The one year novel writing course contains a creative blend of monthly Saturday workshops, monthly Tuesday evening readings and two one-to-one tutorials - these in person where possible.

With space limited to 12 students this course offers a rich, stimulating and supportive environment where people wishing to write a novel will be given the tools and support to do so.

The intention is to give students on this course a good grounding in the skill set, some of which include: sparking and nurturing ideas, creating and developing characters, building an authentic sense of place, how to write convincing dialogue, knowing how to dramatise fiction and how to summarise, and how to structure plot.

The course also offers writers the opportunity to be a part of a creative and supportive community of writers. In the course writers will also learn how to give and receive feedback, and how to make an idea for a novel into a reality.

The first Saturday full day workshop is on 15th January 2022, the first Tuesday evening reading on 1st February 2022.

To join this course it is not necessary to, as yet, have a well formed idea for a novel, as sparking ideas and developing them will form part of our first workshop. Nor is it necessary to have experience in creative writing - though experienced writers would also benefit from this course and from the guidance and structure it offers.

Format: One full-day online workshop (Saturday) plus one Tuesday evening session each month. Each student will also have two one-hour one-to-one tutorials.

Dates: Begins Saturday 15 January 2022
Location: Online via Zoom, with tutorials in-person (Edinburgh) where possible
Cost: £1400. This can be paid in instalments.

Further information can be found at www.janismackay.com  or feel free to email for more information Janis@janismackay.com 

Deadline for booking: Friday 7 January 2022 at 00:00.