Novel Writing Basics

How to write a novel that doesn't suck

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Love reading but wish you could tell the characters what to do? Have too much creative energy to binge Netflix? You need a challenging yet rewarding long-term project that develops crucial skills while deepening your love of literature.

Introducing...

A crash course in writing fiction that sells!

Open to everyone who wants to write better.

Each week there will be a new video module and challenge, where we'll walk you through step-by-step how to outline, draft, write and edit your very own novel. We'll focus mainly on YA fantasy and scifi, but you're free to develop ANY story idea using our plotting resources.

You'll learn:

  1. How to write compelling fiction readers love
  2. How to outline a book and hit the right turning points
  3. How to increase stakes, drama and conflict
  4. How to design characters readers can't help but love
  5. How to keep the pacing tight so readers are glued to every page
  6. How to revise and edit your manuscript to make it perfect
  7. How to breathe life into your writing


Schedule & Curriculum

You'll be expected to keep up with the video assignments, and invest an hour or two a day working on your project. Our schedule will roughly follow a "plot, write, edit" format. In the second month, you'll be encouraged to write about 10,000 words a week, BUT you can go through the materials at your own pace.

Plot
Week 1: Fiction basics
Week 2: Your hero's journey
Week 3: Plotting your book
Week 4: Raising the stakes

Write
Week 5: Point of no return (10K)
Week 6: Midpoint (20K)
Week 7: Dark night of the soul (30K)
Week 8: Epic conclusion (40K)

Edit
Week 9: Describing Scenes (5K)
Week 10: Conflict & Suspense (5K)
Week 11: Repetition & Redundancy (5k)
Week 12: The final polish (trimming the fat).

Your goal will be a clean manuscript of roughly 50,000 words.

Storytelling is a highly valued skill, with rewarding and practical benefits that can help you stand out in a variety of fields, such as college application essays or job interviews - but if you really love writing, this course will even help you learn how to make as a published writer.




Your Instructor


Derek Murphy
Derek Murphy

Derek Murphy has a PhD in Literature and has been featured in CNN for hosting writing retreats in medieval castles. After working with thousands of authors as a writing coach and developmental author, he began developing plotting cheatsheets and advanced writing tips for authors that now have nearly 3 million views on YouTube.


Got Questions?


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was always puzzled when people told me I needed to add more conflict, or add more tension and I was never sure what that meant or how to it, but now it's a lot clearer for me. I can't believe this awesome content is for free, my man, I have paid so much money for courses and books and editors that won't reach 15% of the knowledge you share here with us."

- Adriana Rivera, indie author

"Thank you so much for making this course. I very much appreciate your offering legitimate creative writing instruction that teaches more than just the basics. Accessibility means everything. Once again, you've been incredibly generous to the writing community. This course is pure gold."

- Beth Navarro, indie author

"Thank you for everything that you have offered so far in this course! I can finally sort out my thoughts with the help of a very precise formula that I have needed."

- Isabella Lapuerta Guerra, Indie Author

"Thank you so much for all the information and help you’ve put into this course! I’ve never tried plotting or planning this stuff out beforehand, but it gives me such a clearer picture of where I want my story to go and when I’m no longer heading into the scenes blind, it makes my writing feel more cohesive."

- Mira Jiang, Indie Author

"I can not thank you enough Derek. Before the course I was just winging it and hit a dead end with what amounted to a short story rather than a novel. Your structure has helped motivate me again and flesh out my plot in a proper way to build suspense. What a treasure and inspiration you are to amateur writers everywhere!"

- Stephen Kenney, Indie Author

PS. If you're seeing the full-price here, you can get this course in a bundle of 3 $197 writing courses for just $47.

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