The Academy offers three courses; Fiction, Non-fiction, and Children’s Books running remotely for six weeks, with weekly tutorials, with access to other course materials. Additional masterclasses cover the fundamentals of publishing the business. Students are supported by a mentor throughout.

Our courses offer crucial insights across a range of industry topics on how get your work ready for publishers, including:

• Turning an idea into a solid book proposal.
• Working with agents, editors, and publishers.
• Contracts, copyright, and royalties.
• Genres and formats.
• The craft of storytelling.
• Author branding.

Before you apply

When you complete the course, you’ll be awarded the HarperCollins Academy Certificate. You’ll also be invited to join the Academy’s Alumni Network and connect with fellow students and industry contacts.

Please read our enrolment criteria. Motivated writers and budding authors can apply for one of the Academy’s limited 45 places in January 2024 split into three live teaching streams.

Applicants can only apply for one course and will be selected based on samples of their work assessed by a panel of HarperCollins experts. The courses are free of charge, and students need a computer and internet access.

Please note that applicants will be taken to a blind recruitment system to complete their applications. Some of the wording will refer to CV’s and ‘hiring’. Please ignore these references as they do not apply to the Academy.

Please note that in order to apply for the HarperCollins Author Academy you will be taken to a blind recruitment system to complete an application. Some of the wording will refer to CV’s and ‘hiring’, please ignore these references as they do not apply to the Academy.

Writing Fiction

Every Thursday, 10.00 – 12.00
Fifteen places available

Writing Non-Fiction

Every Thursday, 13.00 – 15.00
Fifteen places available

Writing for Children

Every Wednesday, 10.00 – 12.00
Fifteen places available

Design

Every Wednesday, 10.00 – 12.00
Five places available

Enrolment Criteria

Applications should be received by the date specified. No applications received after this date will be accepted. You may only apply to enrol in one course, however, successful applicants will still be able to access materials from other courses. Applicants for enrolment in the HarperCollins Author Academy must:

• Be resident in the UK or Ireland.
• Be 18 years old or over at the date of course commencement.
• Be from a Black, Asian or a Minority Ethnic background.
• Have access to the internet and a computer / laptop in good working order.
• Make their applications in the English language.
• Not be represented by a literary agent at the date of course commencement.

If you do not meet these criteria your application will not be progressed further. You may only apply for yourself and not on behalf of another person. There is no charge for enrolling or participating in the HarperCollins Author Academy, but successful applicants will need to cover their own costs and expenses.

By applying to enrol on the HarperCollins Author Academy you are agreeing to accept these terms and conditions. Any breach of these terms and conditions by you will mean that your application will not be valid.

Selection

Each course on the HarperCollins Author Academy can accommodate up to 15 students.

HarperCollins will select the successful students in its sole discretion and HarperCollins’ decision as to who to invite to enrol shall be final. Successful applications will be notified by [………]  and will be given more detailed course terms to review and agree.

The HarperCollins Author Academy courses will commence on the week of […] and continue for a period of six weeks (the “Term”).

The courses comprise various training sessions, including pre-recorded videos and inter-active webinars, and coursework. There will be live webinars facilitated by HarperCollins Author Academy tutors in specialist fields lasting approximately two hours in each week of the course. The live webinars could take place during the working day, or evening. Students must attend the live webinars and it is up to the individual student to plan accordingly. We firmly believe that the more students put in the more they will get out of the course and active participation in the live webinars is encouraged.

All other modules and work must be completed in the student’s own time during the Term.

The live webinars will be recorded for students to re-watch and for the HarperCollins Author Academy facilitators to monitor progress and students will be expected to give consent for their contributions to be recorded for this purpose.

Students will retain copyright in any material that they create during their course or submit before, during or after it.

Mentor

Each student will be provided a HarperCollins mentor to help guide the student through the publishing process and be a sounding board for questions.

The mentor will not provide editorial advice about the student’s work.

Graduation

At the end of the course, and once a student has completed all masterclasses and assigned modules, students will receive a HarperCollins Academy Certificate and be eligible join the HarperCollins Author Academy’s alumni network with benefits including the right to submit book proposals direct to HarperCollins to review for publication (HarperCollins will not be obliged to publish any manuscripts submitted by students, nor will students be obliged to accept offers made by HarperCollins and students will retain copyright in all their proposals and manuscripts).

Additionally for 12 months after the end of the course students will be able to access the course materials, recorded Live Webinars, and other videos.

At the end of the courses students will receive a HarperCollins Author Academy Certificate. Each student can also join the Academy’s Alumni Network. The Network is a community for underrepresented authors to continue the conversation, create critique circles, and meet industry professionals after completing the course.