Curtis Brown Creative

16/09/2026

You’ve probably heard the writing advice: 'show don’t tell.' It’s a great starting point – but what happens when you want to go beyond the basics? 🤔

CBC tutor Anna Freeman breaks down what showing & telling really mean and how to use both in your writing.

You’ve almost certainly heard ‘show don’t tell’ given as a rule. Perhaps you’ve heard it in a creative writing class or on a how-to writing website. It’s not bad advice, exactly – following ‘show don’t tell’ can be a hugely useful exercise, especially early on in our writing jour...

16/09/2026

Get to the heart of your story and write a great synopsis! 📑

Join bestselling author and experienced editor Richard Roper for a two-hour Zoom masterclass on how to write a compelling one-page synopsis for your novel.

Runs 30 Sept:

Join author and experienced editor Richard Roper for a two-hour Zoom masterclass on how to write a compelling one-page novel synopsis.

16/09/2026

'Be quiet and listen to what your characters are saying and thinking' 💭

Bestselling author and tutor of our Plot & Story – The Deep Dive course, Laura Barnett shares her advice on committing to your manuscript, fighting the fear of failure and carving out time to write.

Read the full advice blog:

Bestselling author Laura Barnett on committing your manuscript, fighting the fear of failure and carving out time to write. If you want to learn more from Laura, she is a tutor on our upcoming six-month Writing Your Novel course in London and she leads our four-week online course: Plot & Story – T...

16/09/2026

Learn how to bring your real-life stories to the page with bestselling memoirist, Cathy Rentzenbrink, on our six-week online Writing a Memoir course ✍️

Next Writing a Memoir course starts tomorrow. Enrol now: https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writing-a-memoir

15/09/2026

Feeling lost and bewildered about how to knock some shape into an unwieldy first draft? 🤯

On Weds 30 Sept, join Anna Davis for the Rewrite Doctor, a full day of interactive Zoom teaching. Plus, Anna will read your first 3,000 words & synopsis to discuss with you on the day!

Sign up now, limited spaces remaining:

This one-day intensive Zoom course led by CBC’s Founder and MD Anna Davis is the perfect next step for writers who have finished the first draft of their novel and want to learn how to knock it into better shape.

15/09/2026

'Well-handled dialogue is one of THE essential ingredients of a good novel.' 💬

Our founder, Anna, shares her tips on how to write great dialogue in fiction – and what to avoid doing:

Dialogue is one of THE essential ingredients of a good novel. Here are some tips on how to write great dialogue in fiction – and what to avoid doing...

15/09/2026

Last chance to enrol on our How to Write Your Novel series! ✍️

Whether you’re getting started, battling your way to the end of a draft or polishing your pitch we'll help you with every step of your writing journey.

Courses start this Thurs, enrol now: https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/creative-writing-courses/how-to-write-your-novel

15/09/2026

Lucie Whitehouse: 'The best way to create complex characters is to give them conflicting desires' 📚️

We spoke to bestselling author and tutor of our Writing Crime & Thrillers – Advanced course Lucie Whitehouse about what she enjoys most about working with budding writers.

In this interview, bestselling crime author and tutor of our Writing Crime & Thrillers – Advanced course, shares her advice for budding writers.

15/09/2026

is open for entries!

We're proud to be partnered with the Women's Prize, the Curtis Brown Group and Audible to run this writing development programme for the seventh year. Unpublished and unagented women writers currently residing in the UK or Ireland are invited to submit the first 10,000 words of their novels-in-progress across any genre of adult fiction.

The 2027 judging panel will be chaired by Kate Mosse CBE FRSL, the international bestselling writer and Founder Director of the Women’s Prizes. She is joined by bestselling novelist, screenwriter and 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted author Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister, The Serial Killer; Cursed Daughters); award-winning author and former litigation lawyer Ela Lee (Jaded; Minbak); Curtis Brown literary agent Ciara Finan; and Founder and Managing Director of Curtis Brown Creative Anna Davis.

We can’t wait to read your stories! Enter by 11 Jan 2027: https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/discoveries-2027

14/09/2026

Sara Nisha Adams: 'I love writing about community because it lets me explore lots of characters' 📚️

We spoke to author, editor and mentor on our Complete Your Manuscript programme Sara Nisha Adams about her editing process and what she enjoys most about working with aspiring authors.

In this interview Sara Nisha Adams, author, editor and mentor on our Complete Your Manuscript programme, shares her approach to editing a manuscript.