Crime fiction has never been more popular. Everyone enjoys a thriller with compelling twists and turns, which plays on our darkest fears. Whether you enjoy the complexity of Sophie Hannah and S.J. Watson or the excellent plots of Nicci French, successful crime novelists Penny Hancock and Kate Rhodes will provide an in-depth introduction to the art of crime writing. If you are just at the planning stage, or have begun to research the background for your novel, this weekend course will be of great value.
You will be given intensive support and guidance on how to research, plan and develop your novel concept. A series of practical workshops will help you learn how to drive your ideas forward and create a page-turning narrative. The course will help you to create a believable landscape for your characters, as well as develop skills including dialogue and interesting crises in your storyline.
This course is for you if...
- You’re new to crime writing, and want expert advice on planning, researching and writing your novel
- You have a burning idea for a standalone novel or crime series and need help turning your ideas into fiction
- You’re experienced in another form of writing, such as journalism, poetry or short stories, and want to move into the crime genre
Course description
This practical weekend course provides a step-by-step guide to help you write a marketable crime novel, and you’ll also gain detailed feedback from two highly experienced tutors. Topics covered during the event include:
- Planning a unique crime novel
- Introduction to key writing methods
- Quick and easy ways to carry out crime research
- Archetypes: what you can learn from tried and tested models in crime fiction
- How to write a synopsis and tagline for your novel
- Choosing between writing a standalone novel, or a crime series
- Creating an atmospheric fictional landscape
- How to create an unforgettable central character
- How to write sharp and interesting dialogue
- Ways to introduce and exploit dramatic crises in your storyline
Tutor profile
Penny Hancock is an author, freelance writer and creative writing teacher. Her first novel Tideline was a Richard and Judy book club pick in 2012. The Darkening Hour and A Trick of the Mind are also published by Simon and Schuster. Her fourth novel A Stranger in my House is due out in 2016. Penny’s short stories and articles have appeared in the national press and magazines. She has also written readers for Cambridge University Press and course books for children learning English. Born near the Thames in South East London, Penny draws upon the river to provide a backdrop to her psychological thrillers about ordinary families for whom things spiral out of control. Before writing novels, Penny taught English as a Foreign Language in Italy, Greece and Morocco, and trained as a primary school teacher.
Kate Rhodes is author of a bestselling series of books featuring forensic psychologist Alice Quentin, and was recently nominated for the prestigious Ruth Rendell Award. A former university lecturer, her works Crossbones Yard, A Killing of Angels and The Winter Foundlings have received critical acclaim, and the fourth and fifth books in the series have already been commissioned by publishers Mulholland.
Details
Dates: Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May 2015
Times: 10am-4pm
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £449 (includes VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
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.
