For emerging novelists ready to complete their first full manuscript, this rigorous course will guide you through the process of imagining, crafting and polishing your novels, as well as establishing a dedicated writing practice.
Presented by Australia’s leading independent publishing house, Writing a Novel is a targeted program specifically designed to help you find the focus you need to stay the distance and finish your manuscript draft over the course of nine months.
In the first stage of this course, you will be given a proven combination of targeted writing exercises, in-class writing workshops, group discussions and carefully selected examples. The focus of this course will be on your own work, with the aim of finishing with a substantial body of new writing, heading towards a publication-ready draft of your novel.
In the second half of the program, you will continue to develop the craft and technical skills required to turn a rough draft into a work of art. Using exercises focused on your own work, and feedback from peers and tutors, you’ll finish the course with a deep understanding of the novelist’s craft and how it applies to your own novel. These are lessons you can carry with you throughout your writing life.
During this course, you will be provided with:
- Feedback on 8,000-10,000 words of your work-in-progress, delivered through a mixture of whole-class workshops, and a personalised individual one-on-one consultation with your course director.
- Regular classescovering everything from research and narrative structure to style and tone.
- The ability to connect with fellow committed novelists, building a close-knit community of trusted readers.
- The chance to establish valuable industry connectionswith key insiders from the Australian publishing industry. There is no better way to get on the road to publication than to meet the people who know how to make that happen.
- A complimentary copy of a recent A & U publication.
In addition to dedicated course work, students who are submission-ready upon the completion of Writing a Novel will have the opportunity submit to the Faber Writing Anthology, a professionally edited and designed showcase of student work, sent to leading literary agents and publishers in both Australia and the United Kingdom, and launched at a bespoke industry party.
