22 Courses in Bristol

LOOKING FOR: YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Laura Williams is literary agent at the Greene and Heaton Literary Agency. She is seeking literary fiction, commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high concept Young Adult. Laura is actively building a fiction list and a small non-fiction list. She is currently looking for literary fiction, edgy commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high-concept contemporary young adult, as well as narrative non-fiction of all types. Her taste is quite dark, and she loves gothic, ghost stories, horror and anything sinister. She also loves books that make her cry, from big love stories to intense family dramas. She is open to historical or horror YA, but not magical or fantasy.  Meditative or moving novels about modern life, appeal to Laura, sad stories with love and the importance of caring for each other shining through. She also loves stories about female friendships or conversely groups of women who don't get on, such as the hugely fun BAD SUMMER PEOPLE by Emma Rosenblum. She is always on the lookout for a big tragic love story to make her cry happy or sad tears. At the more commercial end of fiction, think funny novels with warmth and romantic comedies with a bit of depth – think Marian Keyes. Most of all Laura is looking for novels she hasn’t read before – something unusual structurally or thematically, something that shines a light on a subject the author is passionate about, something that’ll break her heart or raise her blood in an entirely new way. Laura is always looking to promote diverse voices from across the globe, and is particularly keen on LGBTQI+ stories. Laura would like you to submit a covering letter, a 1-2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Laura is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 12th February 2025

This in-depth training course, you will deepen your knowledge of the lifestyle and biological factors that cause strokes, how to recognise the signs of a stroke attack, stroke first aid procedures and post-stroke care provision.

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, YOUNG FICTION, CHAPTER BOOKS, MG, YA Alice set up Alice Williams Literary in 2018 after representing children's books for over ten years at David Higham Associates. She is especially keen to consider playful, funny books for all ages, and is on the lookout for heartwarming, empowering stories, whether in a realistic, contemporary setting, or a wildly imaginative fantasy world - or somewhere in-between. Alice is offering 121 sessions for young fiction, middle grade, YA and picture book writers. For chapter books, MG and YA fiction, please submit a covering letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript in a single word document. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and two texts, or for illustrators one dummy and examples from your portfolio or a link to your website. (In addition to the paid sessions, Alice is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 17th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, YOUNG FICTION, CHAPTER BOOKS, MG, YA Penny Holroyde has worked in children's publishing for almost 30 years from foreign rights at Walker Books to Rights Director at Candlewick Press in the USA, before becoming an agent specialising in children's books with the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. In 2015 Penny co-founded Holroyde Cartey with Claire Cartey, former art director in children's books at Hachette. The agency focuses exclusively on authors and illustrators for the children's book market. Penny has a particular love for picture books but is looking for authors and illustrators working across fiction and non-fiction for all children's ages from pre-school to crossover. She's always looking for humour in picture books and chapter books and heart with some messaging in MG. In YA she's looking for strong character with contemporary settings. She'd also be interested in seeing some horror in YA. Penny is offering 121 sessions for young fiction, middle grade, YA and picture book writers. For chapter books, MG and YA fiction, please submit a covering letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript in a single word document. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and two texts formatted in 12 point font in continuous stanzas (and with illustration notes if you wish to include them). Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Penny is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Tuesday 18th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, CHAPTER BOOKS, MG, YA Lil is a Senior Editor at Hachette Children's. She has well over 15 years experience in the publishing industry, working for major publishers and literary agents too.  For twelve years, Lil was a Senior Commissioning Editor at Working Partners Ltd – the creatives behind massive commercial hits such as Beast Quest, Warriors and the Daisy Meadows series. There she created globally successful concepts for every age group and developed storylines so the books were unputdownable. Lil is also an author in her own right: she has written 6 books under her own name, and ghost written many others under various pseudonyms.  In every age level, Lil would like to see originality - particularly in voice. A strong character with depth, venturing on a quest that's never been undertaken before will get her excited. The 'quest' doesn't have to be epic in scale, it could be as small as petting the next-door neighbour's dog, or getting the good looking new kid to notice you, it just has to be something a reader will want to invest in. She also loves humour and is happy to see anything quirky (perhaps even downright silly!).  For picture books, Lil would like you to submit a covering letter, and 1 complete manuscript, double-spaced, with spreads marked out, in a single word or PDF doc. For chapter books, MG and YA, please send a covering letter, the first three chapters and a synopsis, double spaced, in a single Word or PDF doc. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. By booking this session you agree to email your material to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline to agent121@iaminprint.co.uk. Please note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice given in your Agent121. The submission deadline is: Tuesday 25th February 2025

The Combined First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid Course is ideal for those who work in settings that require both first aiders and paediatric first aiders, such as schools, sports clubs or other childcare settings.  Combining the QA Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) and the QA Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) into 3 extended days of classroom learning, this specially designed course enables candidates to gain the skills and knowledge needed to provide both adult and paediatric first aid, whilst minimising the number of training days required to achieve both qualification. Candidates will cover a range of topics needed to provide effective first aid for adults, children and infants including CPR and defibrillation, choking, stroke, head injuries, asthma and much more.

