Norwich Study Shop

INTRODUCTORY OFFER
Affordable in-person courses for beginners in central Norwich, weekly on Monday evenings 19:30-21:00, starting 2 October 2023 for eight weeks. Quaker Meeting House, Upper Goat Lane, Norwich NR2 1EW.

This course is designed to give you the basics you need to start writing a novel, and covers the following curriculum:

Week 1: Before you Start. Consider your motives; think about what sort of novel you want to write
Week 2: Making time and space for writing; the role of the storyteller
Week 3: The Research Phase. Find a subject; find a theme; ways to research
Week 4: Building Character. Start with characters or start with plot?; the ‘character CV’; observe yourself and others; introduce your character; motivation
Week 5: Building character Part II
Week 6: Building Plot. The definition of a plot; conflict; use character to generate plots; subplots
Week 7: Building plot Part II
Week 8: Types of Prose Writing. Description, exposition, dialogue, action and thoughts; letters, diaries and other media

About the tutor: Among Gary Dexter’s books are Why Not Catch-21? (Frances Lincoln, 2007; paperback 2008), an exploration of the derivation of book titles; All the Materials for a Midnight Feast (Old St, July 2011), a novel about the peace movement of the 1980s; Natural Desire in Healthy Women (Old St, 2014), a novel about the contraceptive rights movement of the 1920s; The People's Favourite Poems (Old St 2018), non-fiction, a poetry-reciting memoir; The Wall Around the World (novel, forthcoming 2024). He has also written 102 Ways to Write a Novel (Old St, 2009) under the name Alex Quick.

Gary Dexter has also written for the Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Spectator and many other publications, and appeared on Radio 4's Word of Mouth, Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme, and many other stations.

An informal chat about this course can be arranged by calling 07729 417923

Write a Novel for Beginners Norfolk Study Shop