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I read Casino Royale when I was 12. It changed my life. James Bond knew about all that intrigued me: cars, cocktails, guns, and - most of all - girls.- Ken Follet

Dates 28 + 29 SeptemberVenue: Waverley, JohannesburgTimes 9am - 3pm. This is an intensive weekend course designed for new writers who want to write a novel, or experienced writers who are stuck or need clear direction. It will guide you through the process of writing a book from start to finish. You need nothing but your ideas in order to attend.

You will be guided on your writing journey by writing coach and agent Sarah Bullen. She will help you plot your book, and push you to finish it.

Unlike many courses that take you through the theory of writing and plotting, this course is geared towards getting you going on your novel. By the end of the week you will be well on your way to writing your book. You will have the entire book plotted, you characters developed and your first few chapters written.

It’s a hard push to get you to engage with the dream of writing a book. But I also focus on getting you to write a publishable novel. It is a challenge to act on your desire.

Learn how to write, edit and market your novel, structure and storytelling, character, plotting, advanced plotting and pace, how to construct scenes, best writing techniques, timelines and schedules, genre and finding your voice, preparing your manuscript, how to approach publishers, how to write your marketing material, new publishing models. YOU WILL LEARN* How to Define and Create Your Most Compelling Book* The Elements of Structure* Finding Your Book Genre and Subgenre* Creating Plot, Place and Character Outlines for your Genre* Adding Plot Points and Structure* Beginnings, Middles and Ends* Developing Your Main Character* Developing Your Minor Characters* Developing Your Voice* Developing Point of View as a Plotting Technique* How to Improve your plotting, pace and structure* How to make your characters unforgettable* Adding Depth and Layers* Sourcing Tips and Techniques* How to Present Your Book to Publishers COURSE BREAKDOWN Module 1: Ideas.All professional writers get asked the question ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ We’ll start off the course by trying to answer it. We’ll look at: Recognising and developing ideas. An idea vs a plot; Reading as a writer, and getting into good writing habits; Defining your idea through titles and outlines, and the role of planning. Module 2: CharacterCreating convincing, realistic characters that readers are compelled to find out more about is at the heart of successful novel writing. We’ll begin to build a character, looking at different ways you can approach this, what makes a successful character, how to develop your characters and begin to think about how character and plot interact - an issue that lies at the very heart of how to construct a compelling novel. Module 3: Find your GenreWhat book are you writing? What are the conventions and how do you plot a book that fits into a genre. This is the basis of modern publishing. Module 4: The Basics of PlottingHow do you create a compelling plot that keeps readers turning the page? We’ll start to think about what makes a story a story as opposed to a series of events, introduce you to the idea of archetypal plots, and look at the roles of pacing, hooks and conflict all play in story-telling. Module 5: Structuring your BookOnce you know what your story is and who’s in it, you need to start thinking about the best way to tell that story. Writing a novel means making a series of decisions about things like structure, point of view, genre, setting, time and place. We’ll look at what the implications of these choices might be for your story.

Module 6: Beginnings, Middles and Ends Let’s move through all the big areas you need to cover with your hero and find a way to lead him or her on the journey. All the way to the end. Module 7: Style How do you write in a compelling way? We we will dialogue, your voice’, description, how to draw a reader in, pace, timing and tension. Module 8: Editing and Getting PublishedHow many drafts should you write? How do you know when something is ‘ready’? Many writers say that getting to the end of the first draft is just the start - that’s when the real work begins. From structural editing to polishing your prose, we’ll go through the stages involved in editing your novel. We’ll also aim to give you a brief overview of how publishing works, and what to do with your novel once you’ve written it.

The course is a combination of technical writing techniques, working through your blocks, finding ways to access your memories and plan your story.

ABOUT SARAH BULLEN Sarah Bullen is an international writing mentor and literary agent. She works with writers all over the world to tell their stories, and write that book. Founder of The Writing Room and Kent Literary, she has had over 180 books published by writers she has mentored over the last two decades. She has held editorial roles across both books, magazines and literary agencies. The Writing Room helps writers throughout the book writing journey—whether you’re working on your manuscript or you’re looking for publishing advice. As well as being a regular guest on talk shows, podcasts, literary festivals and writers’ circles, Sarah has been leading international writing retreats and adventures since 2014.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WRITING ROOM AND OTHER COURSES AND RETREATS HERE