Ultimate Novel Writing Course US – Jericho Writers
Jericho Writers
167-169 Great Portland street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF
UK: +44 (0)330 043 0150
US: +1 (646) 974 9060
Email: info@jerichowriters.com

You are viewing the International page (ET timezone), to view the UK and Europe course (GMT timezone) click here.

THE CREATIVE WRITING COURSE FOR SERIOUS WRITERS

Write a publishable novel in a year with The Ultimate Novel Writing Course. A flexible course for serious writers.

Ultimate Novel Writing Course | International

This year-long course combines online mentoring, weekly tutorials and editorial feedback, literary agent feedback and an exclusive online networking event. Start with a work in progress – end with the tools and contacts you need to get published.

Applications for the Winter 2023/24 course are now closed. You can register your interest for the Spring 24 course below.

Questions? Book a call with our Courses team at a time that suits you.

UNWC interest form

This course at a glance

A One Year Course

October 2023 – September 2024

Online Learning

Combined with opportunities to get your work seen by agents

Flexible Payments

Pay upfront or in instalments

    Course Overview

    Key Information

    Date: October 2023 – September 2024

    Duration: 1 year

    Price: $7000 (USD) paid upfront or split into 11 monthly instalments of $700 (totalling $7700 USD).

    Location: Online (open to students worldwide, with all calls taking place at EST).

    Entry: By application only. Download a brochure to find out how to apply.

    Application deadline: 17 September 2023.

    Questions? Contact our courses team today via email or book a phone call.

    Get your work discovered

    Make sure your words are seen by the right people! At the end of the Ultimate Novel Writing Course, a sample of each student’s work is sent to our database of top literary agents, including Cecile B Literary Agency, Transatlantic, Writers House, Folio Literary Management, and more.

    Last year, more than 30% of our students received a full manuscript request from the anthology alone, so what are you waiting for?

    Our connections are now yours

    We’re partnering with the renowned Cecile B Literary Agency to give them an exclusive first look at our Ultimate Novel Writing Course students’ hard work. At the end of the course, we’ll send your submission pack to the Cecile B Literary Agency for you, with the guarantee that an agent will read your extract. You’ll receive personal feedback to help you refine your manuscript and give you a head start on your agent search.

    Cecile B Literary Agency is a full-service agency that represents fiction and nonfiction for which they see a worldwide readership. They handle international rights on behalf of authors, literary agents, and publishers. With experience in most genres, their strongest interest is in upmarket cross-over fiction with a universal appeal and international setting. The subjects and themes of their nonfiction cross borders, strike a cord emotionally, and focus on personal growth.

    Cecile B Literary Agency

    A flexible course for serious writers

    We built this course to give you everything you’d get from an MA plus much, much more. Alongside weekly online tutorials, you’ll receive one-to-one support, editorial feedback, networking opportunities, and peer-to-peer feedback.

    Weekly Tutorials

    Detailed weekly tutorials will teach you the craft of professional writing – from plotting, to editing your own writing. You’ll also hear from special guest tutors such as top authors and literary agents.

    Mentoring

    Your personal tutor is here to give you regular individual feedback on your work. You’ll have monthly one-to-ones throughout the year as your work progresses and you enhance your creative writing skills.

    Editorial Feedback

    You’ll get a detailed, full-length editorial report on up to 100,000 words (worth more than $1,000 USD!) from your assigned mentor after your first draft, and support as you implement any changes.

    Publication Support

    We’ll introduce you to literary agents through one-to-ones and guest webinars, and teach you how to self-publish successfully. You’ll also get a lifetime of ongoing publication support after the course from our team.

    Community

    You’ll be part of an exclusive student group in our warm online community. You can exchange feedback, ask questions or just hang out with new friends in your own private chat room.

    Networking Events

    You’ll attend an in-person celebration dinner in New York, as well as an online networking event with handpicked agents. Plus have your work featured in our end-of-year anthology which is sent to top agents across the UK. Last year, more than 30% of all students featured received a full manuscript request.

    Meet Your Tutors

    Get to know your tutors

    You will be assigned a personal tutor to help guide you through the course, providing monthly one-to-one sessions and regular feedback on your work. (You will have the opportunity to select your preferred tutor during the application process). You’ll also get to know the other tutors throughout the course during the various modules across the year.

    Lindsey Alexander (USA & Canada)

    Sought-after book editor, formerly of HarperCollins

    Specialisms: Among Lindsey’s favourite genres are historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, literary fiction, young adult, and humour. 

