London Writers' Salon

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

Episode Summary

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.

Episode Notes

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:

• Curtis Brown Creative Courses
• CBC Editorial Services 
• Friend Request by Laura Marshall  
• The Rewrite Doctor Course
• Edit and Pitch Your Novel 
• Book a consultation with Curtis Brown Creative
• Writers’ Hour 
   

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.