How to Plot a Page-Turner

London Lit Lab was created in 2015 by authors Lily Dunn and Zoe Gilbert, offering friendly courses where writers teach writers. Lily and Zoe teach courses for beginner and advanced writers, as well as courses based on their specialisms. Lily Dunn leads courses that rely more on exploring 'the self' either through fiction or memoir, while Zoe Gilbert runs courses around using folk tales to re-imagine one's fiction.London Lit Lab now offers courses taught by a range of authors, including Jonathan Kemp and Anna Freeman, who bring their own expertise to their teaching.You can read more about all London Lit Lab's tutors and courses, as well as mentoring and feedback opportunities, on ourwebsiteOr email:info@londonlitlab.co.uk

London Lit Lab

How to turn your passion project into a bestseller

Have you started writing a novel in a burst of inspiration, but find yourself unsure of how to shape the story? Or have you written your way through part of a novel, but found the plot going off on tangents, or drifting? Perhaps you’ve managed to write a whole manuscript, but something about the shape doesn’t quite feel satisfying. If so, you aren’t alone – all of these hurdles are so common that you’d be hard pressed to find a published writer who hasn’t experienced at least one of them.This course is designed to help you navigate any or all of these challenges, to explore effective methods of plotting and storytelling, and, ultimately, to help you to turn your passion project into a page-turner.We’ll look at narrative structure, deepening character development arcs, and techniques for suspense building. We’ll also cover twists, plot clues, and how to set up big scenes early in the story for maximum impact. You’ll be encouraged to use your own subconscious knowledge of how narrative works, and to write a book you’d also love to read.The writing techniques offered in this course will apply to all types of fiction and can be applied to work from the most lyrical slow-build novel to the most action-packed.You are welcome to join us, whether you have a complete novel you’d like help in shaping, or you’re wondering where to begin. Either way, you’ll come away from the course with all the tools you need to build something a reader won’t be able to put down.Course outline<ul><li>Three assignments, including reading material, discussion prompts and writing exercises</li><li>Three sets of peer feedback on your work</li><li>Detailed written feedback from the course tutor on two of those assignments</li><li>Live Zoom plotting session with Anna Freeman in the new year</li><li>An online writing community, lasting beyond the end of the course</li><li>Private Zoom tutorial after course ends for extra cost</li></ul>This course is six weeks long and asynchronous (so you can log in and add to the discussion whenever you want) with weekly ‘windows’ of when you should read assignments, upload your work or offer and receive feedback. Your course tutor, Anna Freeman, will upload a new assignment every two weeks for the six-week duration. This will include texts to read and discuss, teaching from Anna, and writing assignments. You will have a week to write each assignment and to upload it to the group. The group then has a week to give feedback on one other writer – which is an integral part of the course, learning from close reading and commenting on others’ work. This will happen three times, with three writing assignments and feedback on your work. Towards the end of the course, you’ll also have the opportunity to take part in an optional group Zoom tutorial with Anna, for face-to-face help in navigating the plotting process. There will be two Zoom opportunities offered – one during the day and one in the evening, with the hope that everyone will be able to attend at least one. The zoom sessions will be offered in the new year, which will give you time to consolidate your learning and come back to Anna with any questions.Course contentThe course is largely focused on structure (plot and character arcs) and the tried and tested techniques which give impact and power to a story. But besides plotting, we’ll look at suspense and conflict, protagonists and antagonists, and suspense techniques. We’ll also discuss how to research and find an agent. The course is designed to be suitable for writers at every stage of planning and writing a novel, whether you are just starting out on a new work or you have a full manuscript.Towards the end of the course, you’ll also have the opportunity - as a whole group - to take part in an optional Zoom tutorial with Anna, for face-to-face help in navigating the plotting process. There will be two Zoom opportunities offered – one during the day and one in the evening, with the hope that everyone will be able to attend at least one. If you would like a private Zoom tutorial with Anna when the course finishes, to cement the learning, these are available for an extra charge.Learning onlineThe course will take place online, in a closed group on a platform called Slack. You’ll need to have internet access to receive the assignments and when you give and receive feedback. Slack is easy to use, and we’ll provide you with full instructions and guidance before the course starts. On Slack, we won’t have scheduled live chats, but there will be plenty of opportunity to interact with Anna and the other course participants in discussion threads, throughout the six weeks.Course tutorAnna Freeman’s first novel, The Fair Fight, won The Tibor Jones Pageturner Prize 2013, was optioned by the BBC, and is currently being adapted for theatre. Her second novel, Five Days of Fog is out now. Anna has been teaching creative writing at Bath Spa University for eight years, and is the host of Radio 4’s Sketches: Stories of Art and People.The course will run with a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 16.

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How to Plot a Page-Turner

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How to Plot a Page-Turner

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