Fiction Writing Courses Fiction Writing Courses Fiction Writing Courses

Fiction Writing Courses

Whether you're just starting out or an experienced writer looking to take their fiction to the next level, our courses – led by acclaimed authors and industry experts – will give you the tools, insight and support you need.

Our fiction writing courses: an overview

We offer a range of fiction workshops, from those suitable for absolute beginners up to our most advanced classes. Whether you’re a student in our London offices or in our bespoke online classroom, you’ll benefit from the unique insight of taking a course within the UK’s leading independent publisher, as well as the expertise of your tutor and the support of your classmates.

Some of our fiction writing courses are selective, meaning you’ll need to apply.

Many of our online fiction writing courses are flexible, designed to fit in around your other commitments. Some feature regular live elements with guest speakers and your tutor, while others are entirely self-paced for maximum convenience.

Who are these courses for?

Aspiring writers

Never tried writing fiction before? We have courses and workshops suitable for total beginners – gain the essential tools, experiment with form and start finding your voice.

Writers in need of inspiration

If you've been writing for a while but feel you're lacking motivation or confidence, brush up on some of your technical skills and re-invigorate your creative process with a group of likeminded writers.

Writers looking to begin a career

Been writing as a hobby but ready to move to the next step? Our more advanced fiction writing courses include valuable industry insights as well as practical advice on writing, editing and pitching your work.

Fiction Writing Courses (46)

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Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Writing YA

Spend three months in expert company, learning the key skills any YA writer requires.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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12 weeks

Tutors

Penny Joelson

Start Date

Monday 25 Mar 2024

£695
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Image of a woman at large kitchen table, writing notes on a pad of paper with her laptop open in front of her.
Fiction Development

Masterclass: The Idea of Pace

One of a series of ten intensive, impactful masterclasses from Faber Academy's Director of Fiction.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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1-5 days

Tutors

Richard Skinner

Start Date

Monday 25 Mar 2024

£75
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Details
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Getting Started: Beginners' Fiction

Everything you need to call yourself a writer – discipline, craft skills and a great group of people to work with – in one online writing course experience.

Level

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Starting out

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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12 weeks

Tutors

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Start Date

Monday 01 Apr 2024

2 more start dates available

£395
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Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Kickstart Your Novel

Take your writing to the next level, and develop both the technical skill and the narrative momentum to really get stuck into your novel.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Length

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12 weeks

Tutors

Katherine Stansfield, Judith Bryan

Start Date

Monday 01 Apr 2024

£595
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Woman in yellow jumper writing with her laptop on her lap, late at night
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Finish Your Draft

Develop the tools, techniques and motivation to complete your draft within nine months.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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6 month +

Tutors

Natasha Bell

By Application

Start Date

Monday 08 Apr 2024

Application Deadline

Monday 25 Mar 2024

£1850
Apply

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Female novelist writing on her laptop
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Writing a Novel (Online)

A serious but flexible course for committed writers, with access to leading industry experts and round-the-clock support from our team.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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6 month +

Tutors

Sarah May

By Application

Start Date

Monday 08 Apr 2024

3 more start dates available

Application Deadline

Monday 25 Mar 2024

£2750
Apply

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Fiction Development, Short Story

Short Stories III: Deepening Your Practice

You’ve got to grips with the basics – now it’s time to make your short stories shine.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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12 weeks

Tutors

Lucy Caldwell

Start Date

Thursday 11 Apr 2024

£850
Book Now

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Details
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Crime, Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Writing Darkness: Horror, Mystery and Suspense

The pull of darkness is inescapable – master the art of writing horror fiction in one intense week.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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12 weeks

Tutors

Matt Wesolowski

Start Date

Monday 15 Apr 2024

£695
Book Now

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Fiction Writing Tutors

Our tutors are all multi-published novelists and experienced teachers, hand-picked from Faber and beyond.

arabel-charlaff-tutor

Arabel Charlaff

Arabel is an accredited and experienced psychotherapist. Before training as a therapist, she worked in publishing for over a...

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Arabel Charlaff
erica-wagner-tutor

Erica Wagner

Erica Wagner was born in New York City. She moved to Britain in the 1980s and now lives in London; she is consulting literary editor for...

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Erica Wagner
Helen Shipman

Helen Shipman

Helen has been teaching people to write for thirty years. She has devised and delivered writing courses from adult classes...

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Helen Shipman
kathryn-heyman-tutor

Kathryn Heyman

Kathryn Heyman is the acclaimed author of six novels and the bestselling memoir, Fury. Her works have won and been nominated for many...

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Kathryn Heyman
keith-ridgway-edited

Keith Ridgway

Keith Ridgway is from Dublin. He is the author most recently of A Shock (Picador, New Directions, 2021), which was the winner...

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Keith Ridgway

Marcel Theroux

Marcel Theroux is the award winning author of six novels: A Blow to the Heart, A Stranger in the Earth, The Paperchase (winner...

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Marcel Theroux
richard-skinner-tutor

Richard Skinner

Richard Skinner is a novelist, poet and critic. His most recent book, The Mirror, was described as ‘beautifully written...

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Richard Skinner
Sue Gee – Faber Academy's Getting Started with Fiction tutor

Sue Gee

Sue Gee is a novelist and short story writer who ran the MA Writing Programme at Middlesex University from 2000 till 2008...

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Sue Gee

Totally reinvigorated my personal writing and reading practice. The content was inspiring and original [...] provided the motivation I needed to move forward.

Totally reinvigorated my personal writing and reading practice. The content was inspiring and original

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a fiction writer?

The short answer is: write. Write as much as you can, as often as you can! Reading – within your chosen genre, but also as widely as you can – is also one of the most important things you can do. You’ll learn best through practise, whether that’s as part of one of our courses or in your own writing time. Meanwhile, our beginners’ courses (those marked as ‘Starting out’ on the individual courses page) will give you all the technical tools you’ll need to get started, and a supportive group of fellow aspiring writers to cheer you on.

What types of fiction are covered by these courses? Can I write a script?

Most of our fiction writing courses focus on prose – short stories or longer form fiction, right up to writing a novel. We sometimes run workshops on other forms of fiction – our week-long Writing Audio Drama course, for instance – but most of our courses aren’t suitable for screenwriters. Having said that, some of the skills covered in some of our shorter courses will still be useful if you’re unsure of the form you want your story to take – get in touch with us to chat through the options.

Can't find the right course?

Manuscript Assessment

Get comprehensive editorial feedback on your manuscript from our experienced readers – whether it’s still a work-in-progress or you’re preparing to submit to literary agents.

Find out more

Mentoring

We offer a range of mentoring options if you’d prefer to work one-on-one with an established writer to help you shape your project and realise your writing ambitions.

Find out more

Browse the Reading Room

From author interviews and writing tips to creative writing exercises and reading lists, we've got everything you need to get started – and to keep going.