This course is designed to help you navigate any or all of these challenges, to explore effective methods of plotting and storytelling, and, ultimately, to help you to turn your passion project into a page-turner.
We’ll look at narrative structure, deepening character development arcs, and techniques for suspense building. We’ll also cover twists, plot clues, and how to set up big scenes early in the story for maximum impact. You’ll be encouraged to use your own subconscious knowledge of how narrative works, and to write a book you’d also love to read.
The writing techniques offered in this course will apply to all types of fiction and can be applied to work from the most lyrical slow-build novel to the most action-packed.
You are welcome to join us, whether you have a complete novel you’d like help in shaping, or you’re wondering where to begin. Either way, you’ll come away from the course with all the tools you need to build something a reader won’t be able to put down.
Course outline
- Three assignments, including reading material, discussion prompts and writing exercises
- Three sets of peer feedback on your work
- Detailed written feedback from the course tutor on two of those assignments
- Live Zoom plotting session with Anna Freeman
- An online writing community, lasting beyond the end of the course
This course is six weeks long and asynchronous (so you can log in and add to the discussion whenever you want) with weekly ‘windows’ of when you should read assignments, upload your work or offer and receive feedback. Your course tutor, Anna Freeman, will upload a new assignment every two weeks for the six-week duration. This will include texts to read and discuss, teaching from Anna, and writing assignments. You will have a week to write each assignment and to upload it to the group. The group then has a week to give feedback on one other writer – which is an integral part of the course, learning from close reading and commenting on others’ work. This will happen three times, with three writing assignments and feedback on your work. Towards the end of the course, you’ll also have the opportunity to take part in an optional group Zoom tutorial with Anna, for face-to-face help in navigating the plotting process. There will be two Zoom opportunities offered – one during the day and one in the evening, with the hope that everyone will be able to attend at least one.
Course content
The course is largely focused on structure (plot and character arcs) and the tried and tested techniques which give impact and power to a story. But besides plotting, we’ll look at suspense and conflict, protagonists and antagonists, and suspense techniques. We’ll also discuss how to research and find an agent. The course is designed to be suitable for writers at every stage of planning and writing a novel, whether you are just starting out on a new work or you have a full manuscript.
There’s an optional addition to the course to join in a Zoom discussion on plot.
Learning online
The course will take place online, in a closed group on a platform called Slack. You’ll need to have internet access to receive the assignments and when you give and receive feedback. Slack is easy to use, and we’ll provide you with full instructions and guidance before the course starts. On Slack, we won’t have scheduled live chats, but there will be plenty of opportunity to interact with Anna and the other course participants in discussion threads, throughout the six weeks.
