Novel-Writing Intensive

Select Date

Applications

Start Date

6th Oct 2026

End Date

9th Oct 2026

Application Deadline

20th Jul 2026

Applicant Notification

24th Jul 2026

Price on Acceptance

£600

Apply Now

Novel-Writing Intensive

Intensive

Length

4 days

Location

London

Writing Goal

Develop your writing

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Novel-Writing Intensive

Join us for four days of expert teaching in London. Work intensely on your novel with group workshops and one-to-one feedback from your tutor.

Tutor

Abi Daré

Length

4 days

Location

London

Writing Goal

Develop your writing

Lively in-person teaching in the Curtis Brown offices.

Intensive

Our popular Novel-Writing Intensive is back! This four-day course will take place in Curtis Brown's central London offices from Tues 6 Oct to Fri 9 Oct.

The CBC team is looking forward to welcoming 15 writers to the office for four days of teaching and workshopping on our most intensive in-person course. Whether you’re new to CBC or have studied with us before, this course is ideal for those looking to join an engaged group of writers for expert teaching, a fresh burst of energy and writing community support.

Each day of the course, you’ll take part in inspiring writing classes led by award-winning novelist and much-loved tutor, Abi Daré. You’ll also join group workshops, sharing your thoughts on your coursemates’ work and receiving in-depth, constructive feedback in turn. Abi will give each student a one-to-one tutorial during the week, which is the perfect opportunity to raise any concerns you have about your novel-in-progress and what you need to do to take it to the next level.

The week will culminate with a pitch workshop and chance to put your questions to a Curtis Brown literary agent.

This course welcomes writers working in any genre of adult fiction but is not suitable for those working on children's fiction.

I felt like I did a three-month course in just four days... The energy in the room, sat side-by-side with people uber passionate about their story, their characters, the craft: that kind of face-to-face interaction is special.

Melissa Knight
Former Intensive course student

Tutor

Abi Daré

Abi Daré grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. She studied law at the University of Wolverhampton and has an M.Sc. in International Project Management from Glasgow Caledonian University and an MA (Distinction) in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University of London.

Her first novel The Girl with the Louding Voice was shortlisted for several awards including the Desmond Elliott Prize and The British Book Awards (Debut). The novel was a New York Times bestseller, A Today Show Book Club pick, a BBC Radio 4 Bookclub Pick and has been translated into well over a dozen languages. Abi's latest novel And So I Roar was published in August 2024 won the inaugural Climate Fiction Prize.

When Abi is not writing, she loves hanging out at her local café, giving talks and advocating for female education. In 2022, Abi was appointed as Board Member for the BIC Corporate Foundation. She lives in Essex with her husband and two children.

WHAT DOES THIS COURSE GIVE YOU?

4 days of teaching in London: Your tutor will lead teaching sessions on key novel-writing topics, including character development, plotting and scene analysis. These lessons will include writing exercises and interactive discussions.
1 workshop: You’ll be given the chance to workshop a 3,000-word extract from your novel-in-progress. You’ll get feedback from your tutor and fellow students.
1 tutorial: You'll get a 20-minute, one-to-one tutorial with your tutor based on your one-page synopsis. Use the tutorial to address your specific concerns about your writing and your plan for moving forward with your novel.
Literary agent masterclass: On the final day the group will deliver their pitches to a top literary agent, who will give verbal feedback. This will be followed by a Q&A with the agent, during which the students will have a chance to ask questions about writing, pitching and the submissions process.

Literary agent speaker

Get feedback on your verbal pitch from a literary agent. Guest agent speaker TBA.

COURSE SCHEDULE

The Novel-Writing Intensive will be held in the Curtis Brown offices in London (Cunard House), with sessions taking place in the Writers' Room. The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus.

All teaching and workshop sessions will take place from 10.15 to 17.30 each day.

Tues 6 Oct
Teaching Day 1 – Introductions & Plotting
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Weds 7 Oct
Teaching Day 2 – Characters & Scene Analysis
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Thurs 8 Oct
Teaching Day 3 – Middles & Hearing Your Work
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Fri 9 Oct
Teaching Day 4 – Interrogating Your Novel & Literary Agent Pitch Session + Q&A
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COURSE FEES

The course fee of £600 (inclusive of VAT) per student is payable in full before the start of the course. Spots are offered on a first come, first served basis.

We're offering our alumni an exclusive window to enrol before we open applications to our wider community. Sign up by Mon 20 Jul to secure your place. Alumni of our selective Writing Your Novel course will get £30 off this course.

This fee includes refreshments and a catered sandwich and salad lunch every day. We will be able to cater to all dietary requirements we’re made aware of.

READY TO SIGN UP?

There are just 15 places available on this Novel-Writing Intensive.

We will be reading and responding to applicants throughout the application window. We, therefore, advise people who are keen to join this course to fill in our short form without delay.

PRE–COURSE WORK

Students offered places on the course will be asked to email us with the following before the course begins:

A one-page synopsis, the first page of your novel and a 3,000-word extract from your novel-in-progress, with a note giving any necessary context (anything that's needed in addition to the synopsis to understand how the piece sits in relation to the novel, including a mention of how far through the story the extract appears).
Your 3,000-word extract will be workshopped. Your tutorial will focus on your synopsis and is also a chance for you to discuss your concerns about the novel and your plans for moving forward.
Schedules for tutorials/consultations will be sent out to all students ahead of the start of the course.
The material from the other 14 students will be sent to you ahead of the course so that you can do your reading and write your feedback before you arrive. Please provide comments on the 3,000-word extracts (the synopses and first pages are provided to aid your understanding).
Our boardroom will be open in the morning before class and in the late afternoon after class for students who need to catch up on reading and feedback-writing, or indeed for students who want to sit and write.

Select Date

Applications

Start Date

6th Oct 2026

End Date

9th Oct 2026

Application Deadline

20th Jul 2026

Applicant Notification

24th Jul 2026

Price on Acceptance

£600

Apply Now

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