Solve the mystery of how to write gripping crime fiction with a two-day investigation into the genre led by top authors
Overview
Everybody loves a good, juicy murder. So it's little wonder crime fiction is one of the UK's bestselling literary genres. Whether your tastes tend toward the gritty Jack Reacher procedural or the witty Father Brown whimsical, over the course of a weekend, acclaimed novelists William Ryan and M R Hall, joined by Literary Agent David Headley, will give an intensive and entertaining overview of the building blocks of crime fiction. And whether you're an absolute beginner or a much more experienced writer, this course will be of real value. From understanding the types of fiction agents, publishers and readers are looking for to giving practical and incisive help with your plotting and characterisation, through a series of lectures and workshops, you'll learn how to drive your novel forward without giving everything away - and while keeping your readers gripped. You'll leave the course with a step-by-step guide to developing your crime novel, and invaluable feedback from three professionals at the top of their game on how to continue.
Outline of sessions
- What makes crime fiction tick
- The crime fiction market
- Introduction to plotting
- Technical aspects of crime writing
- Developing subsidiary characters and conflict
- How to create an original central charater
- Writing good dialogue
- What agents are looking for
- The three act structure
- Workshops on Plotting, Characterisation and Dialogue
Tutor profile
M R Hall is a Bafta nominated screenwriter, producer and former criminal barrister. He has just been nominated for a second CWA Gold Dagger Award for his novel The Flight. The Chosen Dead is Hall's fifth novel featuring the brave but fragile Coroner Jenny Cooper and the trademark combination of intricate detail, perfect plotting, televisual narrative and flawed but believable characters.
William Ryan is an Irish writer who has lived and worked in London for a number of years. He was called to the English bar, after university in Dublin, before he worked as a lawyer in the City. Ryan's previous novels in the series, The Holy Thief and The Bloody Meadow have between them been shortlisted for the Theakstones Crime Novel of the Year Award, the CWA New Blood Dagger, the Irish Fiction Award and the Ireland AM Irish Crime Novel of the Year Award.
David Headley is the Managing Director of Goldsboro Books, an independent bookseller based in central London, and founder of the DHH Literary Agency. David represents a number of crime writers and has a reputation for championing debut authors, both as agent and bookseller.
To book
Details
Dates: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October 2013
Times: 10am-5pm. Check-in begins 30 minutes before the start time.
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Prices:
☻Early bird special (a limited number of places at a reduced price for people who book in advance)£349
☻ Regular price £399
(all prices include VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
Dress code: There is no dress code for Masterclasses. Please dress however you feel comfortable.
Testimonials from previous Guardian Masterclasses
Outstandingly good - very good resources and invaluable workshops
Both of the tutors were very interesting and thought-provoking. They handled the group well - i.e. giving us enough time to do things, but getting through a lot of material
Better than I expected - I've been on similar courses before, and this was the most stimulating and directly useful one I have attended. I feel ready to go back to my novel now and re-plot it from scratch
The session from David was very, very helpful. Not only informative about the agent's role but also very down to earth about the prospects of publication without being dismissive of the possibilities for people in the class
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Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 28 days before the course start date. After this time, up to 7 days before the course start date we may accept tickets and attempt to resell them on your behalf if the event is sold out. If the ticket is resold you will receive a refund of the ticket price, minus an administration fee equal to 10% of the ticket price. We cannot offer any refunds or attempt to resell your ticket less than 7 days before the course start date. Tickets may be transferred to another name, however they are not transferable to other courses or dates. Please see our