Pitching Your Novel
Applications
← Back to Courses
Pitching Your Novel
Ready to share your work with literary agents? Hone your pitch on this practical and inspiring one-day online course.
If you’re keen to submit your novel to literary agents, this one-day intensive Zoom course will help to make your submission stand out from the pack. The course will run from 10am to 4.45pm on Tuesday 16 April.
Led by CBC's Head of Courses Jennifer Kerslake and former Curtis Brown agent and author Lauren Pearson – with a combined over 20 years of experience working in publishing – this course will guide you through the art of pitching and writing the all-important query letter. It’s ideal for those who want to find a clear, powerful way to talk about their novel and present it and themselves in the best possible light. You’ll learn how to hone your elevator pitch, that all important sentence (or two) that hooks your reader and reveals what’s at the heart of your novel.
You’ll have the opportunity to refine your pitch in the morning, before trying it out on Curtis Brown literary agent, Ciara Finan. As well as receiving direct on-the-spot feedback, you will get the chance to ask Ciara any questions you have on the submissions process and how to catch an agent’s eye – all in a supportive and welcoming group of aspiring writers.
By the end of the day, you’ll have a clear understanding of what an agent is looking for in a pitch and query letter and be able to move forwards with your submission with confidence.
I found the course excellent... Loved the practical suggestions on how we can work and refine our way toward a pitch that really resonates.
Former Pitching Your Novel student
Tutors
Jennifer Kerslake
Jennifer is Head of Courses / Editor at Curtis Brown Creative. She was previously an editor at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, the literary imprint of the Orion Publishing Group. In her time there, she worked with authors including Costa-shortlisted Elisa Lodato, Stella Prize-winning Heather Rose, Leila Aboulela, Francesca Jakobi, Chloë Mayer, Shannon Leone Fowler and Haleh Agar. She is passionate about nurturing new voices and enjoys working closely with writers to get their work into the best possible shape to share with publishers.
Lauren Pearson
Lauren Pearson has been in publishing for more than 20 years, both in the US and in the UK. A former agent, most recently with Curtis Brown, she has worked with authors including Audrey Niffenegger, Gregory David Roberts, Babette Cole, Isla Fisher, Paula Harrison and Emily Barr. Now a freelance editor and writer, she especially loves working on crime & psychological thrillers, both literary and commercial fiction, as well as middle grade and YA. She is also the author of the Crabtree School series from Scholastic and The Sleepover from Orion Children’s Books. She lives in Buckinghamshire.
Masterclass Speaker
COURSE SCHEDULE & DELIVERY
You will join 16 students for a day of lessons on Zoom. This course will run from 10am to 4.30pm on Tuesday 16 April. The schedule is shown in UK time.
Please note that precise dates of sessions and details of course speakers are subject to change.
Lesson 1
10am – 11.30am: INTRODUCTION + THE PITCHLesson 2
11.45pm – 1pm: THE AGENT LETTERLUNCH BREAK & WRITING TIME
LUNCH BREAK & WRITING TIMELESSON 3
3.00pm – 4.45pm – LITERARY AGENT MASTERCLASS
COURSE FEES & DISCOUNTS
The course fee of £125 (inc VAT) per student is payable in full before the start of the course. Alumni of our selective three- or six-month Writing Your Novel courses and writers who have taken our six-week Edit & Pitch Your Novel course are eligible for a £25 discount.
APPLICATION PROCESS
We will respond to entries throughout the application period. In your application, there is a space to let us know which date you would like to join (we are currently accepting applications to our 16 April).
As places on this course are limited, we will be working to select 16 writers who have completed their novel manuscript and are nearing or at the point of submission to agents and have the potential to really benefit from this course.
We are offering priority entry to former students of our three- or six-month Writing Your Novel courses (online or in London). We, therefore, advise people who are keen to join this course to apply early.
If you’d like to apply, please fill in our application form.
If you encounter any problems during the application process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
OPTIONAL REPORTS
Students will be given the option to purchase feedback on their agent letter from a CBC editor.
- Agent letter report: For an additional fee of £50, you can obtain detailed feedback on your pitch letter after the course. The feedback will comprise in-line comments addressing issues as well as an overview of what’s working well and what could be improved (totalling at least 300 words).
- Submission report: £280 (discounted from £300) for a 1,000-word report providing detailed feedback on your one-page synopsis, pitch letter, and 3,000-word opening. Pitching Your Novel students will be entitled to £20 off a submission report.
Nail your one-line pitch and learn how to write a great query letter on this day-long Zoom course on Tues 16 Apr.
Tutor
Jennifer Kerslake
Lauren Pearson