    Lindsey Alexander (she/her) started her 20-year editing career at HarperCollins US. She’s helped authors across a range of genres launch their careers and has worked with
    numerous publishers and literary agencies to develop and hone some of the best-loved books of the last two decades. Among the books Lindsey has edited are numerous New
    York Times and USA Today best-sellers, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and a winner of an Agatha Award. Authors she’s had the privilege of working with include
    Rhys Bowen, Delia Ephron, Matthew Salesses, Jane Healey, Joy Jordan-Lake, Bernadette Calonego, Amy Butcher, Sheila Yasmin Marikar, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Queen Latifah, and
    Steve Madden, among many others. A number of books she’s edited have been optioned for film and published in translation. Lindsey received her MFA in Fiction from the New
    School University, under the advisement of Helen Schulman, and recently had the privilege of studying the craft of novel writing with Rebecca Makkai. With her well-rounded
    knowledge of both the art of storytelling and the ins and outs of the publishing industry, Lindsey is sought after as an editor, book coach, and educator. This will be her fourth year teaching on the Ultimate Novel Writing Course.

    Eliza Knight (USA & Canada)

    Bestselling hybrid author, speaker, and mentor 

    Specialisms: Eliza enjoys a variety of fiction including historical, literary, women’s fiction, book club, romance, crime, thriller, contemporary and young adult. She also loves memoir and biographical.

    Eliza (E.) Knight is an award-winning, USA Today and internationally bestselling hybrid (traditionally and self-published) author of over eighty titles. Her latest novel, Starring Adele Astaire, was released this year with William Morrow (HarperCollins). In 2013 she was named Romance Writers of America’s PRO Mentor of the Year, and in 2017 she was accepted into RWA’s Honor Roll for selling over 100,000 copies of her self-published title The Highlander’s Reward.  In addition to her own indie publishing, Eliza is contracted with Lake Union Publishing, Sourcebooks and William Morrow (HarperCollins), as well as has audio contracts with Tantor and Blackstone Audio. Her books have been translated into several languages. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Novelists Inc., Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Tall Poppy Writers. With her expertise in the industry, she is in high demand to present workshops on writing and publishing, both online and in-person at international, national and local conferences and literary festivals. She continues to mentor new writers one-on-one throughout the year.

    My favorite part of the writing process is watching an idea develop into a fully fleshed out, compelling narrative. And that extends to mentoring new writers, watching their ideas and dreams become realities and achievements. It’s a wild, wonderful ride I love to be a part of.
    Eliza Knight, UNWC Tutor

    Liz Monument (Australia, New Zealand, and International)

    Full-time novelist, writing coach, and editor 

    Specialisms: Liz specialises in dystopian, science fiction, historical, fantasy, literary fusions, and anything quirky or genre-bending. Please note that Liz is based in Australia so all her group calls will be held at AEST. 

    Liz is a writer, editor and writing coach interested in fiction of all kinds, from sci-fi to historical. Her first two novels are science fiction; her third is a literary genre-fusion, written for a PhD in Creative Writing; her fourth work-in-progress is a triple timeline gothic thriller. Liz works with a variety of clients including Jericho Writers and HarperCollins. She actively collaborates with selected international literary agencies to accelerate the submission process for writers of talent.

    As a tutor, I’ll be steering the skills every writer needs to hone. These include genre, character, plot, showing and telling, understanding POV, and how to employ the subtleties of literary theme. In applications, I’ll look for writing which plunges me into a vivid scenario with very little explanation – I want to feel as though I’ve been parachuted into a story, and expected to keep up on-the-hoof. Don’t explain it to me, show it to me – and keep me wanting more!
    Liz Monument, UNWC Tutor

    Testimonials

    We’ve helped hundreds of writers achieve their goals

    But don’t take our word for it! You can check out what our students have to say about their experiences below.

    This course was career-changing for Alan

    I was really lucky to be in a fabulous and supportive tutor group… I also had an excellent mentor in Helen Francis. She believed in the book, but more than that, she believed in me as a writer and believed I could get published. Every time I thought I’d come to a dead end she encouraged me to keep going.

