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Challenging courses

For serious writers

Welcome to the UK’s first online education company dedicated to writing and creative talent development.

Whether you are an individual or an organisation, our unique learning platform, specialist educators, learning designers and practitioner-tutors will ensure you have a really effective and fun experience in small groups with dedicated tutors within a warm and supportive community.

Explore our online courses, discover how we can develop training for your organisation, or get in touch to find out more.

more than 5,000 satisfied students
12 years delivering to universities, publishers, corporates and talent-development agencies
84% course completion rate

Updates

New book from our Director of Fiction
We’re delighted to share that our Director of Fiction Tom Bromley has a new book out this week with the British Library – Bespoke: A Guide to Cycle-Speak and Saddle Slang – available on Amazon here.
Alumni on Discoveries 2021 longlist
Congratulations to the Women’s Prize for Fiction Discoveries 2021 longlist, including two of our own: Chloë Fowler for King and Olivia Ford for Mrs Quin’s Rise to Fame
S&S signs Leonard’s ‘harrowing but uplifting’ novel
We are delighted to hear that Simon & Schuster UK has signed a two-book deal with our alumna Charlotte Leonard, acquiring an “ultimately hopeful” novel that explores male suicide. Read the full Bookseller article here
Embla Books acquires ‘laugh-out-loud’ debut
Congratulations to our Writing a Novel 2019 alumna Laura Starkey, whose debut novel, Rachel Ryan’s Resolutions, has been bought by Embla Books (a new imprint from Bonnier). Read the full Bookseller article here
LATEST NOVEL FROM KINGSNORTH OUT NOW
Congratulations to our tutor Paul Kingsnorth, whose novel Alexandria has been published this week by Faber. Hear Paul talking about his book and ideas in this Lit Hub article and New Books Network podcast.
OUT NOW: MY BEST FRIEND’S MURDER
Congratulations to our course alumna Polly Phillips, whose debut novel My Best Friend’s Murder (Simon and Schuster UK) about a toxic friendship between two women, was published in e-book, with paperback to follow.
ONLINE WRITING EVENT WITH HELEN
Leading literary consultant Helen Corner-Bryant gave some fantastic editing and submission advice at our online community event Perfect Your Submission Package. We’ve included just a snippet in this video here, where she gives advice on writing tension peaks.
Sign up to our newsletter to get access to our calendar of online writing events.
AMAZON SUCCESS FOR AJ CAMPBELL
Congratulations to our course alumna Amanda, whose debut novel Leave Well Alone recently reached number 11 in Amazon’s top 100 domestic thrillers in the USA. Read the great reviews on Goodreads.
RECOMMENDED BY THE TIMES
We’re delighted to hear that our writing crime fiction course has been featured on The Times list of 25 Things You Can Learn During the New Lockdown.
VISIT OUR BOOKSHOP
We’re live on Bookshop with our lists of recommended reads, alumni novels, and books from our award-winning tutor team.
Support indie booksellers and shop on Bookshop – visit our page here.
PUBLISHING DEAL FOR ILONA BANNISTER
Huge congratulations to our alumna Ilona Bannister, whose novel WHEN I RAN AWAY is being published by John Murray Press on its Two Roads imprint. Ilona developed her novel about love, loss, class, motherhood on the Work in Progress course.
Read the full Bookseller article here.
MASSON WINS BLOODY SCOTLAND AWARD
We’re delighted to hear that the 2020 winner of Bloody Scotland’s Scottish Crime Debut of the Year is our alumna Deborah Masson, who developed her novel HOLD YOUR TONGUE on the Writing a Novel and Work in Progress online courses.
Congratulations, Deborah!
FAYE BRANN WINS CWIP PRIZE
Congratulations to our alumna Faye Brann on winning a Comedy Women in Print prize and a contract with Harper fiction to publish her novel, TINKER, TAILOR, SCHOOLMUM, SPY.
LIFE LINES ONLINE LITERARY EVENT
Our tutors Paul Dodgson and Ayisha Malik will be among the amazing roster of guests running life writing workshops between 7 – 13 September.
Hosted by the Willesden Jewish Cemetery and 100% online – find out more here.
BOOK DEAL FOR JULIE OWEN MOYLAN’S THE BUTTERFLY WALTZ
So thrilled to announce that course alumni Julie Owen Moylan has agreed a two book deal with Michael Joseph – her debut The Butterfly Waltz will be available 2022.
Congratulations, Julie!
Read the full Bookseller article.
SPONSOR TRAINING FOR CREATIVE FREELANCERS
We’re looking for philanthropists to sponsor places on our online CPD courses – for freelance creatives who have lost their work and income. For every place you sponsor, we’ll donate a free place on our screenwriting, script development, video games, business writing and fiction courses. Let’s upskill while we isolate. Details here
OUR FIRST BOOK HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
Delighted to announce that ACTUALLY, THE COMMA GOES HERE, authored by Business Website Writing tutor Lucy Cripps, is available now on Amazon.
Our book is fun, funny, and factual – the most complete guide to punctuation for beginners and experts alike.
DOWNLOAD OUR COURSE PROSPECTUS
Following great feedback from the London Book Fair, you can now download our full 2019/20 prospectus.
MINA ZAHER ON WRITING ROMANCE
Writer Mina Zaher explains to her readers why she is taking a romantic writing online course with the Professional Writing Academy – read her blog here.
JOHN YORKE ON BBC SOUNDS
Course director and narrative expert John Yorke consults on the BBC Radio 4 series THE CORRECTIONS, revealing how journalism often follows standard storytelling conventions. Tune in on BBC Sounds.
ALUMNA LOUISE MORRISH WINS COMPETITION
Congratulations to Faber Academy alumna Louise Morrish, who has won the Daily Mail First Novel Competition.
The prize includes a £20,000 advance and publishing contract with Penguin Random House.
Her novel, THE COFFIN CLUB, combines wartime memories, old age and murder.
JULY BOOK LAUNCH FOR AWAIS KHAN
Congratulations to Faber Academy course alumni Awais Khan – his debut novel IN THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS will be published in July by Book Guild Publishing Ltd
BOOK DEAL FOR HANNAH PERSAUD
Huge congratulations to Faber Academy course alumna Hannah Persaud – her ‘wonderfully compelling and acutely observed’ debut novel THE CODES OF LOVE will be published in February 2020 by Muswell Press.