Day One: Introduction and discussion of particular challenges of writing with children; practical writing exercises about increasing discipline and concentration; writing exercises designed to establish what your novel is about and where it is going.

Louise Doughty is a novelist, playwright and critic. She is the author of six novels: Crazy Paving; Dance With Me; Honey-Dew; ; Stone Cradle; and Whatever You Love, which was published by Faber & Faber in 2010, longlisted for the Orange Prize for fiction and shortlisted for the Costa Novel of the Year Award. She has also written one work of non-fiction, the how-to-write book, A Novel in a Year, based on her highly successful newspaper column. She is currently writing another column called the Short Story Club for the Daily Telegraph’s Saturday Review section. In addition, she has written five plays for radio and worked widely as a critic and broadcaster for BBC Radio 4, including regular appearances on programmes such as Saturday Review and Quote Unquote. She was a judge for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. She has two school-age children and no childcare. She lives in North London and her house is a mess.

The course will take place from Monday 11 to Friday 15 February inclusive at the Faber Academy, Faber & Faber UK Ltd, Great Russell Street, London WC1.