The Goldsboro Writing Academy blends insider knowledge of the publishing world with inspiring, practical guidance and support to give you the tools and confidence to write and sell your book.
Courses
Let’s write together
Advanced Writing Programme
In-Person. Goldsboro Books. 22b Ship Street. Brighton, BN1.
30 weekly sessions including 1-1 sessions with mentor.
This course is designed for writers who are stuck — maybe you’ve taken a number of writing courses and not been able to get your novel finished. Or perhaps you’ve submitted to agent after agent, or publisher after publisher and had no success. If that’s you, then this is your nine-month, 30-session journey to change that story. Working from first principles – with a mentor, industry professionals, agents from the D H H Literary Agency and successful writers – we hone the skills to finish, pitch, submit and get published. At the end of the process you will make a full submission to an agent from D H H and have a 1-1 with detailed feedback.
- Each participant is matched to a writer/mentor to plan and perfect your novel
- Masterclass session on structure, and creating perfect hooks to draw your readers in, with Simon Toyne
- Stress-test your ideas by pitching to agents, editors and writers
- Incredible professional writers available week-by-week for one-to-one chats, advice and support
- Discover your Pitch Power and write incredible tag and shout lines, with Kate Harrison
- Core skill nights — writing craft essentials including The Art of Suspense with Araminta Hall
- My writing life nights where well-established writers talk about the highs and lows of their careers — Including Elly Griffiths and Josie Lloyd
- The publishing landscape — looking at traditional, digital first, hybrid and self-publishing
- Submission boot camps with core skill presentations on writing synopsis, pitches and cover letters
- Develop re-drafting and editing skills with Laura Wilkinson
- The author-editor dynamic — seminars with top authors and their editors to understand the process
- The author-agent relationship —sessions with agents and their writers
- Maximum 12 writers on course
Level
Advanced
Term 1
09 October – 11 December 2024
Term 2
08 January – 12 March 2025
Term 3
16 April – 18 June 2025
Cost
£1,350 (payment plan available)
Kickstart your writing.
The perfect beginner’s course.
In-Person. Goldsboro Books. 22b Ship Street. Brighton, BN1.
8 weekly sessions.
With our expert help you’ll develop your ideas to hook the reader and create an incredible story world and gripping plot. We will explore how the publishing industry works and how books sell. During the course you will get to test your ideas by pitching to inspiring writers and a top agent. This is the perfect introduction to a writing journey that targets publication and success.
- Inspiring tutors share their insight, wisdom and experience of a life in writing and publishing
- Industry professionals talking about all aspects of publishing
- D H H Literary Agency offer invaluable help and advice
- Find the joy in writing with fun exercises
- Develop core writing skills
- We offer optional Just Write sessions before each class
- Discover the genre you want to write and develop your style and distinctive voice
- You get the opportunity to pitch to a top-class agent and get feedback on your work
- Maximum 10 writers on course
Level
Beginner
Dates
14 October – 02 December 2023
Cost
£350
Writing for the screen
In-Person. Goldsboro Books. 22b Ship Street. Brighton, BN1.
9 weekly sessions plus 1-1 meetings with mentor.
A practical, real-world course where experienced TV and Film screenwriters, directors and producers help you develop your script, pitch decks and offer insight on how to find your place in the industry.
We have two sessions with internationally renowned story consultant and script doctor David Baboulene. He will talk story theory and development, and alongside his long-term directing partner Craig Hinde, he will help you develop your scripts and pitch decks, so that in the final week you will get to pitch your movie/series to the production team of DreamEngine Films.
Tom Grieves has worked extensively in TV as a writer, producer and executive producer creating two series, The Ghost Squad (for Channel 4) and The Palace (ITV) as well as writing for existing characters on Being Human, Law and Order, Lucky Man and No Offence. He is currently the head writer on Miss Fallaci.
Charlie Fitzgerald is Reality TV royalty, working in production and development on Wife Swap, TFI Friday and as storyline editor and writer on more than 100 episodes of BAFTA winning The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE).
Will Jewell is an award-winning screenwriter/director. His Channel 4 show Bow Street Runner won a BAFTA, and he is the writer/director of the feature film Concrete Plans.
Simon Toyne is a hugely successful thriller writer and TV writer and edit producer. He created and presented the true crime show Written in Blood and is the series edit producer on BBCs Saving Lives at Sea as well as many others. He is a master of the scripted unscripted.
Josie Lloyd is a novelist and has adapted her best-selling novel The Cancer Ladies Running Club for the screen. She has so much to share about adapting your work for the screen.
- Inspiring tutors share their insight, wisdom and experience of writing for Film and TV
- Industry professionals share their work and develop your screenplays and pitch decks
- Professional resources
- Pitch your ideas to writers, directors and producers
- Develop core skills and craft essentials
- 1-1 sessions to develop your work
- Maximum 10 writers on course
Level
All levels
Dates
06 January – 03 March 2025
Cost
£450
First Blood.
Write your debut crime novel.
In-Person. Goldsboro Books. 22b Ship Street. Brighton, BN1.
Crime is the biggest selling, most widely published genre in the UK, offering the greatest opportunity for any debut writer to be published. It’s also the most crowded marketplace, and it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. That’s why we’re here.
Writers on this intensive course will develop their ideas and their writing craft, hand-in-hand with an understanding of the market and industry trends today. Throughout the course, you’ll learn to stress-test your ideas by pitching them to writers and industry professionals.
The Course:
Eight evening sessions (Monday evenings 18:30–21:00) in person.
PLUS Three x 1 hour-long 1-to-1 sessions with course director P. D. Viner. The first will be scheduled before Monday April 14th to build a personal plan based upon your experience and where you are in your writing process.
Monday evening sessions will include:
- Crime writing and its subgenres—developing an understanding of the marketplace and where you want to position your novel — with GWA founder P. D. Viner.
- How to develop the hook of your novel, giving it a story structure and a plot that thrills and excites — with top thriller writer Simon Toyne.
- Character development and relationship-building, for creating suspense and incredible twists and turns — with bestselling psych thriller writer Araminta Hall.
- Insight into police procedures and how law enforcement works. Ideas and strategies for developing contemporary crime stories with real-world characters and issue-led storylines — with retired Chief Superintendent and best-seller Graham Bartlett.
- An in-depth analysis of a new crime novel with the author and their editor, to analyse the relationship and process of publishing. Details TBD.
- Understanding the agent-author relationship. Considering the wider rights and IP possibilities of your novel. You also pitch to top agent, and founder of the Capital Crime festival, David Headley.
Only 10 places are available. For more information, email: phil@goldsborowritingacademy.co.uk
Level
All abilities welcome
Dates
Monday 14 April – Monday 02 June 2025
Cost
£450 (maximum 10 writers)
