How to get your novel published: A class with literary agent Ed Wilson and publisher Suzie Dooré

An unmissable masterclass for fiction writers looking to get their work into print

Are you working on a novel? Dream of seeing your writing in print? Don’t miss out on this incredible class with literary agent Ed Wilson and Suzie Dooré, publishing director at The Borough Press.

Over the course of three hours, you’ll receive an overview of the traditional publishing process, and the role of editors and agents within it. You’ll also learn what Ed and Suzie are looking for in submissions, as well as how to perfect the opening paragraphs of your novel and make your cover letter stand out from the crowd. This lively evening class includes exercises where you’ll practice writing a cover letter and “elevator pitch”, plus opportunities for feedback and extensive Q&A.

Content

• The key things writers need to know about the publishing process
• Submitting your manuscript to literary agents - dos and don’ts
• Perfecting your “elevator pitch” and opening paragraphs
• How to make your cover letter stand out from the crowd
• Good and bad examples of cover letters and opening paragraphs
• Traditional publishing versus self-publishing
• Practical exercise - work on your cover letter and two-line elevator pitch, with opportunities for feedback on work carried out during the class
• Q&A - a great opportunity to quiz a leading literary agent and publisher on what they look for in fiction submissions

Class preparation

• Ahead of the class you’re encouraged to have a think about your novel, and how you might present it in a cover letter to an agent
• During the practical exercise, you’ll have the opportunity to read your letter out and pitch your novel for feedback. Please note it is not essential to read out your letter in order to take part in the class or benefit from it

Writing month curated by Lionel Shriver

This Masterclass is part of a series of writing classes this April, specially curated by Lionel Shriver, internationally bestselling author of We Need to Talk About Kevin. You may also be interested in these classes:

• Creating characters for your novel: A writing class with Louisa Young
• How to blend fact and fiction: A creative writing class with Lionel Shriver
• How to write a good ending: A writer’s workshop with Laura Barnett

Keep an eye on our website or sign up to the Guardian Masterclasses newsletter to be the first to hear about more classes in this exclusive series, taught by some of the UK’s finest writers and editors.

Tutor profiles

Suzie Dooré is the publishing director of The Borough Press, the literary fiction imprint of HarperFiction that’s home to authors including Lionel Shriver, Tracy Chevalier and Nathan Filer, among others. She publishes literary-commercial crossover fiction, and has previously worked at Hodder and Stoughton, and Waterstones Head Office. Find her on Twitter here.

Ed Wilson is a literary agent and co-owner/director of Alcock, a London agency that’s been running since the 1950s. He has a diverse and developing list of fiction and non-fiction, covering debut writers through to established, bestselling and award-winning authors. His recent books have included everything from Caribbean detectives to gloomy cats to Dame Edna. Find him on Twitter here.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website