One of the great joys at The Novelry is watching a writer who has never written before—perhaps someone who has never shown anyone else their prose or didn’t believe they could ever write a book—bloom.
From the inkling of an idea to a finished manuscript, we meet with writers at every stage of the journey, and we’re proud to work with people from all backgrounds and abilities. Our mantra is ‘we grow writers,’ and we mean it!
Unlike other writing courses, we don’t cherry-pick writers we believe are most likely to get published. At The Novelry, beginners are warmly welcomed. We’re open to all, and our five-step program will take you gently by the hand and guide you through the process of crafting a novel, with a published author and a publishing editor by your side to cheer you on through every milestone.
Today, we take great pleasure in celebrating the writers who made it to some of the biggest milestones: the writers among us who signed with a literary agent, got a book deal with a publisher, or—the dream!—published a book.
As they reached these milestones, many of the writers were kind enough to share some words with us, and we’ve included them here because there are three interesting trends. You can see some writers mention they truly had never written before; an incredible feat. Others say they had taken creative writing courses before but were looking for something radical. (Hello, that’s us.) The third trend is how many of these now-published (or soon-to-be-published) authors were feeling downcast, as though their writing had reached its ‘last chance,’ and they were suffering a drastic loss of confidence before they found us. Just look how far they came!
Writers, please take heart.
Signing with an agent or a publisher is a phenomenal achievement, but as all writers know, the road to seeing your novel on bookstore shelves is paved with uncelebrated milestones each of us overlooked along the way.
So, on this day, as the year comes to an end, we ask you to raise a glass to yourselves, and to every writer who picked up a pen for the first time in 2024, wrote 10,000 words, finished a first draft (this one is huge!), started editing a manuscript, or asked for feedback for the first time.
Here’s to you, writers. We’re proud of you all.
Writers with books published this year

Lucy Barker
4th Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins, published The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker in February, an irresistible historical comedy about two warring mediums in Victorian London, inspired by the real-life rivalry between famous spiritualists Agnes Guppy and Florence Cook in the 1870s.
I signed up to The Novelry’s The Ninety Day Novel to force myself to finish a languishing draft, thinking I’d use it as a prompt rather than a ‘school’—I’d done enough writing courses and wasn’t expecting to learn much more from the lessons. But WOW! Louise has developed a cornucopia of thought-provoking sessions and exercises that challenged the way I saw my practice and stretched my thinking and experience well beyond my comfort zone, resulting in a first draft I never thought I’d ever be able to write.
—Lucy Barker

Kate Weinberg
Putnam, an imprint of Penguin Random House in the U.S., and Bloomsbury in the U.K. both published Kate Weinberg’s ‘crackling, comical, tender and mysterious’ novel, There’s Nothing Wrong With Her, about a woman suffering an unnamed condition that confines her to a physical and mental state she calls ‘The Pit.’ This is a book ‘about mental health, the certainties of medicine, buried trauma, love, death, and time lost in the crushing—and comical—hopes of modern life.’
I can say, hand-on-heart, that The Novelry has given me more tools and confidence—in both the art and craft of novel-writing—than my year-long prestigious Masters degree in Creative Writing ever did.
—Kate Weinberg

Brooke Hardwick
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Euan Thorneycroft at A.M. Heath, Simon & Schuster Australia published The Fog by Brooke Hardwick in September, in which a woman escapes to a writers’ retreat on a remote Irish island to search for answers amid a personal crisis, but the strange methods used by the retreat director in such wild surroundings begin to crack open frightening truths and dark secrets.
The coaching sessions brought me life! I inhaled the course material and embarked on a disciplined approach to writing. In 100 days, I’d written the first draft! From that point, The Novelry became my touchstone. I logged into their social platform daily, Zoomed with world-renowned authors, agents and editors, and developed invaluable support networks with other novelists. I wrote. I re-wrote. Signing up was the best decision of my writing career.
—Brooke Hardwick

Penelope Slocombe
John Murray, an imprint of Hachette, published Sunbirds by Penelope Slocombe in June. Inspired by the real-life mystery of the nearly two dozen Western travelers who disappeared in Northern India’s Kullu Valley between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, Sunbirds is billed by the publisher as ‘a propulsive, emotionally intelligent debut about a woman’s search for her son, and herself.’

