Writing crime fiction: A masterclass with Charles Cumming, Simon Toyne and Susie Steiner

Advice from leading crime authors on how to write a page-turner, plus a phenomenal opportunity to get your manuscript read by an editor at HarperCollins’ digital first publishing arm, KillerReads

Learn how to keep your readers hooked from the very first page at this incredible masterclass with leading crime authors Charles Cumming, Susie Steiner and Simon Toyne. During the class, you’ll receive expert advice on everything from storytelling to research and the craft of good writing.

Plus, after the class, all attendees will be given the exclusive opportunity to submit their work to KillerReads, HarperCollins’ digital first publishing arm. Your manuscript will be read by an editor, and if they like what they see, a book deal could be yours for the taking. The evening is hosted by Julia Wisdom, leading crime fiction publisher at HarperCollins, making it an unmissable masterclass for crime writers of all levels.

Content

• Author and former Guardian journalist Susie Steiner offers expert guidance on how to research your crime thriller
• Simon Toyne, bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy, discusses the secrets of good storytelling and gives advice on how to structure your novel
• Award-winning thriller author Charles Cumming discusses the importance of plot and suspense, and give tips on crafting believable characters
• After the class, you’ll have the chance to submit your manuscript to KillerReads, HarperCollins’ digital first publishing arm, where it will be read by an editor, and a book deal could yours

Host profile

Julia Wisdom is a crime fiction publisher whose list at HarperCollins is home to some of the best writers in the business.

Speaker profiles

Charles Cumming is a bestselling author who was approached for recruitment by the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (M16) in 1995. His first novel, A Spy by Nature, was partly based on his experiences with M16. Other works include The Spanish Game and The Hidden Man. In 2012, his novel A Foreign Country won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the Year. He tweets@CharlesCumming.

Susie Steiner is the author of two works of fiction. Her latest is Missing, Presumed– a crime thriller involving a high-profile missing persons investigations, will be published in February 2016. Her literary debut, Homecoming, was published in 2013 to critical acclaim. Before becoming a novelist, Susie worked as a staff writer and editor at the Guardian for 11 years. Find out more on her website.

Simon Toyne is the bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy: Sanctus, The Key and The Tower. He wrote Sanctus after quitting his job as a TV executive to focus on writing. It was the biggest selling debut thriller of 2011 in the UK and an international bestseller. Simon’s new novel, Solomon Creed, is the first in a new series of epic thrillers that will span the world and centre around the enigmatic title character. He tweets @simontoyne.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website