Faber & Faber

Course begins on 29 September 2010

Massey College
4 Devonshire Place
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2E1

Course fee: $5,000 (inclusive of Tax)

This course is for people interested in writing book-length fiction who are also attracted to exploring the freedom, flexibility and wide open possibilities of the novel in all its glorious messiness. With a practical emphasis on hard-work and the importance of discipline, the course will highlight that there are no golden rules or easy short cuts.

Set over an intensive six month period (September 2010–March 2011), the course is for those already engaged in writing fiction with a desire to expand the boundaries their writing has pr eviously achieved. Students will be expected to work hard between sessions and set personal goals with a focus on ending the course with a body of work that can realistically stand as, at the least, draft material for a full-length book.

Weekly sessions will be divided into two parts: the first dedicated to the discussion and examination of the various aspects of novel writing (character development, dialogue, voice, theme, editing etc.); the second focusing on detailed critiques of each other’s work. Reading will be an essential component of the course as will exercises geared to stimulating practical discussion. In addition, there will be the invaluable opportunity afforded by six full-day Saturday sessions providing a supportive atmosphere for reading, conversation and strengthening of work in progress. Most of the classes will be led by the Course Director – novelist Miriam Toews – but there will also be guest seminars given by well-known writers, agents and publishers, including Margaret Atwood, Anne Michaels and Michael Redhill.

Towards the end of the course, there will be an opportunity to discuss next steps, time management for the writer, presentation of work for agents, publishers and so on.

The course will be selective.

Course Programme

All classes will take place at Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2E1.

The course consists of 23 two-hour evening sessions and 6 full-day sessions. All evening sessions will take place on Wednesdays from 7pm-9pm. Full-day sessions will take place on Saturdays from 10.00am-5.00pm.

Please note: There is a break for Christmas between sessions 15 and 16.

The subject matter of sessions as listed above is a guide only. The exact course content will be finalized according to the experience and interests of the group and guest speaker availability. The detail of the course content is at the discretion of the Course Director and the Faber Academy.

NB Please note that this programme is subject to change

Course Director

Miriam Toews is the author of four novels: Summer of My Amazing Luck; A Boy of Good Breeding; the Governor General Award-winning, Canada Reads-winning, bestselling novel A Complicated Kindness; and most recently, The Flying Troutmans. She also penned one work of non-fiction: Swing Low: A Life. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

How to Apply

There are 15 places available on ‘Writing a Novel 2010’.

Applicants should write a letter of application and email it to Becky Fincham at the Faber Academy on BeckyF@faber.co.uk no later than 1 September 2010. The letter should state briefly their writing experience and why they wish to attend this Faber Academy writing course. In addition, they should include:

1. A sample of their prose fiction no longer than 1,000 words.

Participants will be selected at the discretion of the Course Director and the Faber Academy.

The Faber and Faber Fellowship

Up to one place on the course may be allocated free of charge. These places will be chosen at the discretion of the Course Directors and the Faber Academy, and will be based on merit and not financial circumstances.

Disclaimer

The Course Directors and Faber and Faber take no responsibility for lost or damaged applications and no correspondence will be entered into with unsuccessful applicants, although they may be invited to apply for future courses.

Successful applicants will be asked to pay a non-refundable deposit towards the course fees of $2,000 by 10 September 2010. The balance of the course fee, a further $3,000, will be payable in 4 further installments of $750 on 28 September, 28 October, 28 November and 28 December 2010 respectively. Once the deposit has been paid students will be liable to pay the entire course fee. No refunds will be given to students who miss sessions or drop out of the course. 

The subject matter of course sessions is subject to change due to the level of experience and interests of the group and availability of guest speakers. The content of the programme is determined at the discretion of the Course Directors and the Faber Academy.

Although the Faber Academy is run by Faber and Faber publishers, admission to the course does not guarantee publication by them or any other publisher.

How to Contact the Faber Academy

For further information and booking details:

Contact Becky on either beckyf@faber.co.uk or tel. +44 (0) 20 7927 3822.

Alternatively write to:

Becky Fincham
Faber and Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell St
London WC1B 3DA