Chelsea Chong
Writing a Speculative Fiction Novel – Online
The Faber scholarship changed my life. Before I was awarded a place in this course, I’d spent a year unsuccessfully querying a previous novel. Disheartened and tired, I couldn’t muster the confidence I needed to face the blank page and begin again. Enter The Faber Academy’s Writing a Speculative Fiction Novel course.
Under the expert tutelage of award-winning speculative writers, Kaaron Warren and J.S. Bruekelaar, this course provided the encouragement and structure I needed to push through my doubt. Kaaron and J.S. believed in my project and my writing, which was a huge confidence boost for an emerging writer. They brought decades’ worth of writing wisdom to each session, and their sharp editorial input elevated my novel and improved my craft.
The other individuals who took the course with me are incredible writers, and some of the kindest and most encouraging people I’ve met. The group feedback sessions were insightful, respectful, and fun. Post-course, we have now formed a tight-knit writers’ group committed to providing feedback, support, and spurring each other on. During the course, I was able to finish and polish my speculative novel ready for submission to agents, and within two months of completing the course, I had an offer of representation and signed with my literary agent. I sincerely believe I would not be in this position if I hadn’t received a scholarship to The Faber Academy, and for that I am endlessly grateful.
Anna Carlsson
Writing a Narrative Nonfiction Book – Melbourne
As the scholarship recipient for Deborah Robertson’s Writing the Narrative Nonfiction Book, I cannot speak more highly or enthusiastically about the course. Commencing almost 12 months ago, it was hard to imagine what we were stepping into. Only with our rough outline of topic and form but with a strong desire to explore an unknown, Deborah steered our ships (through a lot of personally but also technically challenging aspects of our books), keeping our masts strong. Her wisdom, support and ability to explain the grammatical, structural and even the cosmological potentials for our texts, is something I will carry with me for the rest of my writing career.
In addition, we read widely, workshopped intensively, and listened intently to Deborah, an in-house editor, an agent (both from the publishing industry) and successful writers. My notebook is filled with quotes, notes, ruminations, and practical tips on how to be a writer and how to stay one.
Docking last week, we shared a celebratory dinner. We laughed, as we wondered what the other restaurant diners thought of our group—a table of people with ages ranging almost 30 years difference. But we all agreed, that was the most enriching aspect of our journeys. It was our life experiences that led us to the course, and it was ultimately, the different projects that kept us together, growing, evolving and shedding, to reach our final products.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to write a book. I am so glad that Deborah was the mayor of my Writing the Narrative Nonfiction Book journey and feel immense trust and shared support for my fellow writers, neighbours and friends that are now integral members of my own writing village.
Joshua Sorensen
Writing a Novel – Melbourne
Miles and Emily are excellent teachers. Their feedback is incisive, their advice actionable, and it’s clear that they give a lot of thought to their lessons. They’ve broken down the process of writing a novel into manageable chunks—a discrete element each week—and this tight focus has helped me not feel too overwhelmed by the scope of my project, which in turn has allowed me to drill into it in a way I never have before. So considered is the structure of learning that there have been multiple times where I’ve found myself encountering one problem or another with my work, only for that very issue to be the topic of that week’s class!
Then, of course, there is the community you gain from doing this course. That is without a doubt the best part of the experience. Writing can be such a lonely experience, so it cannot be overstated how revitalizing it feels to suddenly have eleven friends, each of whom are on the same creative journey. From the first day there was this huge sense of trust and mateship; when we’re giving feedback we lavish the level of attention on each other’s pieces that we want to receive on our own.
When I began with the Faber Writing Academy I was feeling pretty burnt out on my writing, and worried that even if I got to a publishable level I’d still never get anywhere, but this course has really reminded me why I’m a writer, and I’ve fallen back in love with the craft, the culture, and the community all over again.
S.K. Riley
Writing a Novel – Online
When I dedicated myself to writing a novel, I never dreamed I would one day find myself in such a supportive writing community, with a truly amazing writing mentor. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to take part in the online version of Faber Writing Academy’s Writing a Novel 2025 at Allen & Unwin, with award-winning writer Gretchen Shirm.
In Writing a Novel, Faber Writing Academy surpasses all other writing courses in the level of professional expertise it provides. This well-designed program, focussed on learning the secrets of the craft, is explicitly intended for writers immersed in the novel writing process. The course is enhanced by bespoke teaching materials, writing exercises, readings and discussion, along with informed critiques from gifted fellow writers. Importantly, each participant receives valuable feedback on their own writing from an expert writing mentor.
Writers in this year’s online Writing a Novel program have been treated to wisdom from guest authors, Brooke Robinson on the nuances of Plotting and Escalation, and Jessie Tu on Developing Your Draft. We also have first-hand professional insights from publishers and literary agents. Exciting future guests may include Mykaela Saunders, voice coach Rob Meldrum, and the incomparable Kate Forsyth. Each guest has contributed treasured knowledge gained from the individual practice of their craft. This novel-writing program has gifted me with surprising solutions, and the encouragement to move beyond multiple obstacles that stifled my writing. With deep gratitude to Gretchen Shirm, I have made significant and satisfying progress on my novel. Faber Writing Academy’s Writing a Novel will provide invaluable guidance to anyone who wishes to take a more deeply informed and disciplined approach to their own process of writing a novel.
Paid places for our long courses are now open to application.