Write a Novel Course Cape Town February 2027

I read Casino Royale when I was 12. It changed my life. James Bond knew about all that intrigued me: cars, cocktails, guns, and - most of all - girls.

Ken Follet

WRITE A NOVEL FOUR WEEK COURSE

Dates Tuesday mornings February 2027 (2, 9, 16 and 23 Feb) 9am - 12pm

Times 9am - 12pm.

Over four sessions you willl learn how to write a commercial fiction novel.

This four day course (running over four weeks) is designed for new writers who want to write a novel, or experienced writers who are stuck or need clear direction. It will guide you through the process of writing a book from start to finish. You need nothing but your ideas in order to attend. You will end up writing your book.

You will be guided on your writing journey by writing coach and agent Sarah Bullen.

Unlike many courses that take you through the theory of writing and plotting, this course is geared towards getting you going on your novel. By the end of the week you will be well on your way to writing your book. You will have the entire book plotted, you characters developed and your first few chapters written. 

It s a hard push to get you to engage with the dream of writing a book. But I also focus on getting you to write a publishable novel. It is a challenge to act on your desire. 

YOU WILL LEARN

* Finding Your Book Genre and Subgenre

* Creating Plot, Place and

* Character Outlines for your Genre

* Adding Plot Points and Structure

* Beginnings, Middles and Ends

* Developing Your Main Character

* Developing Your Minor Characters

* Developing Point of View as a Plotting Technique

* How to Improve your plotting, pace and structure

* How to make your characters unforgettable

* How to Present Your Book to Publishers

COURSE BREAKDOWN 

Module 1: Ideas.

All professional writers get asked the question 'Where do you get your ideas from?' We'll start off the course by trying to answer it. We'll look at: Recognising and developing ideas. An idea vs a plot; Reading as a writer, and getting into good writing habits; Defining your idea through titles and outlines, and the role of planning.

Module 2: Character

Creating convincing, realistic characters that readers are compelled to find out more about is at the heart of successful novel writing. We'll begin to build a character, looking at different ways you can approach this, what makes a successful character, how to develop your characters and begin to think about how character and plot interact - an issue that lies at the very heart of how to construct a compelling novel.

Module 3: Find your Genre

What book are you writing? What are the conventions and how do you plot a book that fits into a genre. This is the basis of modern publishing. 

Module 4: The Basics of Plotting

How do you create a compelling plot that keeps readers turning the page? We'll start to think about what makes a story a story as opposed to a series of events, introduce you to the idea of archetypal plots, and look at the roles of pacing, hooks and conflict all play in story-telling.

Module 5: Structuring your Book

Once you know what your story is and who's in it, you need to start thinking about the best way to tell that story. Writing a novel means making a series of decisions about things like structure, point of view, genre, setting, time and place. We'll look at what the implications of these choices might be for your story.

Module 6: Beginnings, Middles and Ends 

Let's move through all the big areas you need to cover with your hero and find a way to lead him or her on the journey. All the way to the end. 

Module 7: Style 

How do you write in a compelling way? We we will dialogue, your voice', description, how to draw a reader in, pace, timing and tension. 

Module 8: Editing and Getting Published

How many drafts should you write? How do you know when something is 'ready'? Many writers say that getting to the end of the first draft is just the start - that's when the real work begins. From structural editing to polishing your prose, we'll go through the stages involved in editing your novel. We'll also aim to give you a brief overview of how publishing works, and what to do with your novel once you've written it.

The course is a combination of technical writing techniques, working through your blocks, finding ways to access your memories and plan your story.

ABOUT SARAH BULLEN

Sarah Bullen is a multi-published author, literary agent and publisher with a special interest in all things infused with magic and meaning. She is a top publishing industry consultant and speaker, specializing in the business of writing, author platforms, storytelling and publishing and trends. Sarah has mentored authors and run novel and non-fiction courses and mentorships since 2005.

She is based in Cape Town, South Africa and is the author of a number of books including The Other Side: Journeys into Mysticism, Magic and Near-Death, and has detailed her own journey into the world of spirituality through a life-altering NDE.

Sarah has spoken and taught on the craft of writing at literary events for 17 years, including writing conferences, industry book fairs and festivals, podcast and writing programs.

The Writing Room helps writers throughout the book writing journey whether you're working on your manuscript or you're looking for publishing advice.

 FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WRITING ROOM AND OTHER COURSES AND RETREATS HERE