structure and what to bear in mind when putting your book together.
How do we hook our readers? We'll discuss motivation and conflict and tension at the opening. And we'll also focus on voice. Is the objective or problem clear from the outset in fiction? Is there enough at stake? For non-fiction writers how do we hook? What do we want to convey to the reader by way of introduction?
Week 2 - Structure in practice
In this week we will workshop our beginnings. Participants will have written a beginning, however rough, for fiction ideas and non-fiction alike.
Week 3 - Character and voice
Who is speaking to the reader? Why is this the narrative stance we want to take? What is the vantage point? From where in time are we telling the story? Do we have a sense of character arc and development? What will our protagonists end up with or learn?
For non fiction writers, how do we want to come across? Are we keeping it simple, open and direct, or hiding behind a voice that isn't ours? How do we tell the difference?
Week 4 - Character and voice in practice
In this week we will workshop around character and voice. By sharing our ideas and voices with the group we can learn a lot and develop fast.
Week 5 - Plot and Staying Power - how to keep writing to the end of a first draft
Plotters and pantsers - what's the best way? Writing the Blurb and basic outline.
Workshopping the plot and blurb
Week 6 - Submission. What happens next? What do agents and publishers want to see?
Writing a synopsis and preparing our opening chapters for submission.
In the final hour of this session, you'll have the chance to pitch your book idea to a publishing industry professional, and get instant feedback.
Reading List
Please note, sections of each of these texts will be provided for you to read during the course, but you're welcome to read the full texts if you'd like to!
John Yorke : Into the Woods
Robert Olen Butler : From Where You Dream
Dorothea Brande : Becoming a Writer
Lizzie Harker : Plotters and Pantsers
Julia Cameron : The Writers' Way
Natalie Goldberg : Writing Down the Bones
Vivian Gornick : The Situation and The Story
Stephen King : On Writing
Testimonials
"Natalie helped me to discover my own unique voice and mine the rich seam of my own experiences for writing. Thank you, Natalie!" Mira Ho
"The course has left me eager for more, I suspect I may be looking for support of this nature again soon as the encouragement provided by participating in a small group is invaluable." Find Your Voice 2024 attendee
"Natalie helped me to feel the freedom to unwrap my voice and dare to share." Susan Dudman
"Very useful. The exercises have driven a number of new pieces and the expertise and experience of the tutors was invaluable." Tony Black
"The feedback environment was beneficial and generous of spirit. Great atmosphere to develop our writing and share with others taking part." Janine Meston
"I absolutely loved it. I felt heard and respected and loved the feedback and seeing how it improved my work." Fiona Houston
"Really enjoyed it - forced me to both read and write - helped me think about voice, technique, dialogue etc." Sam Davis
"Excellent, very useful indeed. Perfect to gain confidence with finding my writing voice." Laurence Pinturault
"I loved FYV. The tutors made me feel like I could do this. I have come away feeling encouraged as a writer." Diane Woodrow
"Very useful. The exercises have driven a number of new pieces and the expertise and experience of the tutors was invaluable." Tony Black
My first novel, We All Ran Into the Sunlight, was published by Short Books in 2011 while I was working as the Arts editor for Prospect magazine. Before that I was a journalist with The Times. My second novel, Season to Taste or How To Eat Your Husband, was published by Tinder Press in the UK in 2014 and by Little Brown in the US and was translated into several languages. I toured with the book in the UK and in New York and took part in the Edinburgh and Cheltenham Literary Festivals. Season to Taste is now being adapted for film. Since then I have worked as a literary consultant, editor and mentor. I collaborate with the publishing house Bloomsbury through the Writers & Artists website, and was also the facilitator for the SO:WRITE Women Writers group with Artful Scribe. I continue to explore new forms in my writing and have been the recipient of a grant from the Royal Literary Fund and two awards from Arts Council England. Most recently I received a Work in Progress award from the Society of Authors and the Authors Foundation for my third book, a novel in dialogue. I love the process of developing ideas with others and seeing their projects come to life. Working with writers across all genres, I am passionate about literary fiction and poetry.
The course fee of £350 (incl. VAT) is payable in full online. Please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on events@writersandartists.co.uk so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
If this event is Sold Out, please look out for other writing courses by visiting our Events homepage.
To view our event refund and cancellation policy, please click here.
Accessible to All
It’s of real importance to Writers & Artists that our events and courses remain accessible to all.
- Writers & Artists has made one bursary place available for this course as part of our accessibility scheme. Please visit our bursaries page to find out how to apply for bursaries to the course.
- Payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on events@writersandartists.co.uk so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
- This is an online course presented via Microsoft Teams video platform. Joining instructions and full guidance will be provided before the course start-date. Please note, all dates and times are according to UK Time.
- Course materials are made available to participants after each session at the discretion of the course leaders. Pre-event materials will also be made available via Slack.
- A recording of each session will be circulated to participants and remain available to view for a time-limited period.
- The course will include written text and visuals. Please contact us in advance so that we can make arrangements to be sure all documents appear in a format that works for you.
- If you’d like to attend but have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, then please email AccessWA@bloomsbury.com
