Under the tutelage of award-winning authors and tutors Bethan Roberts and Laura Wilkinson, students on the part-time Certificate in Fiction Writing programme at West Dean College develop their fiction writing skills in characterisation, voice, plot and structure, and points of craft.
Ahead of the course starting, Bethan and Laura talk about their inspirations, how they approach their own writing, and share advice for budding fiction writers…
Bethan Roberts is known for a string of award-winning novels, including The Pools, Mother Island and My Policeman, the latter of which was turned into the critically-acclaimed Amazon Prime film in 2022 starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin.
Can you tell us about your writing process?
I write first drafts by hand, in my notebook. I find this a good way to give myself permission to write. Handwritten first drafts don’t have to be any good, so you can get words on the page. Then the real work of re-writing begins.
Who and what are your biggest sources of inspiration?
That’s really hard to answer, because it depends what I’m working on. In the past I have found real-life stories a good place to start. Doing research into something can free you from the fear of the blank page, and bring depth and richness to your imagination.
What are you currently working on?
That’s a secret at the moment. I find that I have to keep things to myself for a while. If you expose a story too early it can sort of wither in the light.
What advice would you give to those keen to get started with fiction writing?
Read as much as you can, get some words on the page, and write about whatever fascinates you.
Laura Wilkinson has published six novels for adults and numerous short stories. Among her widely praised contemporary fiction novels are Crossing the Line, Redemption Song and Skin Deep, with the latter being longlisted for a Not the Booker Prize in 2017.
Can you tell us about your writing process?
It has altered over the course of my writing life. I was a pantser – I’d have a character, a ‘what if’, a rough idea of where to start and where the story might end, and off I’d go. Nowadays, I plan in more detail – I like to know the character in more detail, the shape of the narrative, the arc, key plot points and shifts in gear – though I am always open to major changes. Ideas of my own and from beta readers and my agent. Flexibility is key for me.
Who and what are your biggest sources of inspiration?
Other writers! And plenty of TV series on the likes of iPlayer, Netflix… There are so many incredible storytellers out there – it’s humbling – and when I read, listen to or watch a stunning story it inspires me to try harder, be better.
I find inspiration in the world around me, too – in stories I read in the papers, snippets of conversations…
What are you currently working on?
A contemporary novel. An agony aunt and single mother to a disabled daughter falls for a lonely architect during a magical Manhattan blackout, but back in London she discovers he is part of a plan to destroy something very close to her heart.
What advice would you give to those keen to get started with fiction writing?
Read. A lot. Read closely. Learn from the greats and read in a wide variety of genres, not only the one you write in. And write a lot. It’s a craft and needs to be practised!
Find out more about the Certificate in Fiction Writing programme.