Curtis Brown Creative

How to develop your novel while taking a screen break In this blog Tasha Harrison, freelance editor and author of Clementine Florentine and The Thing About Lemons, shares her advice for working on your novel away from the screen.

'It’s possible to keep your work-in-progress evolving without being seated in front of a screen' 💻️

Former CBC student and YA & children's author Tasha Harrison @dotdashtash.bsky.social shares her advice for working on your novel away from the screen.

Novel-Writing Intensive Join us for four days of expert teaching in London this autumn. Work intensely on your novel with workshop and tutor feedback.

Last chance to join our Novel-Writing Intensive! 15 writers will gather in Curtis Brown's London offices for lively workshops and one-to-one tutorials – delivered by author Lizzie Enfield. Plus, you'll get feedback on your pitch from two Curtis Brown literary agents.

Apply by 9 Mar:

Find out what you’re capable of when you put pen to paper 📝

Unleash your imagination, find your voice & build your confidence on our four-week course Creative Writing for Beginners. All online & fully flexible.

Starts next Thurs, enrol now: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/creat...

Writing Your Novel | Courses Online & in London Make real progress with your novel and take your writing to the next level on our flagship three- and six-month Writing Your Novel courses. Learn from top authors, literary agents and published.…

Find out more about our flagship Writing Your Novel courses here: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/writing-your...

Book of the Year - Debut Fiction 2026 | The British Book Awards Check out the 2026 shortlist for the Debut Fiction Book of the Year at The British Book Awards

We're so delighted to see two of our former Writing Your Novel students shortlisted for Debut Fiction of the Year at The British Book Awards.

Huge congratulations to @nussaibah.bsky.social (Fundamentally) and Roisín O'Donnell (Nesting). Read more:
www.thebookseller.com/british-book...

What is the difference between showing and telling? You’ve almost certainly heard ‘show don’t tell’ given as a rule. Perhaps you’ve heard it in a creative writing class or on a how-to writing website. It’s not bad advice, exactly – following ‘show…

You’ve probably heard the writing advice: 'show don’t tell.' It’s a great starting point – but what happens when you want to go beyond the basics? 🤔

CBC tutor Anna Freeman breaks down what showing & telling really mean and how to use both in your writing.

Bring your characters to life! ✍️

Join us for Character Development – The Deep Dive, across four weeks you'll fully develop your protagonist with believable motivations and a compelling story arc.

Course starts next Thurs: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/chara...

The Rewrite Doctor | Editing Course This one-day intensive Zoom course led by CBC’s Founder and MD Anna Davis is the perfect next step for writers who have finished the first draft of their novel and want to learn how to knock it into…

The Rewrite Doctor is back on 18 March! 💪

Join CBC’s Anna Davis for a one-day Zoom course. Perfect for writers with a finished draft, learn Anna's much-loved editing method & knock your novel into better shape.

Plus, you'll receive feedback on your first 3,000 words & synopsis! Sign up now:

Huge congratulations to Claire Lynch! We can't wait for Claire to visit our Writing Your Novel students to discuss her writing process and #AFamilyMatter later this year.

Find out more: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...

Breakthrough Scholarship for LGBTQIA+ Horror Writers This scholarship will award one talented LGBTQIA+ writer a free place on our new nine-week Writing Horror Fiction course with Zoom teaching and professional feedback.

Our Breakthrough Scholarship for LGBTQIA+ Horror Writers will award one talented LGBTQIA+ writer a free place on our new nine-week Writing Horror Fiction course with Zoom teaching and professional feedback.

Apply by 23 Mar: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/break...

HW Fisher Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers of Colour This scholarship, sponsored by HW Fisher, will award one talented writer of colour a free place on our flagship Writing Your Novel course with three months of teaching in London.

Our HW Fisher Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers of Colour will award one talented writer of colour a free place on our flagship Writing Your Novel course with three months of teaching in London.

Apply by 23 Mar: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/hw-fi...

Jack Meggitt-Phillips Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers with Low Income This scholarship, sponsored by Jack Meggitt-Phillips, will award one talented writer with limited financial means a place on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in London.

Our Jack Meggitt-Phillips Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers with Low Income will award one talented writer with limited financial means a place on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in London.

Apply by 23 Mar: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/jack-...

Jennie Godfrey Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers with Low Income This scholarship, sponsored by Jennie Godfrey, will award one talented writer with limited financial means a place on our three-month online Writing Your Novel course.

Our @jenniegauthor.bsky.social Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers with Low Income will award one talented writer with limited financial means a place on our three-month online Writing Your Novel course.

Apply by 16 Mar: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/jenni...

Breakthrough Scholarships | Curtis Brown Creative Our scholarships provide regular funded places on our courses to talented writers facing barriers to entry.

We’re currently accepting applications to four different free opportunities for under-represented writers as part of our Breakthrough Writers’ Programme!

