You are viewing the International page (ET timezone), to view the UK and Europe course (GMT timezone) click here.
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 open. Our next course will start in October 2023. Apply before 30 June to save $700.
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
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).
Entry: By application only. Download a prospectus to find out how to apply.
Location: Online (open to students worldwide, with all calls taking place at EST).
Questions? Contact our courses today via email or phone us on +44 (0)330 043 0150
Our connections are now yours
During the course, we’ll give you the opportunity to get feedback on your writing in two one-to-one sessions with agents of your choice. This is your chance to speak directly with top literary agents and get personalised, constructive feedback on your work over the phone.
This is an invaluable and unique opportunity to see your manuscript from an agent’s point-of-view, and to receive insightful advice from those in the industry. Each agent you choose will provide personal feedback on your covering letter, synopsis, and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript.
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 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?
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, 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.
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
Acclaimed book coach & former HarperCollins editor
Specialisms: Among Lindsey’s favourite genres are historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, literary fiction, young adult, and humour.
Lindsey Alexander (she/her) started her 18-year editing career at HarperCollins US, collaborating on New York Times best-sellers, multiple award winners, and international successes. These days, she helps both veteran and first-time authors across genres achieve their writing and publishing goals. In addition to her work as an editor and book coach, Lindsey has taught writing through the New School University, San Francisco’s Writing Salon; and elsewhere.
Liz Monument
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.
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
Alan Fraser
UNWC student 21/22 and author of ‘The Muse of Hope Falls’
We helped Nicky turn her book outline into a novel
Nicky Downes
UNWC student 21/22 and author
Frequently asked
questions
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 working on a draft they’d like to write and polish. This is truly one of the best novel writing courses available. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
Will the online elements of the course be easy to use?
We use an easy-to-navigate online teaching platform to provide our virtual classrooms. It’s incredibly user-friendly and you’ll have no difficulty understanding what to do. The course will also have its own private space within Jericho Writers Townhouse, and we’ll maintain that group permanently, 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.
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.
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).
Where can I get a complete course outline?
You can find the full course outline in our prospectus.
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.
We have online courses for every stage of your writing journey.
JUMPSTART YOUR NOVEL
Take the first step towards writing your book with this interactive course. Suitable for new writers. From $1151. 8-week course.
CREATIVITY FOR WRITERS
Harness your creativity in this short course designed for intermediate writers. From $633. 4-week course.
FICTION FOUNDATIONS
Ideal for writers at the start of their journey wanting to learn the basics. From $633. Six-week course.
Are you ready to take the next step in your writing?
Start with a work in progress – end with the tools and contacts you need to get published. Apply before June 30 for a 10% discount.