An overview of all the moving parts involved in writing–and marketing–your novel.

This workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. We’ll discuss everything, from getting the nub of an idea to getting your book into the hands of expectant fans. Along the way you’ll learn how to stay organized, the art of rewriting, and how to overcome your writing, and marketing fears. By the end of our time together you’ll be prepared to begin work on a novel and will be equipped with the skills to perfect it. The sessions will include time for writing, and for being critiqued.

Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).

In this workshop:

• Students will get a birds-eye view of all the moving parts involved in the novel-writing process.
• Students will learn how to tap into their creative subconscious to access the “write-what-you-know” details of their lives that will inform their fiction.
• Students will gain practical skills for igniting their curiosity, enabling them to get out of their comfort zones and into the lives of people of other genders, cultures, and ages.
• Students will gain practical rewriting, proofreading, and copy editing skills that will add depth, texture, detail, and professionalism to their manuscripts.
• Students will come away with the confidence and encouragement to start — and/or complete — their novel.

Time requirements

• I’ll provide writing assignment “suggestions” for students who want to apply what they’re learning, but there’s no required work outside of class.

Materials

• All reading materials will be provided.

Who should take this workshop?

• This is primarily for people who have finally decided to get serious about writing the novel they’ve been putting off writing–sometimes for decades. It’s also for the person who has begun to write a novel, but who feels overwhelmed and/or stuck.

If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.