The Beginning of a Novel

Agent: “Please send the first three chapters or 10,000 words”

If agents and publishers don’t judge a manuscript on the first page, they will seldom give something they are not sure about more than the first 10,000 words, or about 35 pages in Times Roman double-spaced. And why should they? Everything is there: story, style, character, structure, voice. Whatever kind of novel you want to write, if a reader isn’t deep in by this point, there are problems. 

This course is about perfecting your first 10,000 words. Taking to you a place where the rest of the novel should write itself. Of course, that never happens: novels are difficult through to the end, but you should have everything in place from which to build on – all the difficult decisions will have been made. Even if you don’t know what will happen next, those first 10,000 words will guide you because you will have to be true to what is already in place.  

Each week we will look at a different aspect of the novel, analyse the first 10,000 words of a great novel, and then develop the beginning of your novel with the group.  

The course will run for 6 x 2.5-hour sessions online every other week to allow for writing and reading time between each session. There will be a maximum of 10 writers. All writers will be required to read other students’ work and the first 10,000 words of the novel under discussion.

Each session will be divided into three sections:

First 60 minutes:

-      Presentation on a single aspect of the novel (story, character, structure etc.)

-      A critical reading of the first 10,000 words of a novel

Second 90 minutes:

-      Workshop students’ work

The COURSE

Week 1: Story

  • Presentation on Story

  • A discussion of the first 10,000 words of: Amongst Women by John McGahern

  • Workshop

Week 2: Style

  • Presentation on Style

  • A discussion of the first 10,000 words of: Light Years, James Salter

  • Workshop

Week 3: Character

  • Presentation on Character

  • A discussion of the first 10,000 words of: The Shipping News, E. Annie Proulx

  • Workshop

Week 4: Voice

  • Presentation on Voice

  • A discussion of the first 10,000 words of: The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

  • Workshop

Week 5: Structure

  • Presentation on Structure

  • A discussion of the first 10,000 words of: TBC

  • Workshop

Week 6:

  • Review all aspects of the first 10,000 words

  • Submitting your work – do’s and don’ts

  • Final Workshop

Application: 2000 words of proposed work

Cost £699*

*25% reduction for Students / Universal Credit

 Dates: January to March

 For any questions, email neil@weatherglassbooks.com

Taught by Neil Griffiths. Neil is the author of three novels: Betrayal in Naples (Penguin), winner of the Writers’ Club First Novel Prize, Saving Caravaggio (Penguin), shortlisted for the Costa Best Novel 2007, and the critically acclaimed As a God Might Be (Dodo Ink). He is the founder of the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses, and co-founder of Weatherglass Books.