online
online

Writing a Novel Online

w/ Gretchen Shirm and guests

For emerging novelists ready to dive in and make the commitment to complete a full manuscript, this rigorous Masters-equivalent course will guide you through the process of executing your novel, developing essential skills in writing and composition, as well as establishing a dedicated writing practice.

Tuesdays 4.30pm – 6.30pm (AEDT/AEST), 25 February – 23 September 2025

 $5900/ $5015 alumni

 


Presented by Australia’s leading independent publishing house Allen & Unwin, in partnership with the prestigious UK Publishers Faber & Faber, Writing a Novel is a highly practical, craft-focused program designed to help you find the focus you need to stay the distance and finish your manuscript draft.

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 classes covering 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 connections with 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 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.


Writers you'll be working with:

Gretchen Shirm

Gretchen Shirm is the author of a collection of short stories Having Cried Wolf, for which she was named a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist. Her first novel Where the Light Falls, was shortlisted for the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Her fiction has been published in…

Course outline

The course consists of 22 online evening sessions (Tuesdays 4.30pm to 6.30pm AEDT/AEST), 6 half-day sessions (Saturdays 1.00pm to 4.00pm) and an additional evening session dedicated to the Faber Writing Anthology.

Session 1: Tuesday 25 February
Introduction

Session 2: Tuesday 4 March
The workshop process

Session 3: Saturday 8 March
Beginnings

Session 4: Tuesday 11 March
Voice

Session 5: Tuesday 18 March
Point of View

Session 6: Saturday 22 March
Guest author and introduction to dialogue

Session 7: Tuesday 25 March
Tense

Session 8: Tuesday 1 April
Dialogue – tension and subtext

Session 9: Tuesday 8 April
Dialogue exercises

EASTER AND ANZAC DAY BREAK

Session 10: Tuesday 29 April
Introspection

Session 11: Saturday 3 May
Place and setting

Session 12: Tuesday 6 May
Introduction to character

Session 13: Tuesday 13 May
Author guest and more on character

Session 14: Tuesday 20 May
Establishing your writing practise

Session 15: Tuesday 27 May
Project check in and writing exercises

COURSE BREAK

Session 16: Tuesday 22 July
Pace

Session 17: Tuesday 29 July
Introduction to plot and structure

Session 18: Tuesday 5 August
Pattern and design in narrative

Session 19: Saturday 9 August
Backstory, time shifts and narrative time

Session 20: Tuesday 12 August
Research, ethics and appropriation

Session 21: Tuesday 19 August
Editing your work and guest editor

Session 22: Tuesday 26 August
Synopsis, blurbs and pitches

Session 23: Saturday 30 August
Editing processes and modelling exercise

Session 24: Tuesday 2 September
Reading your work – voice coach

Session 25: Tuesday 9 September
A&U editor guest – anthology Q&A

Session 26: Saturday 13 September
Titles and covers

Session 27: Tuesday 16 September
Literary agent guest

Session 28: Tuesday 23 September
Final readings. Where to from here? Advice for completion.

Please note the exact course content could be adjusted according to the experience and concerns of the group and availability of guest writers. The detail of the course is at the discretion of the Course Director and Faber Writing Academy at Allen & Unwin.

Praise for this course

 

 

 

How to Apply

To apply for Writing A Novel, we ask that students submit:

  • An online application answering several questions asked by our Writing a Novel tutor
  • An attachment with a sample of up to 1,000 words of prose

The selective process ensures that all applicants are applying for the course best suited to their needs and allows the tutor to determine your readiness for the course. 

What happens if I am accepted?

If you are accepted into Writing a Novel Online, you will be sent an email inviting you to take your place in the course from the Faber Writing Academy at Allen & Unwin team. In order to secure your spot, you will be asked to pay a deposit of $590 / $501.50 (alumni). The deposit will count as your first monthly instalment. Students may choose to pay the full course fee or settle the remainder at any point.

Please contact us if you wish to discuss further payment plan options via email faberwritingacademy@allenandunwin.com or phone (02) 8425 0171.