    Alan Fraser

    UNWC student 21/22 and author of ‘The Muse of Hope Falls’
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    I loved everything about the UNWC. The tutorials were thought-provoking, the group sessions were fun and the mentoring in particular was absolutely top-notch. This was the first time anyone had taken me seriously as a writer — my mentor both encouraged and challenged me. And when I had my manuscript ready, Jericho’s support was instrumental in my agent search. I’m hugely thankful that I had the chance to take this course!
    Jack L, UNWC student 19/20
    I signed up for the Ultimate Novel Writing Course in 2019 and this proved to be one of the best decisions of my writing career.
    Carol L, UNWC student 19/20
    The UNWC team is fantastic. They want every writer to succeed. Their support and encouragement made all the difference. The structure of the course is brilliant – moving monthly through different focuses such as POV, setting, character, pacing, voice, all the way to endings and publishing. My mentor, Philip’s notes gave me the inspiration and guidance I needed to finish my manuscript. If you’re thinking about signing up for the UNWC and wondering if it’s worthwhile: do it! I accomplished so much.
    Victoria F, UNWC student 20/21
    I am overwhelmed with how much I have learnt about the craft of writing over the last four months, and I have been writing for years. I have also attended many creative writing short courses but realize now how lightweight and inadequate some of them have been. UNWC really is the ultimate course in every way and I am thrilled to be a participant. The opportunity to be mentored by a successful author is awesome and she makes sure that we put our new skills into practice. Loving every minute
    Wendy W, UNWC student 20/21
    The course was amazing. I had never studied any form of creative writing past school so I was apprehensive about starting, knowing I might be swimming in the deep end. On the contrary, I really enjoyed it and my writing has excelled dramatically. I’ve received four full manuscript requests since finishing the course, including one from an agent who discovered my writing in the UNWC Anthology.
    Verity H, UNWC student 20/21
    Very worthwhile – I certainly wouldn’t have got this far with my novel without it. There’s been some really useful technical guidance and I’ve appreciated being part of the community.
    Sophia S, UNWC student 20/21
    I’ve found a friendship group of amazing writers for life.
    JD, UNWC student 20/21
    My reasons for taking this course are 1) To finish my novel, 2) To improve my writing skills, 3) To learn more about the craft of writing. I feel the course is helping me accomplish those three goals.
    Kathleen P, UNWC student 20/21
    My mentoring sessions have been BRILLIANT. Helen is superb: she seems to immediately get what I am trying to do and has lots of helpful suggestions and encouragement. We had a session this week and I think we could have talked all morning. In fact, if I could talk to her every week that would be amazing! I requested Helen as my mentor and I’m so pleased my request was successful because I think she’s exactly the right person to help me take my novel forward.
    Joanna, H UNWC 20/21
    My mentoring session was very productive. I like Lindsey’s style, she forced me to really think about the structure, characters and motivation within my narrative. She enabled me to see my novel from a different perspective.
    Amanda R, UNWC student 20/21
    Philip, I would like to thank you and Jericho Writers from the bottom of my heart for this past year. I believe, thanks to your guidance and the material provided, I have achieved exactly what the course had initially promised. […] I am 100% certain that none of this would have happened had I not spent money on the UNWC.
    Gizelle K, UNWC 20/21
    The course has enabled me to develop the characters, conclude a plot plan, decide on narrative voices and I am now developing firm plans for structure to enable me to begin to pull it all together… The course is proving extremely useful and interesting and I’m very much enjoying being part of my mentor group. The quality of the tuition material is impressive.
    Ann T, UNWC student 21/22
    [Jericho has] a wealth of information. It’s quite dangerous, once you’re in for one thing, you end up finding three other things that look interesting. There aren’t enough hours in the day!… Thank you to the team at Jericho.
    Louise G, UNWC student 21/22

    We helped Nicky turn her book outline into a novel

    I started the course with just an outline for a novel and a fledging idea for my protagonist… If it wasn’t for the support of both my writing group and my mentor, Helen Francis, I wouldn’t now have a complete novel and a publishing contract.

    Nicky Downes

    UNWC student 21/22 and author
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    FAQs

    Frequently asked
    questions

    1

    Who is this course for?

    This course is perfect for anyone serious about writing a novel and seeing it traditionally published, or successfully self-published. Ideally, students on the course have already started working on a draft they’d like to write and polish. The mentoring aspect of the course will be completely personalised to you, so we’ll work from whatever your starting point happens to be, and provide you with all the writing tips and advice you need.

    2

    Do you handle all genres? What about creative non-fiction? What about children’s and Young Adult?

    We warmly welcome writers in almost every genre, from very literary to commercial. Our tutors work across a diverse list of categories, including both creative non-fiction and fiction writing. We certainly also welcome YA writers. If you write for much younger children, the course may be less suitable – but feel free to ask. 

