Running from April until December 2025, this course is ideal for anyone wishing to write a novel. The course consists of 8 day long workshops, one per month (and usually on a Sunday), and held at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile, Edinburgh. These working days are guided by Janis, who brings a variety of prompts covering a variety of crafting elements, all designed to spark strong scenes.

The course is open to all. You will be given the opportunity to deepen your fiction writing skills as we visit the arena of the craft; dialogue, plot, pace, time, setting, character development, suspense, conflict etc. With guidance scenes are written in class which can be applied to your work in progress. For those who wish to join this course, and who don’t yet have an idea for a novel, there is space for you too. Janis will meet people ahead of the course to support the writer in finding an idea for a novel. We will then develop this idea during the course.

In addition to the workshops there will be a once a month meeting over zoom where novel writing students share from their work in progress, learning how to give each other supportive feedback. Each student is also offered a one to one tutorial with Janis. Most years I have organised a long weekend writing retreat in the autumn, and hopefully this can happen in 2025. The course fee is £1040, and can be payable in monthly instalments. Do get in touch if you are interested in joining this popular course, now in its 12th year.

PAYMENT AND BOOKING

Course fees can be paid via the button below, or you can pay via bank transfer. To reserve a place, and/or to communicate with Janis about this course please email Janis@janismackay.com