14 episodes

This album provides the budding author with everything they need to know about approaching the art of fiction writing. Each track contains discussions and interviews with best-selling novelists from a variety of backgrounds including Alex Garland, Louis de Bernières, Abdulrazak Gurnah and Monique Roffey. This enlightening and engaging series tackles the practicalities and pitfalls of writing fiction. It contains invaluable advice on the creation of characters, the structure of narratives and how to turn an idea into the book you’ve always wanted to write. This material forms part of The Open University course A174 Start writing fiction. (New and updated content added July 2009)

Start writing fiction - Audio The Open University

- Education
- 3.7 • 10 Ratings

- 7 JULY 2009
Start writing fiction

Start writing fiction

An introduction to this album.
- 54 sec
- 7 JULY 2009
Transcript -- Start writing fiction

Transcript -- Start writing fiction

An introduction to this album.
- 7 JULY 2009
Starting the writing process

Starting the writing process

Here, the novelists on the panel discuss what first attracted them to writing prose and what writing means to them.
- 10 min
- 7 JULY 2009
Transcript -- Starting the writing process

Transcript -- Starting the writing process

Here, the novelists on the panel discuss what first attracted them to writing prose and what writing means to them.
- 7 JULY 2009
Researching and influencing your fiction

Researching and influencing your fiction

In order to write, every novelist must read. The importance of reading and how this can influence your own style.
- 7 min
- 7 JULY 2009
Transcript -- Researching and influencing your fiction

Transcript -- Researching and influencing your fiction

In order to write, every novelist must read. The importance of reading and how this can influence your own style.

3.7 out of 5

10 Ratings

Practical with the normal writers' pomposity missing

Some writers when they talk about writing make me wonder how they ever wrote a book. It goes on and on, like a bilge pump. Eventually they realise their barge is really sinking, and then shuffle off into a round of applause.

I have listened to two of these sessions and they are to the point, and interesting -- and more importantly, honest. Aspiring writers like me (I have started to write two children's books, and am still faffing about with ideas 12,000 words in) need to know that the period of uncertainty when you begin is OK, and that the uncertainty and tapping into the subconscious is what can bring the special stuff to the surface. Full marks to the format, I am sure I will work out how download the transcript next time round.