Aspiring writers learn how to get published at OU co-hosted event

Budding writers took the chance to learn from leading literary agents and authors, including best-selling Scottish author Jenny Colgan, at a public event hosted at the Open University in Scotland office in Edinburgh on ‘How to get published’. 

The sell-out conference in June was a partnership between OU Creative Writing academics and Bloomsbury Publishing's essential guide, Writers' and Artists' Yearbook. It was open to Open University (OU) students and members of the public. Speakers included authors Jenny Colgan, William Sutcliffe and Fiona Mozley, publisher Alysoun Owen and literary agent Lucy Juckes.  

The sessions involved tips on writing an attention-grabbing first chapter, the editing process, establishing pace and plot, and practical tips on how to get published. 

The OU offers the modules Creative Writing and Advanced Creative Writing, a BA (Honours) English Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Writing. 

You can try Creative Writing course content on the OU’s free learning site OpenLearn, such as the 8-hour course Writing what you know, or the 12-hour course Start writing fiction. 

Pictured from left to right: Derek Neale (OU); Lucy Jukes (Literary Agent); William Sutcliffe (Author); James Rennoldson​ and Sally O’Reilly (OU); and Clare Povey and Alysoun Owen (Bloomsbury).