Nazima Pathan
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Chloe Seager at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books published Dream Hunters by Nazima Pathan in August. Set in a fantasy, reimagined India where dreams can be captured and bottled, young Mimi Malou must go on a quest to save the king and rescue her parents. Perfect for fans of Starfell, The Hatmakers, and The Kingdom Over the Sea.
The Novelry was a game changer on how to approach a novel, and turn it into a well-structured, polished piece of work. The manuscript assessment was spot on. Incisive, constructive and encouraging. I feel I have learned so much and am stronger for it!
—Nazima Pathan

Carla Jenkins
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Madeleine Milburn at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, Orion, an imprint of Hachette, published Fifty Minutes by Carla Jenkins in May, a powerful debut novel about the twisted desire and power struggle between 20-year-old Dani and her therapist Richard.
From the initial idea for my novel to the point of getting agent representation, The Novelry were on hand with support and advice. The dream was always to get an agent and so to receive interest from several was mind-blowing—to have Madeleine Milburn within that list was more than I could have hoped for. I’m thrilled!
—Carla Jenkins

Jennifer Sadera
In November, CamCat Books published I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera, a debut mystery about a mom and her baby daughter who are the only witnesses to a shocking neighborhood crime.
Working with The Novelry was one of the most enjoyable editing experiences I’ve had in my 12 years of full-time novel writing.
—Jennifer Sadera

Karina Robles Bahrin
Picador, an imprint of Pan Macmillan in the U.K., published The Accidental Malay by Karina Robles Bahrin in August, the winner of the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2021.
Thank you for all the support you and The Novelry team gave me—I couldn’t have finished the manuscript without the help of everyone there.
—Karina Robles Bahrin

Cathryn Kemp
In July, Doubleday, an imprint of Penguin Random House, published A Poisoner’s Tale by Cathryn Kemp, a dark and gripping feminist retelling of the spellbinding legend of the notorious Italian poisoner, Giulia Tofana.

Juliana Adelman
In May, New Island Books published The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman, a historical debut set in Dublin in 1866 about an ensemble of characters seeking refuge or forgiveness from the River Liffey.
The best thing about The Novelry is the people! A supportive environment fostered by Louise and the team and a whole crew of writers.
—Juliana Adelman
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T.J. Emerson
In March, Boldwood Books published The Last Resort by T.J. Emerson, a thriller set in the picturesque hills of Cyprus, where the owner of a beautiful home is offered a terrifying moral dilemma.
These creative writing courses have changed my writing life. Within a short time of starting the lessons, I had my idea sorted and ninety days later I had my first draft. After taking the editing course and taking advantage of all the wonderful author chats and workshops offered by The Novelry, I secured a two-book deal, and it has been optioned for development into a six-part TV series.
—T.J. Emerson
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Kate Gray
In July, Welbeck, an imprint of Hachette, published The Summer Party, a locked-room thriller packed with sun, sea, and suspense that follows a group of work colleagues on a remote island getaway with everything to celebrate—except for the murders that are about to begin.
One of the things I loved so much about The Novelry was the One Hour a Day method. This became an almost meditative form of self-care for me, especially during that first draft.
—Kate Gray

Becky Hunter
In March, Atlantic Books published Meet Me When My Heart Stops by Becky Hunter, a heartrending story of two lovers who meet in the afterlife, destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments—because, if they did, it would mean the end of one of their lives.
I found The Novelry at a time when I was ready to give up. I was feeling very low on confidence and knew I’d be my own worst enemy if left to my own devices. Signing up to The Novelry was just the thing I needed—it provided me with structure, support and encouragement. I was inspired to get writing and keep going, and the course made me think more deeply about plot and character, so that I had a finished manuscript that needed relatively little editorial change when I got to the end.
—Becky Hunter
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Laura Pearson
In September, Boldwood Books published The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson, the heartrending tale of four siblings that asks: what if there is life before we are born?
The Novelry came along at exactly the right moment for me, when I was battling with low self-confidence and a first draft I didn’t know what to do with. It’s helped me regain perspective, focus, and given me back my belief in my ability to write.
—Laura Pearson
Writers who signed book deals this year

