A one-year in-person course focused on all aspects of historical fiction for writers of all levels. Ten full-day sessions (10.30am-6pm) held on the last Friday of every month (excl. July and August) consisting of seminars, workshops and 1:2:1 mentoring. Small group genre-specific teaching and guidance for a whole year with award-winning author and experienced creative writing teacher Rebecca Abrams. Book by 30 December.
Designed and taught by award-winning historical novelist and experienced creative writing teacher Rebecca Abrams, the course is carefully structured to give participants all the creative tools and practical support they need to progress their writing projects to the next stage. Working together in a small group over the course of a full year, each participant will gain genre-specific writing skills, personal feedback, and consistent support.
The course runs from January to December 2026, starting on 30th January 2026 and ending on 18th December 2026, and consists of 10 whole-day masterclasses held on the last Friday of every month from 10.30am-6pm. All classes are held in-person in Oxford.
Each monthly class includes a 3 hour seminar, group workshopping and one-to-one tutorials. Throughout the year there will also be guest sessions with industry experts (writers, agents and publishers). The year concludes with a writing showcase with a specially invited audience. There are no classes in July and August.
Each monthly class focuses on a specific aspect of historical fiction, including:
• Genre Expertise: Discover what makes historical fiction unique and how to harness its distinctive power
• Character Development: Learn to breathe life into historical figures and create believable period characters who feel genuinely human
• Authentic Settings: Master the art of historical world-building to transport your reader into the past.
• Period Voice: Develop skills in crafting dialogue and narrative voice that feel historically authentic
• Avoiding the Pitfalls: Navigate away from the common traps of clichéd characters, costume-drama history, and unintentional parody.
• Research tools: Where to start, when to stop, and how to use your historical research to best serve your story.
Writers of all levels over the age of 18 are welcome to apply. There is a maximum of 8 places and booking closes on 30 December 2025. The course fee is £2750 for the year. Application is by submission of a short writing sample and interview.
For full details and to apply, please see Oxford Creative Writing or email Rebecca directly at rebecca@oxfordcreativewriting.co.uk