The opening lines to novels like Pride and Prejudice and The Color Purple are some of the most famous words in English literature. But starting a novel well is about more than writing a memorable opening line: novels need to do several things pretty quickly in order to succeed.
In this course, we will look at some of the most important things that the opening chapters of your novel will need to do – including introducing characters, setting up your plot, conveying your voice and grounding your readers in the setting of your novel. Through discussion, writing prompts and extracts from published works, this workshop will help you explore the best way to start your novel.
Where: Maison Internationale des Associations, rue des Savoises 15, 1205 Geneva.
Time: 13:00-18:30
13:00 - 16:00 Workshop | 17:00 - 19:00 Critiquing session
Dr Okechukwu Nzelu FRSL won a Northern Writers' Award from New Writing North in 2015. His debut novel, The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney (Dialogue Books, 2019), won a Betty Trask Award; it was also shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Polari First Book Prize, and longlisted for the Portico Prize. In 2021, it was selected for the Kingston University Big Read and distributed to all staff and students at three universities. His second novel, Here Again Now (Dialogue Books, 2022) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Encore Award, the Polari Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Diverse Book Awards. He has made several appearances on national radio, and is a regular contributor to Kinfolk magazine. He is a non-executive director of ALCS and CLA, and Lecturer in Creative Writing at Lancaster University. In 2024 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
