How to write a novel in six weeks
A new interactive video course for members
Do we have an exciting newsletter for you this week! It’s October, which means Build Your Book Month is underway; Summer Festival replays have arrived in membership and new one-to-one appointments with literary agents have opened. If that’s not enough, we’re also happy to launch a brand-new video course for members called ‘Write a Novel in Six Weeks’. There’s something particularly special about this course too – read on for more…
VIDEO COURSE: Write a Novel in Six Weeks (Member exclusive)
NEW! This video course has just landed in Jericho Writers membership, featuring modules on the essentials of novel writing from editor and author, Becky Hunter. This special video course also includes downloadable worksheets, so you can put your learning into action, and its own Community group, for that all-important peer feedback.
This week at Jericho Writers:
MEMBER EVENTS: Build Your Book Month is go! (Member exclusive)
Join us for ‘Like Talking, but better’ with Kevin Barry tomorrow; our BETA test ZOOM event on Thursday 7; ‘Plotting for People who Hate Plotting’ on Friday 8; and ‘Tiling your Writing Like a Mosaic ‘with S. Qiouyi Lu on Sunday 10. Phew!
FREE EVENT: Getting Ready for NaNoWriMo
Get ready for the most productive month in a writer’s calendar – National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Join me and NaNo veterans Elizabeth Haynes and Rachael Herron for this open-to-all event. We’ll reveal the hints, tips, and cheats you need to turbocharge your November and write an entire novel in just thirty days.
ONE-TO-ONES: New one-to-one appointments with literary agents have landed (10% discount for members)
Warning: these always sell out fast! Book a fifteen-minute phone call with literary agents from across the globe at a time that suits you. They’ll look at your work and give you crucial feedback to get that manuscript shiny and polished.
BLOG: Membership walkthrough week 3: AgentMatch
Learn more about the literary agent search engine that everyone is talking about (and that you have full access to as a member of Jericho Writers).
SUCCESS STORY: Wiz Wharton
We first met Wiz when she was shortlisted for Friday Night Live 2020, and can’t wait to see her debut ‘Ghost Girl, Banana’ as Hodder’s major summer launch in 2023! In this interview, she talks about finding a writing community and gives brilliant advice to writers working on their first draft.
How to Write a Novel in Six Weeks
One of the great things about my job is that I get to watch all the content that goes into the Jericho Writers membership. This week, I’ve had the pleasure of being the first one to test out the new ‘Write a Novel in Six Weeks’ course. This course combines video tutorials with exercises and peer feedback, so you can get all the great stuff you usually get from a writing course, but minus the price tag.
This has been a real timely watch for me as I embark on my ninth (9th!) book. There are some things about writing that you always need reminding of – no matter how far along in that process you are. So here are six things I learned whilst completing our brand-new member course:
1. Ideas are everywhere. From the news to the people around you – actively listening will help inspiration strike.
2. The inciting incident changes everything. Spending time thinking about the setup and beginning of change helps make your opening stronger, as well as helping to lay a solid plot foundation for the rest of the novel.
3. Your character needs to change. If you have more than one character, then they all need to have something at stake in the story.
4. The three-act structure can help plotters and pantsers! Not everyone finds plotting helpful, but the three-act structure can help all writers nail those main story beats.
5. Get in late and get out early to maintain tension. Start in the action and leave readers wanting more to get the most of out your scenes.
6. Be clear on point of view before putting pen to paper. Learn about the different narrative types and ensure you stick to just one before writing – you’ll thank yourself later.
It’s particularly nice to implement all of this learning with exercises and I’m looking forward to seeing the work of those who share in the Community. Although this course doesn’t have to be taken over six weeks, I do recommend giving yourself the time and space to complete these exercises, as well as keeping momentum with them as much as you can.
Want to take the course yourself? Begin at any time, here.
Sarah J
Plus, don’t miss:
Manuscript Assessment Service (10% discount available)
If you have a manuscript ready, the best thing you can do before submitting is to have it professionally assessed by an editor. They’ll give you a full report – a detailed roadmap to success. Prices vary based on word count.
Mentoring (10% discount available)
Get expert one-to-one help as you write and edit your manuscript with your choice of award-winning mentors. Now with a choice of 10, 20 or 30 hours of mentoring depending on your needs.
Developmental Editing (10% discount available)
A developmental edit gives you the detailed, structural report that a manuscript assessment offers, as well as in-text comments throughout your manuscript offering in-depth feedback on your work, and a sixty-minute conversation with your editor to discuss any queries and your next step forward.
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