"Writing Mainstream Fiction"

Whether you’re writing a novel or a short story, most writers want to be read.  This course concentrates on how to write compelling stories, whatever their length, and covers structure, character, dialogue and craft techniques as well as the tricks of creating a page-turning read

This course is suitable for beginners or more experienced writers.

Sarah Duncan is a bestselling novelist published in fourteen countries. Her novels include A Single to Rome (longlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year) and Kissing Mr Wrong. Her short stories have been widely published in a variety of magazines and anthologies, as well as being broadcast on Radio 4.  She has judged several short story competitions, and is currently the short story judge for the Wells Prize.
She is an experienced creative writing tutor, currently working for the Universities of Bristol and Oxford, and Franklin and Marshall College, Pa, USA. She is the nominated Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Bristol

Day 1
Structure – We look at the techniques of creating stories people want to read, from basic principles to classic story shapes, and how we can use structure to help us to write, whether a short story or a novel.

Evening – Talk: This Writer’s Life

Day 3
Dialogue – From how you punctuate to what your characters say, we’ll be looking at how to write believable dialogue, and how sometimes what isn’t said is as important as what is said.
 
Evening – Talk: Getting a Novel Published

Day 4
Craft techniques – Good writing doesn’t just turn up along with your muse.  In this session you’ll learn craft techniques to make your writing more effective.

Evening – Open reading session

Price: £695
£150 single supplement
£450 for non participating partners

Places are limited, click here to book your place now

Biography
Sarah was born and grew up in London, but has spent the last fifteen years or so in the West Country. She read History of Art at Leicester University, but really wanted to be an actor so after graduating, she trained at The Drama Studio London. Sarah worked as an actor for three years doing lots of lovely things from rep theatre in Ipswich, Chester, York, Leicester and Coventry, to the West End.

Sarah was lucky enough to play Rodney's girlfriend Vicky (the one before the one he married) in the BBC's Only Fool's and Horses. It was a wonderful experience, but she decided that fifteen minutes of fame was quite enough so left acting. At first she wrote non-fiction, then about ten years ago she decided to change direction and did the Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University. While on the course she wrote the first (but not the last) draft of Adultery for Beginners.

Sarah now lives in the Georgian city of Bath and spends her time reading, writing or teaching creative writing. She loves being a writer. It took some time but she thinks she has finally found what she wants to do when she grows up!

www.sarahduncan.co.uk