Introduction
To develop the key skills and knowledge that underpin successful crime writing. These will include the organisation required for plotting, character development and narrative technique. It will also introduce you to constructive and focused critical reflection of your work and support the development of rewriting/drafting skills.

Skills development
The course will offer a stimulating and varied learning environment to enable writers to explore their skills around voice, style, point of view, pacing and prose. Writing exercises will be used, along with discussion, textual analysis and a review of the ‘golden rules of crime writing’. It will facilitate constructive feedback on work in progress, and cover editing, dialogue, suspense and research: key skills in successful crime writing.

Contextual and critical studies
The course will offer insight into the traditions, theory and responsibilities of the crime writer, and will enable you to make clear authorial and editorial choices about your developing work.

Unit 1: Character and Point of View
Tutors: Jo Furniss and Graham Bartlett | 16–18 January 2026

The first unit will include:

• What is crime fiction?
• Who is a ‘detective’?
• Meet your characters
• Group work – dialogue
• Capturing the zeitgeist
• Point of View – whose crime is it anyway?
• A piece of work to develop for Unit 2

Pre-course preparation:
In advance of the first weekend, please would you read (and bring with you) The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. We will discuss it on Friday.  Please also read Brighton Rock by Graham Greene and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (please bring these texts with you also).

On Friday evening, during introductions, the tutors will ask you to consider these questions for discussion on the first evening:

• Why have you chosen to do the certificate?
• Tell us a crime novel that has inspired you and why
• What do you want to get from this weekend?
• We will build a fiction list over the three weekends

You may also wish to refer to the list of further reading around the three weekends of the Certificate, compiled by Jo and Graham and supplied with your booking confirmation.

Unit 2: Plot and Place
Tutors: Jo Furniss and Graham Bartlett | 20–22 March 2026

This second unit will include:

• The old and new rules of Crime Fiction
• A sense of place (using the grounds of West Dean)
• Building on weekend one – character arcs
• Plotting murder
• A chance to share your work
• Feedback session on your writing
• Understanding and writing a crime scene and murder investigation, with former detective, Graham Bartlett

Pre-course preparation:
Please complete the work set at the end of Unit 1 and bring your writing with you.  There will be an opportunity to share or read aloud for those you wish to do so.

Unit 3: Writing Your Book
Tutors: Jo Furniss and Graham Bartlett | 29–31 May 2026

The third and final unit will include:

• Suspense
• Pacing
• Editing and rewriting
• Research and sourcing experts
• Writing a pitch

Following the completion of this third unit, you will be asked to submit the first 5,000 words of a work in progress for marking and feedback from the programme tutors, Jo Furniss and Graham Bartlett.

After the final unit, you will submit the first 5,000 words of a piece of fiction you have developed while following the programme.

Course deadlines

• Submission date for 5,000 words: 31 July 2026 (two months following the final unit)
• Feedback from the programme tutors: by 31 August 2026

On successful completion students will receive a Certificate of Completion and be offered an interview for the MA in Creative Writing and Publishing should they want to continue their studies and project. The MA is set up to facilitate the production of a completed novel.