Anna Brook-Mitchell
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Jemima Forrester at DHA, Anna signed a two-book deal with Pan Macmillan for her debut novel, Motherfaker, a ‘hilarious and heartfelt’ debut about a child-free-by-choice teacher who decides to fake a pregnancy to get a year off work. Publishing director Katie Loughnane snapped up Motherfaker in a 48-hour preempt, and rights have also been sold in Germany and Hungary.
I wanted to make sure that I was giving my novel the best chance possible and getting to work with an experienced editor was such a selling point for me. What I didn’t realize was how much of an anchor The Novelry would become while I edited my manuscript—joining a Zoom or re-watching a lesson when I needed some motivation, feeling part of the community of other writers, and getting much-needed pep talks from the amazing writing coaches. Best of all, though, was getting to work with incredible editor Josie, who believed in my book from the get-go and gave such thoughtful feedback on my submission package and then, later on, my full manuscript. Josie handled my querying process via the submission service brilliantly and was such a cheerleader for me and my book, meaning that when the offers started coming in, I really felt like we’d achieved it together. I’m so grateful to the entire team at The Novelry and I am thrilled that they introduced me to my fantastic literary agent Jemima at DHA—it still feels very surreal to get to say that!
—Anna Brook-Mitchell

Rosie Storey
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Jemima Forrester at DHA, Rosie signed a two-book deal with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House in the U.S., and with The Borough Press, an imprint of Hachette in the U.K. In addition, TV rights to adapt the novel have been snapped up by See-Saw Films, a production company with BAFTA, Emmy, and Oscar wins.
Rosie’s debut novel, Dandelion is Dead, is about Poppy, who, in the throes of grief, responds to a match on her dead sister’s dating app. But when she meets up with Jake, the attractive stranger—who thinks she’s her dead sister, Dandelion—their chemistry is undeniable, and the lies quickly spiral out of hand.
As someone who has been writing for many years, I’m used to my fair share of rejections; I was absolutely delighted (and surprised) to have the opportunity to meet a number of great agents very quickly. I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience. Thank you so much to Josie and The Novelry—I really felt part of a team.
—Rosie Storey

Clare Leslie Hall
Clare signed a book deal with Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and with John Murray, an imprint of Hachette, in the U.K. for her novel Broken Country. Film rights were picked up by Sony’s 3000 Pictures, and Reese Witherspoon will produce the movie adaptation.
Broken Country was the talk of London Book Fair after publishers across the globe fell head over heels for the unputdownable novel. Rights have been sold internationally, with 24 deals to date, including a heated 14-way auction in Germany won by Piper. Broken Country is the story of a passionate love triangle written with the pulse of a thriller. Alternating between the beauty and brutal reality of rural life and the tension of a murder trial at the Old Bailey in the late sixties, this is a compulsive novel about the far-reaching legacy of first love.

Brisa Carleton
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent Rebecca Scherer at the Jane Rotrosen Agency, Brisa has signed a book deal with Grand Central, an imprint of Hachette, for her novel Last Call at The Savoy, pitched for readers of Josie Silver and Fiona Davis and set at the legendary London hotel. A story of sisterhood and second chances, it follows a young writer who helps uncover the history of the famed American Bar’s first (and forgotten) female bartender, Ada Coleman.
I am so grateful to everyone at The Novelry for their exceptional guidance throughout the writing process of my debut novel. From the moment I joined The Ninety Day Novel program to the completion of The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment, I felt fortunate to have their brilliant, enthusiastic, and inspiring coaches and editors by my side. Their insightful feedback allowed me to grow as a writer and their unwavering support and encouragement made this entire process a true joy.
—Brisa Carleton

Shylashri Shankar
Introduced by The Novelry to literary agent James Wills at Watson, Little, Shylashri has signed a three-book publishing deal with Canelo Crime. Shylashri’s novel Blood Caste is an atmospheric upmarket historical crime fiction novel set in nineteenth-century India under the British Raj. Rivalries flare between an outcast Brahmin detective and a prickly English inspector when they must join forces to find a Jack the Ripper copycat in 1895 Hyderabad. Blood Caste will appeal to everyone who has devoured books by Abir Mukherjee, Sujata Massey, and Elly Griffiths.

Kelly Mullen
Kelly signed a book deal with Dutton in the U.S. and Century in the U.K., both imprints of Penguin Random House, for her debut novel This is Not a Game, a locked-room mystery about a video game designer, Addie, and her grandmother, Mimi, who are snowed in at a lavish mansion party where the host is murdered—and the unlikely sleuthing pair must draw on a unique skill set to navigate a dangerous game together and find the killer. The story is set on Mackinac Island, an idyllic location in Michigan’s Great Lakes.
The Novelry offers an incredibly supportive environment for new writers like me when we need insightful feedback and creative inspiration. I use their resources daily!
—Kelly Mullen

Olesya Lyuzna
Olesya signed a two-book deal with Mysterious Press—the publishing home to authors Megan Abbott, P.D. James, James Ellroy, Elmore Leonard, and more—for her debut novel Glitter in the Dark, a queen noir set in roaring twenties New York. An ambitious advice columnist who knows she is capable of solving more than beauty problems witnesses the kidnapping of a famous singer at a Harlem speakeasy and manipulates a brooding detective into a reluctant partnership as the case unravels.