    3

    I have a full time job / family commitments. Can I do this course in my spare time?

    Yes. We purposely designed this course to fit in around your other commitments; flexibility is one of the many benefits of online novel writing courses. Bear in mind that we will be asking you to write (or rewrite) your novel, as well as engage with teaching material and other online/offline events throughout the year. We recommend approximately 10 hours should be spent on the course each week to get the most from it. If you think you can manage that, we’ll be happy to accommodate you – and of course we’ll be as flexible as we can be.

    4

    Do I need to be available at set times every week?

    For the most part, you’ll be able to work to a schedule that suits you. There will be at least two monthly Zoom calls. All calls will be recorded, so if you can’t make the live session, you’ll be able to watch the replay. The only truly fixed part of the calendar is the in-person event at the end of the course. While access to our live events is included, students will be required to pay for their own travel to and from live events, including any additional expenses incurred.

    5

    Will the online elements of the course be easy to use?

    We use an easy-to-navigate online teaching platform, which is incredibly user-friendly so you’ll have no difficulty understanding what to do. You’ll also have access to the teaching platform forums indefinitely, so your course friendships can long outlast the end of the course. If you do need help at any stage, we’ll be on hand. 

    6

    Do you have bursaries available?

    While we don’t have a full bursary available for this course, we want to help great writers get published, and if your personal circumstances make it impossible for you to fund the full price of this course, please get in touch. We can’t make any promises, but we’ll always do what we can.

    This year we have also introduced CORE – a more affordable version of the course that includes the course content, the end-of-course showcase and one agent one-to-one session, but without the intensive mentoring and some of the additional benefits you get from the full course.

    7

    Is this course suitable for international students?

    Yes. We have a very international client base already and we welcome applications from anywhere in the world. It’s open internationally for writers from all over the world, and all online calls and events will take place at Eastern Time (ET).

    If you’re based in Europe, our Ultimate Novel Writing Course (UK & Europe) will take place at Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

    8

    Where can I get a complete course outline?

    You can find the full course outline in our prospectus.

    9

    What is the application process?

    We invite writers from all backgrounds to apply to this course, whatever their educational backgrounds or prior achievements. We do however ask that all applicants are genuinely committed to a career as an author.

    If you feel this best describes you, please download our prospectus here and follow the links to the application page. This page will ask you to describe your idea, your personal goals, and upload a sample of your work.

    We aim to respond to all applicants within 15 working days. All work will be forwarded to the course tutors who will make the final decision on entry according to which writers they feel show commitment and commercial viability.

    If you have any questions about the application process, you can email us on courses@jerichowriters.com, or call us on UK: +44 (0)330 043 0150, or US: +1 (646) 974 9060.

    Your year at a glance

    OCTOBER: Planning your novel

    This month, you’ll learn how to plan and structure your novel and put this into action for your own work.

    NOVEMBER: Point of view

    We’ll explore all the different kinds of point of view; from omniscient and third person limited, to first person, and see how each one can inform our own work.

    DECEMBER: Setting

    It’s time to start writing your novel. This month, we’ll look at how you can maximise the potential of your setting.

    JANUARY: Character

    You’ll learn the techniques and tools you can use to strengthen and develop your characters.

    FEBRUARY: Emotion and senses

    This month, you’ll study the art of transferring weight of emotion onto objects and atmosphere.

    MARCH: Pacing and tension

    How do you keep your reader engaged? We’ll discover the importance of building tension, no matter the genre.

    APRIL: Voice and style

    A well-developed style is like a fingerprint: what can you do to practice yours, and to make your words flow?

    MAY: Writing a great ending

    By now, you’ll have a working manuscript and be aware of all the techniques that shape your world – so it’s the time to draw upon everything you have learnt so far and nail that ending.

    JUNE: Self-editing

    This month, we’ll look at your manuscript in its entirety and learn how to turn that first draft into a masterpiece.

    JULY: Getting published

    Through detailed tutorials, we’ll learn the art of perfecting your submission package and how to find the best agents for your work.

    AUGUST: Author-led marketing and self-publishing

    Learn the core tools of self-publishing – which also form the basis for any author-led marketing campaign.

    SEPTEMBER: End of course networking event

    Join us to celebrate your achievements! Meet your peers and tutors for our end-of-course celebration dinner in New York. You’ll also get to take part in an online reading, where you will get the chance to showcase your work to top literary agents.

    Hall of Fame

    We’re so proud to see our students’ novels get snapped up by publishers and land in the hands of readers across the globe. Could yours be next?

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