Lucy Holland to lead Curtis Brown Creative's new Writing Fantasy course

Curtis Brown Creative (CBC) has launched its new Writing Fantasy course, taught by author Lucy Holland. It is the latest in CBC’s growing range of online courses, and follows the increased interest in fantasy novels.

Applications are now open for the nine-week course, which will run from 8th October to 3rd December. The programme will give 15 students the opportunity to take online teaching classes, workshops and one-to-one tutorials, as well as a Zoom masterclass with Fathomfolk author Eliza Chan (Orbit), and her C&W literary agent Alexander Cochran.

"We’ll be looking at worldbuilding on a character level, as well as ways in which fantasy can challenge us to write outside our direct experience," Holland said. "I’m also excited to cover popular subgenres like myth retellings and romantasy, and how to harness tropes to tell a compelling story."

At the end of the course, students will receive support to submit their fantasy novels to the agents at C&W and to Curtis Brown’s newly formed Sci-Fi and Fantasy division, which launched earlier this year.

According to the organisers, more than 230 students have gone on to get "major publishing deals" after taking CBC courses. Fantasy authors from its past courses include Sixteen Souls author Rosie Talbot (Scholastic), and Megan Scott, author of The Temptation of Magic (Magpie).

Applicants are invited to submit the opening 3,000 words of their novel-in-progress, along with a one-page synopsis by 8th September. The course costs £960, and CBC is providing a scholarship called the "Breakthrough Scholarship for Fantasy Writers with Low Income", which will award one writer a free place on the course. 

"There’s an enormous appetite for SFF titles among the CB team and we’re actively looking for new, exciting writers in this area so we couldn’t be happier that CBC will be applying their unique, thoughtful and supportive approach to this new course," said Steph Thwaites, head of the book department at Curtis Brown. "We can’t wait to work with them and help build the SFF bestsellers of tomorrow."