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara McEllin is building her list as a Junior Agent at Watson Little. She reads widely across book club, upmarket and literary fiction. Within these areas, she is drawn to novels that examine family and relationship dynamics, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability. Ciara is keen to hear from writers who take a fresh approach to these themes, whether that be a new perspective on a traditional narrative or a focus on characters and voices that remain underrepresented: think Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday or Monkey Grip by Helen Garner. She will always want to read beautifully written novels with a strong sense of place, tangible characters and an essence that stays with you – living deep in your bones – long after you’ve finished reading. Recent reads Ciara has enjoyed include: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Close to Home by Michael Magee, Siblings by Brigitte Reimann, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley. At the moment Ciara is particularly eager to see: - Sexy, sensual and seductive stories that explore desire and sexual boundaries not often represented in literature such as Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej, Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and Mrs. S by K Patrick - An atmospheric and existential thriller in the vein of Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, In The Cut by Susanna Moore and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - An intoxicating coming of-age-tale that captures the aliveness, intelligence and wildness of girlhood like Brutes by Dizz Tate, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Girls by Emma Cline - Books that are joyful or brutal, particularly those that are both, similar to Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Stories exploring an Australia or Ireland that is rarely seen in literature for example A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe and Wild Houses by Colin Barrett In non-fiction, Ciara enjoys narrative, memoir and essay collections. She is interested in hearing from experts, academics, critics and journalists writing about society, culture and food, and excited by writers seeking to revise, reshape or revolutionise the conversation in their area of expertise. Some of her favourite non-fiction titles include How To Survive A Plague by David France, The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, the Living Autobiography Series by Deborah Levy, Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, King Kong Theory by Virginie Despentes; and she particularly enjoys the work of M.F.K Fisher, Annie Ernaux, Natalia Ginsburg and Helen Garner. Ciara is not looking for Children’s, YA or Fantasy. Ciara would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Ciara is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 13th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara Finan started working at Curtis Brown in early 2018. Starting as an intern, she then worked with senior agents Jonny Geller and Sheila Crowley on their lists of best-selling and prize-winning authors such as Lisa Jewell, Susanna Clarke, David Nicholls, Jojo Moyes and Nigella Lawson. Now as an agent she is representing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction writers. Ciara would consider her reading tastes to be quite broad and ever-growing, but is constantly drawn to books that have a decisive voice, unforgettable characters, an unexpected story, or can subvert and reconstruct the conventional narratives of love, friendship, family, loss and coming-of-age. In particular, she is looking for Adult and YA fantasy and romantasy, rom-coms and book club romance. In the wider fantasy genre, Ciara is keen on finding romantasy, cozy fantasy, dark/light academia, and anything with political intrigue. She seeks novels that will keep her reading into the early hours of the morning. She wants to be consumed by the world, the plot and the characters. Think authors like Leigh Bardugo, Tamsyn Muir, R.F. Kuang, Sangu Mandanna, Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Deborah Harkness, Chloe Gong, Ava Reid or Sabaa Tahir. In romcoms and romance, Ciara is looking for something that explores the complicated nature of romantic relationships - think Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston or anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She would love to find a brilliantly witty workplace romance or anything that will leave her in tears. Ciara would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Ciara is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 20th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Laura Williams is literary agent at the Greene and Heaton Literary Agency. She is seeking literary fiction, commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high concept Young Adult. Laura is actively building a fiction list and a small non-fiction list. She is currently looking for literary fiction, edgy commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high-concept contemporary young adult, as well as narrative non-fiction of all types. Her taste is quite dark, and she loves gothic, ghost stories, horror and anything sinister. She also loves books that make her cry, from big love stories to intense family dramas. She is open to historical or horror YA, but not magical or fantasy.  Meditative or moving novels about modern life, appeal to Laura, sad stories with love and the importance of caring for each other shining through. She also loves stories about female friendships or conversely groups of women who don't get on, such as the hugely fun BAD SUMMER PEOPLE by Emma Rosenblum. She is always on the lookout for a big tragic love story to make her cry happy or sad tears. At the more commercial end of fiction, think funny novels with warmth and romantic comedies with a bit of depth – think Marian Keyes. Most of all Laura is looking for novels she hasn’t read before – something unusual structurally or thematically, something that shines a light on a subject the author is passionate about, something that’ll break her heart or raise her blood in an entirely new way. Laura is always looking to promote diverse voices from across the globe, and is particularly keen on LGBTQI+ stories. Laura would like you to submit a covering letter, a 1-2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Laura is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 20th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Kesia Lupo joined Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2024 after 11 years working across the publishing industry. She started out as an editorial assistant at Pan Macmillan London in 2013, transitioning to children’s fiction in 2015 when she moved to Chicken House (a UK imprint of Scholastic), where she worked her way up from junior to senior editor. Here she acquired and edited bestselling, internationally successful and prize-winning fiction for middle grade (MG) and YA readers. In 2023 she transitioned over to the US and agenting, working with the Bindery Agency before finding a home with DMLA. At DMLA, Kesia is building a list leaning 60/40 towards MG and YA fiction, with the rest consisting of adult fiction and a smattering of adult non-fiction. She is especially, but not exclusively, interested in underrepresented voices, whether BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled writers or other identities not listed here. Across all age-groups, she’s seeking: Fantasy/Science Fiction: High fantasy, low fantasy, cosy fantasy. Particularly interested in fantasy and SF inspired by underrepresented cultures with unique world-building. Romantasy is fine but the fantasy elements MUST be strong! Horror: Psychological and paranormal horror in particular but will consider slashers. Kesia loves gothic horror and is not generally fazed by gory content. Thrillers: Upmarket thrillers with a unique spin. Loves plot twists! Historical: Open to everything with a strong hook and informed by excellent research. Would love to find non-Eurocentric historical fiction. For adult fiction only, she’s seeking: Bookclub/women’s fiction: Voice-driven, high-concept novels across these categories. Romance: Upmarket romance with a great one-line pitch. Happy with spice. For adult non-fiction, she’s interested in accessible political, cultural or historical topics with broad appeal. Please don’t self-reject – if you are unsure about whether your story might be a good fit, Kesia would rather see it. In one single word document, Kesia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document, whichever is shorter. (In addition to the paid sessions, Kesia is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 17th March 2025