64 Narrative courses in Manchester delivered Live Online

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: Monday 21 July 2025 at 10:00am UK BST

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: Friday 25 July at 12 noon UK BST

The package includes the following: Reshaping relationship narratives through therapy Empowering stories in couples therapy Rediscovering connection with Narrative Therapy Exploring alternative perspectives in relationships Overcoming communication barriers through narrative approach Transforming relationship narratives Authentic and empowering couples therapy program Invest in the future of your relationship today and experience the power of Narrative Therapy. Our compassionate therapists are dedicated to guiding you and your partner towards a more authentic, empowering, and fulfilling connection. Take the first step towards transformative change by scheduling a session with us now. 3 x 1 hour https://relationshipsmdd.com/product/narrative-therapy-package/

 Narrative Therapy helps couples re-author the stories they tell about their relationship. By reshaping these narratives, couples can foster a healthier and more constructive dynamic, enhancing their emotional bond and understanding.   Key areas: re-authoring, relationship narratives, emotional bond, constructive dynamic, understanding 3 x 1 hour sessions 

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Siân Ellis-Martin joined Blake Friedmann in 2018 and is building a list of fiction and non-fiction at the agency.  With regards to fiction, Siân is looking for commercial, upmarket and accessible literary novels. She always wants to be completely absorbed by the world of the novel, to jump into the character’s life and be swept into the narrative as if she’s been there all along. She’s drawn in by compelling characters and relationships, and loves stories with a mystery or question at the heart of them. She’s open to these ideas being explored in a variety of ways, but at the moment, she’d particularly like to find an epic love story, a fun, queer rom-com with an unusual setting or pitch, and/or a sweeping family saga. Siân leans more towards contemporary settings but does enjoy a historical backdrop too. In non-fiction, she’s looking for narrative non-fiction, history from different perspectives and books that make complicated ideas around things like politics and literature more accessible. Her favourite type of non-fiction book is the one that makes you interested in something or someone you’d never thought you would be. Siân would also love to find cookery and food books too, particularly cuisines that are less visible in the book world, or budget cooking. She’s not currently taking on YA, children’s, fantasy or science fiction projects. Siân would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 5,000 words, whichever is shorter) of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Siân 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. Submission Deadline: Wednesday 13th August 2025

