Certificate in Fiction Writing Course at West Dean

Creative Writing and Publishing

Certificate in Fiction Writing

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Award: Certificate in Fiction Writing
Duration: 1 year, part-time
School: School of Arts
Campus: West Dean

The certificate in Fiction Writing is delivered in three weekend course units spread across the year, self-directed study and a final submission of 5000 words of fiction. 

The course seeks to bring together the key elements of writing fiction into one continuing programme and to support the development of skills in characterisation, voice, plot and structure, and points of craft. 

Each weekend unit will be based in the inspirational environment of West Dean College’s historic rooms. It is aimed at writers who wish to commit to an extended programme of study without having to make a significant time commitment and who will benefit from a cohesive course that offers a focus on the key elements of successful writing over the course. 

It also offers a potential pathway to those interested in applying for the College’s Higher Education programmes in Creative Writing and Publishing.

Course structure

This course is designed for writers who want an extended and cohesive course on fiction writing, delivered by successful authors and teachers. The course delivery mirrors that of the MA programme in Creative Writing and Publishing offered at the College. It offers a deeper and broader raft of teaching, designed to enable the student to take on a piece of longer fiction.

At the end of the third unit, students will be asked to submit the first 5,000 words of a Work in Progress for marking and feedback from the tutors. 

Course Aims

Introduction
To introduce you to the key skills and knowledge that underpin fiction writing and the development of the novel. These will include the organisational skills 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 develop their skills around style, point of view, pacing and prose. Writing exercises will be used, along with discussion and textual analysis. 

It will facilitate constructive critical thinking/reflection and cover redrafting, narrative drive and the development of voice. 

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

Course units

Unit 1: Character and Point of View | Tutor: Laura Wilkinson
21–23 February 2025 | Weekend | Intermediate | SWE33233  

Unit 1 will include:  

  • Ideas generation, testing ideas and thinking like a writer (Friday evening) 
  • Building character 
  • Point of view 
  • Character arc and development (what change looks like/how does the character learn) 

Pre-course preparation:
Please read Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other (or at least Amma’s opening chapter and Bummi’s scenes from Chapter Two), the opening three chapters of Mike Gayle’ Half a World Away and the opening three chapters of Claire Fuller’s Unsettled Ground.. For How-to reading, Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer is a great place to start, if you wish.

Unit 2: Plot and Place | Bethan Roberts
6–8 June 2025 | Weekend | Intermediate | SWE33236  

Unit 2 will include:  

  • Structure and plot 
  • Sense of place (and time) 
  • Narrative skills 
  • Conflict and dramatic tension 

Pre-course preparation:
The tutor will be in touch prior to the course with details, if any advance reading is required.

Unit 3: Writing Your Book | Tutors: Bethan Roberts and Laura Wilkinson 
5-7 September 2025 | Weekend | Intermediate | SWE33237  

Unit 3 will include: 

  • The discipline of writing (time management, organisation, scene and purpose) 
  • Show, don’t tell 
  • Dialogue and pacing 
  • Writing to theme 

 

Final writing

On completion of the course, students will submit the first 5000 words of a piece they have developed on the programme.

Submission date for 5000 words: 7 November 2024 (two months following the final unit).

Feedback from the programme tutors: the following month by 7 December 2024.

Completion

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. 

School of Art Credit Thom Atkinson.jpg

School of Arts

Explore and expand your work in a uniquely immersive environment with its own connections to art history. Our School of Arts students enjoy specialist studio spaces dedicated to painting and drawing, sculpture and tapestry and textile-based work as well as exceptional exhibition space.

School of Arts

Entry requirements

The following qualifications will be considered for entry to the course: 

  • A firm commitment to attending all three units 
  • Some experience of writing or attending a short writing programme 
  • An interest in and awareness of the fiction writing genre 

Please read our standard Terms and Conditions for short courses.
Specific Terms and Conditions include a commitment to attend all three weekend course dates listed as no alternative course dates can be offered for any that you are unable to attend. Therefore no refund can be made for the course fee for any weekend you are unable to attend.

Fees

The course fees are payable in advance of study. 

Course fee:  £1,044 (non-residential, payable in one instalment covering all three units – payable by 10 January 2025).  

Accommodation for each course block is available at an extra cost. Find out more about our accommodation options and costs. If you are booking online, accommodation for the first-weekend unit only can be added at the checkout. Our Bookings Team will contact you to confirm your accommodation requirements and take subsequent payments as required for the second and third-weekend units.

We may routinely increase our course fees from year to year for one-year courses as well as courses lasting two or more years and may review and change such course fees without notice.

How to apply

Online
Book this course online following the payment link below

Email
Email the Bookings Team [email protected]

Phone
Call us on (01243) 818 300 and select option 2

Tutors

Laura Wilkinson Tutor on the MA Creative Writing course at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
Bethan_Roberts_Author

Bethan Roberts

Tutor - Certificate in Fiction Writing

Bethan has published five novels and writes stories and drama for BBC Radio 4. Her books include: The Good Plain Cook (Serpent’s Tail, 2008), which was a Radio 4 Book at Bedtime; My Policeman (Chatto & Windus, 2012), the story of a 1950s policeman, his wife and his male lover (a major Amazon Original movie starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin) and Mother Island (Chatto, 2014), which received a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize.