Help please! Which novel writing course to choose?

[Dayatatime208]

Hello,

I'm a journalist and would love to have a go at writing a novel. I feel I need help getting started, though, and I've been looking at various courses. I think I'd like to write a psychological thriller, simply because this is what I love to read myself. I've considered writing a memoir too (around grief/personal losses), but also fearful of putting too much of myself out there for anyone to read. So fiction seems like the best route, for now...and I guess most fiction has aspects of ourselves in it anyway.

Which course would you recommend, please? I've heard of Novelry, CBC and the Faber Academy. But which is most suitable to get started, and stay motivated, when it comes to writing a first book? I work full-time and I'm 45, in case that's relevant!

Also, should I expect to self-publish? I know of other journalists in my field who have started writing novels, and they seem to do so - but I imagine it's a struggle to do the marketing yourself?

THANK YOU.

I know someone who did Faber and was mega successful afterwards, but I think it's a big commitment. Maybe one of the CBC courses? Another friend did one of those and loved it.

I would think that being a journo would be more attractive to an agent, so if you want to go down the traditional route, I certainly wouldn't rule it out, especially if your journalism is in the subject area you want to write about. Either way, I think a proven track record of writing (even if non-fiction) is attractive.

Good luck!