Duration 4 Days 24 CPD hours This course is intended for Successful students have experience and knowledge in IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance. Students also have experience designing and architecting solutions. Before attending this course, students must have previous experience deploying or administering Azure resources and strong conceptual knowledge of: Azure compute technologies such as VMs, containers and serverless solutions Azure virtual networking to include load balancers Azure Storage technologies (unstructured and databases) General application design concepts such as messaging and high availability This course teaches Azure Solution Architects how to design infrastructure solutions. Course topics cover governance, compute, application architecture, storage, data integration, authentication, networks, business continuity, and migrations. The course combines lecture with case studies to demonstrate basic architect design principles. Prerequisites Before attending this course, students must have previous experience deploying or administering Azure resources and conceptual knowledge of: Azure Active Directory Azure compute technologies such as VMs, containers and serverless solutions Azure virtual networking to include load balancers Azure Storage technologies (unstructured and databases) General application design concepts such as messaging and high availability AZ-104T00 - Microsoft Azure Administrator 1 - Design governance Design for governance Design for management groups Design for subscriptions Design for resource groups Design for resource tags Design for Azure Policy Design for role-based access control (RBAC) Design for Azure landing zones 2 - Design an Azure compute solution Choose an Azure compute service Design for Azure Virtual Machines solutions Design for Azure Batch solutions Design for Azure App Service solutions Design for Azure Container Instances solutions Design for Azure Kubernetes Service solutions Design for Azure Functions solutions Design for Azure Logic Apps solutions 3 - Design a data storage solution for non-relational data Design for data storage Design for Azure storage accounts Design for data redundancy Design for Azure Blob Storage Design for Azure Files Design for Azure managed disks Design for storage security 4 - Design a data storage solution for relational data Design for Azure SQL Database Design for Azure SQL Managed Instance Design for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines Recommend a solution for database scalability Recommend a solution for database availability Design security for data at rest, data in motion, and data in use Design for Azure SQL Edge Design for Azure Cosmos DB and Table Storage 5 - Design data integration Design a data integration solution with Azure Data Factory Design a data integration solution with Azure Data Lake Design a data integration and analytic solution with Azure Databricks Design a data integration and analytic solution with Azure Synapse Analytics Design strategies for hot, warm, and cold data paths Design an Azure Stream Analytics solution for data analysis 6 - Design an application architecture Describe message and event scenarios Design a messaging solution Design an Azure Event Hubs messaging solution Design an event-driven solution Design a caching solution Design API integration Design an automated app deployment solution Design an app configuration management solution 7 - Design authentication and authorization solutions Design for identity and access management (IAM) Design for Microsoft Entra ID Design for Microsoft Entra business-to-business (B2B) Design for Azure Active Directory B2C (business-to-customer) Design for conditional access Design for identity protection Design for access reviews Design service principals for applications Design managed identities Design for Azure Key Vault 8 - Design a solution to log and monitor Azure resources Design for Azure Monitor data sources Design for Azure Monitor Logs (Log Analytics) workspaces Design for Azure Workbooks and Azure insights Design for Azure Data Explorer 9 - Design network solutions Recommend a network architecture solution based on workload requirements Design patterns for Azure network connectivity services Design outbound connectivity and routing Design for on-premises connectivity to Azure Virtual Network Choose an application delivery service Design for application delivery services Design for application protection services 10 - Design a solution for backup and disaster recovery Design for backup and recovery Design for Azure Backup Design for Azure blob backup and recovery Design for Azure files backup and recovery Design for Azure virtual machine backup and recovery Design for Azure SQL backup and recovery Design for Azure Site Recovery 11 - Design migrations Evaluate migration with the Cloud Adoption Framework Describe the Azure migration framework Assess your on-premises workloads Select a migration tool Migrate your structured data in databases Select an online storage migration tool for unstructured data Migrate offline data 12 - Introduction to the Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework Azure Well-Architected Framework pillars Cost optimization Operational excellence Performance efficiency Reliability Security 13 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Cost Optimization Develop cost-management discipline Design with a cost-efficiency mindset Design for usage optimization Design for rate optimization Monitor and optimize over time 14 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Operational excellence Embrace DevOps culture Establish development standards Evolve operations with observability Deploy with confidence Automate for efficiency Adopt safe deployment practices 15 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Performance efficiency Negotiate realistic performance targets Design to meet capacity requirements Achieve and sustain performance Improve efficiency through optimization 16 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Reliability Design for business requirements Design for resilience Design for recovery Design for operations Keep it simple 17 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Security Plan your security readiness Design to protect confidentiality Design to protect integrity Design to protect availability Sustain and evolve your security posture 18 - Getting started with the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Common blockers 19 - Prepare for successful cloud adoption with a well-defined strategy Customer narrative Capture strategic motivation Define objectives and key results Evaluate financial considerations Understand technical considerations Create a business case 20 - Prepare for cloud adoption with a data-driven plan Customer narrative 21 - Choose the best Azure landing zone to support your requirements for cloud operations Customer narrative Common operating models Design areas for Azure landing zones Design principles for Azure landing zones Journey to the target architecture Choose an Azure landing zone option Deploy the Azure landing zone accelerator Enhance your landing zone 22 - Migrate to Azure through repeatable processes and common tools Customer narrative Migration process Migration tools Common tech platforms 23 - Address tangible risks with the Govern methodology of the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Govern methodology Corporate policies Governance disciplines Deploy a cloud governance foundation The Cost Management discipline 24 - Ensure stable operations and optimization across all supported workloads deployed to the cloud Establish business commitments Deploy an operations baseline Protect and recover Enhance an operations baseline Manage platform and workload specialization 25 - Innovate applications by using Azure cloud technologies Follow the innovation lifecycle Azure technologies for the build process Infuse your applications with AI Azure technologies for measuring business impact Azure technologies for the learn process 26 - Prepare for cloud security by using the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Methodology Security roles and responsibilities Simplify compliance and security Simplify security implementation Security tools and policies Additional course details: Nexus Humans AZ-305T00: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions training program is a workshop that presents an invigorating mix of sessions, lessons, and masterclasses meticulously crafted to propel your learning expedition forward. This immersive bootcamp-style experience boasts interactive lectures, hands-on labs, and collaborative hackathons, all strategically designed to fortify fundamental concepts. Guided by seasoned coaches, each session offers priceless insights and practical skills crucial for honing your expertise. Whether you're stepping into the realm of professional skills or a seasoned professional, this comprehensive course ensures you're equipped with the knowledge and prowess necessary for success. While we feel this is the best course for the AZ-305T00: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions course and one of our Top 10 we encourage you to read the course outline to make sure it is the right content for you. Additionally, private sessions, closed classes or dedicated events are available both live online and at our training centres in Dublin and London, as well as at your offices anywhere in the UK, Ireland or across EMEA.

