Everyone has a story that lives inside them and longs to be told: family memories, an event that marked their childhood, a historical moment that impressed them, a secret that needs to be revealed, or simply a piece of news that unsettled them. But doing this is no easy task, because no one has explained how to do it.
Learn to write that story with this course created by Cursiva in collaboration with Zenda that will give you the tools to write your novel based on real events. With a roster of authors that includes figures such as Javier Cercas, Leila Guerriero, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Lydia Cacho, Christian Gálvez and Álvaro Colomer.
PRICES AND SCHEDULE OF THE COURSE
100% online with live classes
With tutor: Personalised follow-up
Course start: 12/10/2026
Price: 450 €
👉🏻REGISTRATIONS
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Learn to transform real events into unforgettable stories. Discover narrative techniques that allow you to turn memories, testimonies, historical events or personal experiences into a novel capable of moving and captivating readers.
- Get to know the creative process of authors who specialize in narrating reality. Access the experience of writers and professionals who have turned real events into reference works and discover how they tackle the challenges of the genre.
- Master the research and writing tools necessary to develop your own project. Learn to document, conduct interviews, verify sources and organize information to build a novel based on real events with your own perspective and an authentic voice.
- Present your project to Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. At the end of the program, you will have the opportunity to submit your proposal and/or manuscript to an exclusive channel for Cursiva students.
MEET THE TEACHERS AND THE TUTOR
Learn to write that story you have always wanted to tell, thanks to the guidance of a stellar roster of writers who will teach you to craft a captivating novel based on what you have lived.
JAVIER CERCAS
A novelist, essayist and member of the Real Academia Española, Cercas is one of the most influential voices in contemporary Spanish-language literature. He is the author of Soldiers of Salamis, Anatomy of a Moment and The Madman of God at the End of the World, among others. He is a member of the Royal Academy. With The Madman of God at the End of the World, his most recent book, he has received the European Book Prize for the second time.
LEILA GUERRIERO
Journalist and writer, she has become indispensable in contemporary non-fiction and her chronicles have redefined the way reality is told for thousands of readers and journalists. Author of foundational works of contemporary non-fiction, among them The Suicides at the End of the World, A Simple Story, Opus Gelber and The Call.
MARTA JIMÉNEZ SERRANO
Teacher, philologist and writer, she is emerging as one of the most prominent voices in the new Spanish narrative. In her texts she explores intimacy, connections and daily life with a lucid and delicate perspective.
She has participated in several anthologies, has been a fellow at the Cité des Arts in Paris and her work has been translated into Italian. She regularly contributes to cultural media and currently directs Puro cuento, the literary program of Carne Cruda. Her latest book is Oxígeno (Alfaguara, 2026).
LYDIA CACHO
Journalist, writer and human rights advocate. Recognized internationally for her investigations into child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and organized crime.
Her international recognition grew with the publication of Los demonios del Edén (2005), a work in which she denounced a network of child sexual exploitation linked to businessmen and public officials. As a consequence of these investigations she was arbitrarily detained and faced threats, making her a reference in defending press freedom. She has received various international awards for her work and continues to promote human rights protection and investigative journalism. Un halcón bajo mi ventana is her most recent book.
CHRISTIAN GÁLVEZ
Presenter, writer and publicist. Specialist in Leonardo da Vinci and author of historical novels, he explores the great figures and mysteries of the past with a rigorous yet fascinating approach.
Specialist in Leonardo da Vinci’s work, he is part of the Leonardo DNA Project and has curated the international exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: the Faces of Genius. He also collaborates with various cultural and scientific institutions and actively participates in social projects. Te he llamado por tu nombre is his fourth novel.
ÁLVARO COLOMER
Writer, journalist and teacher, accompanies new authors from the experience of someone who has successfully worked in fiction, non-fiction and cultural journalism.
He has written children’s and young adult books and collaborates with La Vanguardia and Cadena Ser. Currently, he is the editorial coordinator of the revista Zenda and a professor in the UPF-School of Management’s Editing Master’s program. In this sense, his notable book Aprende a escribir—a writing manual with the “creative tricks” of the great masters of Spanish-language literature—stands out.