Manuscript surgery with MJ Hyland

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Manuscript surgery with MJ Hyland

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

November 22, 2014 · 11am - November 23, 2014 · 6pm GMT

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

Enrich your skills and produce a polished manuscript that agents will notice

This intensive weekend workshop – for published writers with a serious commitment to the craft – will help you test your manuscript to destruction. Accomplished author and lecturer MJ Hyland, author of the multi-award-winning How the Light Gets In and Man Booker Prize-nominated Carry Me Down, covers the finest points of plotting, narrative tension and creating an original narrative, as well as how to finesse compelling characters and believable dialogue. The course addresses the foundations of a powerful story: how to begin, how to structure a strong narrative, how to create characters, how to write credible dialogue, and how to permanently cure writer's block.

More importantly, the weekend delves into the most crucial aspect of writing: fixing problems and re-writing. Over two days, you will learn how to edit and revise, to improve story, character and structure. Throughout, you will received detailed personal instruction and feedback from MJ Hyland. If you're serious about writing, you won't want to miss this rare opportunity to receive practical, insightful help with your work from a celebrated novelist.

This course is for you if…

  • You have had at least one short story published
  • You have studied creative writing
  • You have previously attended fiction writing workshops and are confident in your writing skills

PLEASE NOTE: If you don't feel that you meet the required level of skill or experience, you may be interested in our Intermediate fiction workshop on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September, also tutored by MJ Hyland.

Course description

This is a highly practical, heavily feedback-based course, which aims to help writers learn more about their craft, and their own strengths and weaknesses, and discover new ways to progress. Over the weekend you will focus on:

  • The fundamentals of good storytelling
  • How to master the self-editing process
  • Learn what agents, publishers and prize judges look for
  • Receive detailed notes and in-depth feedback on your own work from MJ Hyland

Tutor profile

Winner of both the Encore Award (2006) and the Hawthornden Prize (2006), MJ Hyland was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize (2006), twice shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (2004 and 2006), twice shortlisted for the BBC Short Story Award (2011 and 2012), twice longlisted for the Orange Prize (2004 and 2009), longlisted for the Dublin IMPAC International Prize for Fiction (2011), shortlisted for the inaugural William Hazlitt Essay Prize, shortlisted for the Hazlitt Essay Prize (2013) and longlisted for the EFG Sunday Times Short Story Award (2014).

Hyland has written for Granta, the Financial Times and the New Yorker, and is an experienced and enthusiastic workshop instructor who lectures in the creative writing programme at the University of Manchester, alongside writers such as Martin Amis (2007-2010) Colm Toibin (2011-2012) and Jeanette Winterson (2013). She also provides regular film and TV reviews for BBC Radio 4's Front Row.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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