Are you working on a novel? Dream of seeing your writing in print? Don’t miss out on this incredible class with literary agent Ed Wilson and Suzie Dooré, publishing director at The Borough Press.
Over the course of three hours, you’ll receive an overview of the traditional publishing process, and the role of editors and agents within it. You’ll also learn what Ed and Suzie are looking for in submissions, as well as how to perfect the opening paragraphs of your novel and make your cover letter stand out from the crowd. This lively evening class includes exercises where you’ll practice writing a cover letter and “elevator pitch”, plus opportunities for feedback and extensive Q&A.
Content
- The key things writers need to know about the publishing process
- Submitting your manuscript to literary agents - dos and don’ts
- Perfecting your “elevator pitch” and opening paragraphs
- How to make your cover letter stand out from the crowd
- Good and bad examples of cover letters and opening paragraphs
- Traditional publishing versus self-publishing
- Practical exercise - work on your cover letter and two-line elevator pitch, with opportunities for feedback on work carried out during the class
- Q&A - a great opportunity to quiz a leading literary agent and publisher on what they look for in fiction submissions
Class preparation
- Ahead of the class you’re encouraged to have a think about your novel, and how you might present it in a cover letter to an agent
- During the practical exercise, you’ll have the opportunity to read your letter out and pitch your novel for feedback. Please note it is not essential to read out your letter in order to take part in the class or benefit from it
How to write series curated by Lionel Shriver
This Masterclass is part of a series of writing classes this April, specially curated by Lionel Shriver, internationally bestselling author of We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Click here to browse the full range of classes in this series, and book our four-course ticket offer, which includes a complimentary one-to-one feedback session on your writing from Suzie Dooré, Lionel’s editor at The Borough Press, and leading literary agent Ed Wilson.
Tutor profiles
Suzie Dooré is the publishing director of The Borough Press, the literary fiction imprint of HarperFiction that’s home to authors including Lionel Shriver, Tracy Chevalier and Nathan Filer, among others. She publishes literary-commercial crossover fiction, and has previously worked at Hodder and Stoughton, and Waterstones Head Office. Find her on Twitter here.
Ed Wilson is a literary agent and co-owner/director of Johnson & Alcock, a London agency that’s been running since the 1950s. He has a diverse and developing list of fiction and non-fiction, covering debut writers through to established, bestselling and award-winning authors. His recent books have included everything from Caribbean detectives to gloomy cats to Dame Edna. Find him on Twitter here.
Details
Date: Tuesday 26 April 2016
Times: 6.30pm-9.30pm
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £99 (includes VAT, booking fee and drinks)
Event capacity: 36
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 14 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