Details below 🧵

Last chance to apply for Edit & Pitch Your Novel – Advanced! 🛎️

Transform your draft into a polished novel with teaching from Lauren Schott Pearson. Plus attend masterclasses with guests including publisher Sam Eades & author Jenn Ashworth.

Apply now: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/edit-...

Highly recommend these intensives, I wouldn't have an agent or a finished book on submission if I hadn't attended the autumn course a few years back.

#writingcommunity #writer

Venetia Constantine on creating immersive settings In this interview Venetia Constantine, author of the debut fantasy novel The Last Starborn Seer, shares her approach to worldbuilding.

Venetia Constantine: 'I’ve always been fascinated by magic with consequences' 🔮

We caught up with CBC alumna @venetiaconstantine.bsky.social to discuss her debut fantasy novel #TheLastStarbornSeer, out now with Aria @headofzeus.bsky.social!

Last chance to apply for our Spring Novel-Writing Intensive! 🌷

Join us in the Curtis Brown offices for four days of teaching from Lizzie Enfield. Plus you'll practise pitching with Curtis Brown's Helena Maybery.

Applications close on Monday: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/novel...

An editor's guide to editing your novel Editing your novel is a fundamental part of the writing process, and yet so many authors find it intimidating and overwhelming.

Great novels are made in the rewrite ✍️

If you’ve written a complete novel and are looking for advice on how to edit and polish it, check out these top tips from CBC editor & Head of Courses Jennifer Kerslake.

Read full advice blog:

The 2026 #WomensPrize for Fiction longlist💚

Which book will you be reading first?

#WomensPrizeforFiction

Huge congratulations to former Writing Your Novel student Lucy Apps! Her debut Gloria Don't Speak has been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Read our interview with Lucy here: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/blog/lucy-ap...

Need some great advice to help you reach the end of the first draft? 💭

Develop the skills & techniques to get you over the finish line with teaching from Anna Davis on our six-week Write to the End of Your Novel course.

Starts tomorrow, enrol now: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/write...

How to write your elevator pitch The elevator pitch is a crucial component of your pitch letter to a literary agent, it is a pithy sentence or two that conveys the book’s hook or central concept. Jonny Geller – CEO of The Curtis…

'When I’m on the hunt for exciting debuts, I’m looking for a story that acts as a bridge – taking me on a journey from somewhere familiar to somewhere new'

@jonnygeller.bsky.social – CEO of Curtis Brown & one of the UK’s foremost literary agents – shares 5 ways of approaching your elevator pitch:

We're so excited that Curtis Brown literary agent Sheila Crowley and award-winning thriller author Louise Candlish will be masterclass speakers on our upcoming online Writing Your Novel – Three Months course!

Find out more: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...

Masterclass speakers include leading publisher Sam Eades, author and editor Sara Nisha Adams, Paper Literary agent Catherine Cho and award-winning author Jenn Ashworth – plus CBC's Founder Anna Davis and Senior Courses Manager / Editor Abby Parsons.

www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/edit-...

Edit & Pitch Your Novel – Advanced | Zoom Course Take your rough first draft all the way to finished and polished novel and put together a compelling pitch package ready to send to agents on this advanced three-month course with live Zoom…

Polish your prose and put together a compelling pitch package on our three-month online Edit & Pitch Your Novel – Advanced course.

Get feedback from author and former literary agent Lauren Schott Pearson and attend Zoom masterclasses with expert guest speakers.

Apply by 9 March:

How to approach writing your second novel Thriller author Leah Pitt studied on our online Writing Your Novel – Three Months course in 2021. Here she draws on her experience of writing her second novel to provide some tips for writers…

'Own and trust your unique writing process' ✍️

Former CBC student and author of #TheBeachHut Leah Pitt shares her advice on how to approach writing your second novel, with insights from her latest thriller #TheFunfair.

Writing Horror Fiction Write a bone-chilling story that will haunt readers long after they finish the final chapter.

Write a bone-chilling story on our new Writing Horror Fiction course!

Learn from prize-winning author Andrew Michael Hurley plus join a masterclass with bestselling author @lucyrosecreates.bsky.social & Alexa von Hirschberg, Publishing Director at W&N.

Apply by 16 Mar:

Jo Lyons: 'I credit my writer friends with any success I have' In this interview Jo Lyons, bestselling romantic comedy author, shares her journey to publication and advice for aspiring authors.

Jo Lyons: 'Writing courses gave me the confidence to forge my own path' ✍️

We caught up with CBC alumna & bestselling romantic comedy author @jolyons.bsky.social to discuss her journey to publication and her advice for aspiring authors.

www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/blog/jo-lyon...

How to write short stories Award-winning novelist and short story writer Cynan Jones discusses the key elements of a short story and the important questions all short fiction writers should ask themselves about the story they…

'Good writing doesn’t just happen at the desk. Walk away from what you’ve written for a while'

Acclaimed short fiction writer, Cynan Jones, shares his tips on how to write short stories and discusses the questions all short fiction writers should ask themselves about the story they want to tell.