The Ultimate Novel Writing Course

The course

Have you got an incredible idea for a novel and the ambition and drive to get it published?

Start with a work in progress – end with the tools and contacts you need to get published. The Ultimate Novel Writing Course, delivered with our partners at Jericho Writers, guides you over the course of a year as you complete your novel. Month by month you’ll receive expert mentoring, editorial guidance on your entire manuscript, one-to-ones with a mentor, literary agent feedback, exclusive networking, and access to industry professionals.

Choose from either the CORE package (from £2950) or the FULL package (from £5450). On the CORE package you can take advantage of the benefits of the course, at a more affordable price. CORE students will have access to our world-class teaching materials and platform, with the opportunity to form connections with other writers and benefit from webinars with top authors. Refer to the brochure to learn more.

Weekly tutorials

Learn the craft of professional writing from your lead tutor, special guest tutors and top literary agents – from plotting to getting published.

Detailed feedback

There are monthly one-to-ones with your tutor and a detailed editorial report on your full manuscript to help your novel reach its full potential. Whether you’re planning on querying or self-publishing, the course aims to put you in the strongest possible position to succeed.

Get your work discovered

In addition to invaluable agent feedback, at the end of the course a sample of each student’s work will be sent to our database of top literary agents, including Peters Fraser + Dunlop, Madeleine Milburn, The Soho Agency and more. Last year, more than 30% of UNWC students received a full manuscript request from the course anthology alone.

The course is open to writers across the globe.You will either be paired with a UK-based mentor or a US-based mentor, depending on which would best suit your time zone.

Applications for Spring 24/25 are now closed.

In partnership with Jericho Writers

We work in partnership with Jericho Writers to offer a range of practical industry-focused courses to guide writers from first ideas to edited novel.

In partnership with Howland Literary

Howland Literary represents award-winning fiction, nonfiction, young adult and middle grade literature, and children’s books. At Howland Literary, we are always looking for voice-driven books, especially those with underrepresented voices, and we couldn’t be more delighted to collaborate with Jericho Writers for this year’s Ultimate Novel Writing Course.

In partnership with Watson, Little

Founded in 1971, Watson, Little Ltd is a long-established literary agency that offers a full service to its clients across all aspects of media. It has an outstanding track record, and has represented a number of celebrated, bestselling and prize-winning authors over the years. Watson, Little’s agents combine years of experience in many different aspects of the publishing industry with modern and author-centred attitudes and a keen awareness of the changing face of the industry.

How it works

: We give you the theory in the form of videos, podcasts, written lectures and reading extracts. In the case of our live workshops, this includes a live online seminar.
: You put it into practice by completing the writing assignments.
: You share your work with the small group of fellow writers and the teaching team.
: Your tutor and fellow learners read your work and give professional-style feedback on your submission. Giving feedback notes helps to build your skills as an editor - a critical part of the writing process.
: You reflect on the exercises with the group and share what you’ve learned.
: You use what you learned from the feedback and discussions to review your work and improve it.

Things to know

: This course is designed for people with some writing experience.

The course is suitable if you:

Are serious about completing and publishing your novel

Have already started working on a draft you’d like to continue

Can commit to monthly 1 to 1 sessions with a personal tutor

Would like to develop new and effective writing habits and routines

Enjoy the discipline of deadlines and peer feedback

Want to join a friendly and supportive small group of learners

Can dedicate 10 hours (approx) per week for the duration of the course. This will comprise of tutor, reading and writing time which is flexible to fit it around other commitments.
: This course allows you to:

Write and polish a novel you can be proud of

Develop an understanding of the craft of professional writing and the skills required (e.g. discipline, attention to detail, ability to work to deadlines)

Practise giving effective feedback to other writers and receiving constructive critical notes on your own writing

Build greater independence, autonomy and critical judgement as you work on a final assignment

Network with a community of like-minded writers

Meet with literary agents and discuss your options for publication, or for self-publishing

Get a detailed and actionable full-length editorial report on up to 100,000 words of your first draft.
: Month 1: Planning Your Novel
This month, you’ll learn how to plan and structure your novel and put this into action for your own work.

Month 2: Point of View
We’ll explore all the different kinds of point of view, from omniscient and third person limited to first person, to equip you to understand how the various choices could inform your novel.

Month 3: Setting
It’s time to start writing your novel. This month, we’ll look at how you can maximise the potential of your setting.

Month 4: Character
You’ll learn techniques and tools to strengthen and develop your characters.

Month 5: Emotion and Senses
This month, we look at the art of transferring weight of emotion onto objects and atmosphere.

Month 6: Pacing and Tension
How do you keep your reader engaged? We’ll discover the importance of building tension, no matter the genre.

Month 7: Voice and Style
A well-developed style is like a fingerprint; what can you do to develop yours, and to make your words flow?

Month 8: Writing a Great Ending
By now, you’ll have a working manuscript and be aware of all the techniques that shape your storyworld – so it’s the time to draw upon everything you have learnt so far and nail that ending.

Month 9: Self-editing
This month, we’ll look at your manuscript in its entirety, and learn how to turn a first draft into a masterpiece.

Month 10: Getting Published
Through detailed tutorials, we’ll learn the art of perfecting your submission package and how to find the best agents for your work.

Month 11: Author-led Marketing and Self-publishing
Learn the core tools of self-publishing – which also form the basis for any author-led marketing campaign.

Month 12: End of Course Networking Event
Join us to celebrate your achievements! Meet your peers and tutors for our end-of-course celebration dinner in London. You’ll also take part in an online reading, and have the chance to showcase your work to top literary agents.
: Join the Jericho Writers community

At the end of the course you’ll attend an in-person celebration dinner, as well as an online networking event with handpicked agents. Plus have your work featured in the end-of-year anthology sent to top agents across the UK. Last year, more than 30% of students featured received a full manuscript request.

After your course finishes, you’ll enjoy a lifetime of ongoing publication support from the Jericho Writers’ team.

The team

Meet your course team

Anna Vaught

Mentor

Anna loves working with writers of literary and commercial fiction and book group fiction (particularly gothic, magical realism and historic), and short story collection, with a keen interest more broadly in speculative fiction, YA and MG; she would also enjoy finding a mentee working on autobiographical fiction.

More about Anna Vaught

Emma Cooper

Tutor

Emma loves working with writers of contemporary fiction, literary, book club, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy and YA.

More about Emma Cooper

Gavin James Bower

Mentor

Gavin enjoys working with writers of contemporary fiction, short story collections, crime/thrillers and creative non-fiction.

More about Gavin James Bower

Holly Seddon

Mentor

Holly enjoys working with writers of Crime/Thrillers, Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Historical and Narrative Non-Fiction.

More about Holly Seddon

Megan Collins

Mentor

Megan loves working with: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Women’s Fiction, Book Club Fiction, Literary Fiction, Speculative, Horror, Romance.

More about Megan Collins

Course Alumni

Meet our writers

Alan Fraser

I was really lucky to be in a fabulous and supportive tutor group… I also had an excellent mentor in Helen Francis. She believed in the book, but more than that, she believed in me as a writer and believed I could get published. Every time I thought I’d come to a dead end she encouraged me to keep going. In the end, I got two offers of publication but opted to go with Lightning Books.