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#167: Anna Davis, founder of Curtis Brown Creative — Learning How to Write: Messy Drafts, the Rewrite Doctor, and What Agents Want

Episode 167

Anna Davis, novelist, agent, and founder of Curtis Brown Creative, shares how to turn a messy first draft into a strong, market-ready novel through diagnostic editing, practical rewriting tools, and a clear understanding of what agents actually look for.

You'll learn:

Why every writer’s process is different (and why messy drafts are fine).
How to diagnose problems mid-novel and bring a manuscript back to life.
The Rewrite Doctor method: creating distance, interrogating your story, and planning the edit.
How to stress-test structure, plot, and pacing without relying on rigid templates.
Using prompts and “play” to loosen up when you’re stuck.
How to choose between competing novel ideas and know which has real legs.
What agents are truly looking for and how to make your submission stand out.
Common myths about publishing (and what actually happens behind the scenes).

Resources and Links:

About Anna Davis

Anna Davis is the founder and Director of Curtis Brown Creative, a leading UK writing school she launched in 2011. She’s the author of five novels published in twenty languages, a former journalist and Guardian columnist, and previously worked as a literary agent at Curtis Brown and a creative-writing lecturer at the University of Manchester.

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Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Podcast Episode Details

#167: Anna Davis, founder of Curtis Brown Creative — Learning How to Write: Messy Drafts, the Rewrite Doctor, and What Agents Want