Advanced Writing Courses Advanced Writing Courses Advanced Writing Courses

Advanced Writing Courses

Our advanced courses in fiction and poetry offer the next step for the committed writer – serious writing time, industry advice and expert guidance, along with a close-knit group of fellow writers to keep you on track.

Our advanced writing courses: an overview

The tutors on our advanced courses are all experienced writers and you’ll hear from industry experts too – you should leave your course with serious work done on your project and a clear idea of what to do next.

Most of our advanced creative writing courses require an application. Individual application requirements will differ from course to course – check the course page for details, or get in touch if you’d like to know more.

Many of our online advanced courses are designed to be flexible, allowing you to fit your writing and reading time around your other commitments. Some of them will feature live elements, requiring the group to be online at particular times.

Who are these courses for?

Writers in need of motivation

If you've been writing for a while but need the structure - and accountability! - to get a longer work finished, our advanced courses are designed to help you get the words on the page

Writers looking to start a career

As well helping you write the book you want to write, we want our advanced students to leave with a clearer understanding of the industry and how to take their next steps into it.

Writers ready to move to the next level

If you have some experience but aren't sure how to achieve more with your writing, our advanced courses are all about broadening your technical palette, deepening your knowledge of your chosen genre and refining your voice.

Advanced Writing Courses (19)

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Novel Writing

Writing a Novel (Evening)

A comprehensive six-month writing course for the serious writer, with access to some of the biggest names in publishing.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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London

Length

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6 month +

Tutors

Richard T. Kelly, Sarah May, Joanna Briscoe

By Application

Start Date

Wednesday 02 Oct 2024

Application Deadline

Sunday 15 Sep 2024

£4350
Apply

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Details
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Novel Writing

Writing a Novel (Daytime)

A comprehensive six-month writing course for the serious writer, with access to some of the biggest names in publishing.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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London

Length

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6 month +

Tutors

Shelley Weiner, Sabrina Broadbent, Nikesh Shukla

By Application

Start Date

Thursday 03 Oct 2024

Application Deadline

Sunday 15 Sep 2024

£4350
Apply

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Details
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
Book Now

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Details
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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Details
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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Details
Close up from behind of a man writing in a notebook in a park
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
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: Coming at Character from All Angles

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 29 Apr 2024

£75
Book Now

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Details
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: Triangles and Squares in Fiction

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 27 May 2024

£75
Book Now

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Details
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

i
6 month +

Tutors

Sarah May, Jessica Moor

By Application

Start Date

Monday 24 Jun 2024

3 more start dates available

Application Deadline

Monday 10 Jun 2024

£2750
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 Conflict

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 01 Jul 2024

£75
Book Now

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Details

Advanced Course Tutors

The tutors on our advanced poetry and fiction courses are all successful published writers themselves, as well as experienced teachers.

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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
Natasha+Bell+1 – Edited

Natasha Bell

Natasha (she/her) is a cross-genre author and researcher. She's published two novels...

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Natasha Bell
sarah-may-tutor

Sarah May

Sarah May is the highly acclaimed author of seven novels, including The Nudist Colony, (shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award...

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Sarah May
lucy-caldwell-tutor

Lucy Caldwell

Born in Belfast in 1981, Lucy Caldwell is the multi–award winning author of three novels, several stage plays and radio dramas...

More About This Tutor
Lucy Caldwell
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Jessica Moor

Jessica Moor grew up in south-west London and studied English at Cambridge before completing...

More About This Tutor
Jessica Moor

I've taken a lot of writing classes from a lot of different organizations in and since university, and this was by far the best.

Student

Writing a Novel

classes from a lot of different organizations in and since university, and this was by far the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is advanced creative writing? Do I need to have taken other creative writing courses to enrol on an advanced course at Faber Academy?

Advanced creative writing courses aim to deepen your understanding of the craft – be that poetry or prose – at a technical and stylistic level, encouraging you to develop your voice and finish a project, whether that’s a novel or a collection of poetry. Our Writing a Novel and Advanced Poetry courses, for instance, are designed to be practical alternatives to a creative writing MA. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have taken a course before to take one of our advanced courses; it might be the case that you’ve been honing your writing by yourself for some time and feel like now is the right point for you to sign up for something a bit more formal. Or you may have been on one or several shorter courses, either with us or other institutions, and now feel ready to study at a more advanced level.

I don't think I'm at an advanced level yet. How can I improve my writing skills?

It’s advice you’ll probably hear a lot, but read! Read as widely as you can, in the genre you’d like to write but in others, too. And practise – again, as much as you possibly can, whether it’s responding to creative writing exercises or prompts, or working on your own projects. Sharing work with a trusted writing friend or writing group can really help you figure out where your strengths are and which areas you might need to work on a little more. And shorter courses – whether it’s something focused on a specific area, like one of our masterclasses, or a twelve-week intermediate course – may also help you build your confidence and feel ready to take on an advanced level class.

How do you ensure that everyone in my group will be at the same level as me?

Most of our advanced courses are selective, meaning they have an application process. When the tutors and Academy team are working through applications, we’re looking to build groups who will work well together as well as benefiting from the course itself. Part of this is to do with the standard of writing, to make sure everyone is at the right stage to get the most out of the sessions, but there are lots of other factors involved too – we’re also looking for students who will bring a diverse range of experience, ambitions and inspirations with them, as that’s what makes for the most interesting and constructive discussions in class.

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.