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LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Daisy Chandley joined PFD in 2019 after graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She is an Associate Agent and assistant to Senior Agent Annabel Merullo and Head of Books Tim Bates as the UK sub-agent for New Directions Publishing in the US. Daisy is actively building a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors across a range of genres. With fiction, Daisy's wishlist roughly falls into three categories – if something feels like it overlaps between them, even better! 1) Sharp, original novels on the literary to upmarket spectrum, all the way from deeply dark and boundary-pushing books like Hurricane Season, Under The Skin or In The Cut to those balancing edge, heart and humour, like Detransition, Baby or A Visit From The Goon Squad. She loves irreverent wit, daring approaches in narrative or form, and seriously unsettling stories in equal measure, and if you can bring a few of those elements into one, it’ll go straight to the top of her. 2) Com-heavy rom-coms, whether in the dry but ultimately sob-inducing vein of Greta and Valdin or a Nora Ephron film, the escapist screwball delight of a Cary Grant classic, or the more unusual, genre-bending style of something like Palm Springs. Daisy is a sucker for Emily Henry and will always be happy to see an innovative take on tropey love stories, but is equally very keen to see to things a bit outside of the box, whether that’s integrating speculative elements, dark humour, or topical issues. In any case, humour and originality are my priority, and affectionately snarky bickering is the best way to make her fall head over heels with a couple. 3) Sleuths! Daisy is not the right person for police procedurals, but loves classic detectives and amateur sleuths. Whether it’s a delightful Knives Out or Nancy Drew homage or an intricate, unputdownable mystery on the darker side, the minute someone finds a good old fashioned clue, count her in! Overall, whether it’s a delightfully fun and scandalous page-turner or something really bold and experimental, if it’s stylish and smart – and maybe even a bit sexy – Daisy would love to see it. Daisy is definitely interested in literary speculative fiction, though not generally looking for hard SFF. Across the board, she is always looking for stories that explore sexuality, race, gender, and disability, and would particularly love to hear from writers whose voices and experiences aren’t given enough space in publishing. On the non-fiction side, Daisy is looking for bold new insights and underrepresented voices on popular science, nature writing, relationships, social issues and politics, and am always especially interested in fresh, playful and exciting writing on pop culture, love and the internet. She’d also love to see illuminating narrative non-fiction, whether a beautiful and lyrical exploration, or an enthralling and explosive deep-dive. A (large) handful of authors past and present whose work Daisy loves include Patricia Lockwood, Toni Morrison, Elif Batuman, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Raven Leilani, Max Porter, Carmen Maria Machado, Virginia Woolf, Sayaka Murata, Kiley Reid, Sally Rooney, George Saunders, Joan Didion, Amy Liptrot, Ottessa Moshfegh, J.D. Salinger, Donna Tartt, Bret Easton Ellis, and Fernanda Melchor. Daisy is not the right fit for Children’s or YA authors.  Daisy would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 2,500 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Daisy 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 14th August 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Upon joining Curtis Brown in 2018, Ciara Finan worked with senior agents Jonny Geller and Sheila Crowley on their lists of bestselling 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: Wednesday 30th July 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Emily MacDonald joined 42 management and production company in 2019, working with Eugenie Furniss across her clients. She is now an agent in the Books Department, and is building her own list. Send Emily a story with characters that just won't leave her and a narrative that pulls her in, keeping her immersed in the world well after she has finished reading. She reads across a wide-range and has a particular interest in: book club, high-concept crime/thriller, upmarket and literary fiction. In fiction, Emily would love to find a crime/thriller set within a subcult: a modern retelling of British folklore (think Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire); an unconventional love story; and a character led journey of self-discovery (especially one set within a diasporic community). Emily is also looking for narrative non-fiction which immerses the reader into an untold true story (personal or historical), exploring a new point of view, and providing a compelling social commentary, with an investigative twist. Think the obsessive vein of Kirk W. Johnson or personal/political dispatches of Aidan Hartley. Emily wants her horizons to expand while she reads. In both fiction and non-fiction, Emily loves stories woven into their surroundings, where the setting is as central a character as those who drive the narrative. In both spheres, she is keen to hear from Scottish and regional voices with stories to tell. Please note, Emily is not currently accepting submissions for Children's lit/YA and SFF. Emily would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Emily 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 6th August 2025 at 12 noon UK BST