Geoff Parkes
Geoff signed a two-book publishing deal with Penguin Random House Australia for his debut novel, When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole, and The First Law of the Bush. Geoff’s debut novel is based around the disappearance of a Finnish backpacker from her job in a shearing gang in rural New Zealand and the impact this has on the life of her boyfriend—who, in trying to find out what happened, discovers more than he could ever have expected about his family and the small town he grew up in.
I’m extremely grateful for the professional expertise and friendly assistance of Lizzy Goudsmit Kay and Tash Barsby at The Novelry, who ensured that at every contact point, the novel was made better than what it was before.
—Geoff Parkes

Nikki Allen
Nikki signed a two-book deal with Pan Macmillan for her debut novel, The Hideaway. What should be the opportunity of a lifetime for five strangers becomes a fight for survival when a meditation retreat in Costa Rica turns deadly.
Since joining The Novelry in early 2022 with nothing but a spark of an idea and the determination to (somehow!) turn it into a novel, I have been blown away by Louise Dean’s course materials, the author coaching, the community of writers and the incredible support from editors to boot. I am beyond thrilled with how far I’ve come, both with my writing and signing with such a top-notch agent, and am so excited for my future writing career. Thank you, The Novelry!
—Nikki Allen

Joanne Kormylo
Joanne signed a two-book deal with Hodder and Stoughton, an imprint of Hachette, with her historical fiction novel The Resistance Daughter. Inspired by true stories from World War II, The Resistance Daughter is an emotional journey through war-torn 1940s Europe, where those who have long fought to protect others must ultimately save themselves.
I discovered The Novelry when I was ready to give up on my debut novel. After years of research, I knew my work had potential, but I lacked the expertise to identify and fix manuscript weaknesses essential for attracting a publisher. The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment offered by The Novelry was exactly what I needed.
—Joanne Kormylo
Writers who signed with agents this year

Amy Board
Introduced by The Novelry, Amy signed with literary agent Tia Ikemoto at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Los Angeles. A twisty locked-room murder mystery, Amy’s debut novel House of Knives features a wealthy, dysfunctional family to rival the Roys—it’s Succession meets the novels of Lucy Foley, with shades of Knives Out.
Having never written a word or having the faintest idea what it took to build a story that would sustain an entire novel, The Novelry’s approach provided the safe space to flail, while equipping me with the skills, the patience, and the encouragement to not only grow, but to believe in myself as a writer.
—Amy Board

Janice Okoh
Introduced by The Novelry, Janice signed with literary agent Jessica Leeke at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency with her debut novel, The Girl With the Light Eyes. An upmarket crime novel set in the Department of Ritualistic Murders and Human Sacrifice amid a vividly evoked Nigeria, the story follows an Igbo house girl desperate to find her daughter and a strong-willed, queer detective doing everything in her power to make that happen.
I’ve taken a lot of courses, but at The Novelry, the tutors are exceptionally talented, generous and kind. With weekly live workshops to attend and countless recorded sessions that I’ve yet to mine, I am so happy I signed up to The Novelry and continue to sign up because I feel that I’ve found a home here for as long as I want.
—Janice Okoh

Michael Lawson
Michael signed with literary agent Maria Brannan at Greyhound Literary with his debut novel Winging It, an LGBTQ+ romance that follows flight attendant Callum who connects with flight engineer Olly at 38,000ft, but when faced with the turbulence from Callum’s past, can they handle the cabin pressure?
I couldn’t have done it without The Novelry team. Having Libby Page as a mentor and Gillian Holmes as an editor has been a masterclass in writing. Thank you for taking a chance on me on the Octopus Scheme—I CAN’T BELIEVE I HAVE AN AGENT!
—Michael Lawson

Victoria O’Brien
Introduced by The Novelry, Victoria signed with literary agent Maria Cardona Serra at Aevitas Creative Management. Set in 1944 in a Bavarian mountain village, Victoria’s debut historical fiction novel Marianna Kauffman is No Longer Dead tells the story of two sisters who discover their priest’s housekeeper dead in the woods and vow to stay silent—until 18 years later, when a psychiatrist encourages one sister to confess everything.
Whenever I was wandering off course (which was often), The Novelry nudged me back in the right direction, which was exactly what I needed.
—Victoria O’Brien

Connor Martini
Connor signed with literary agent Jamie Cowen at The Ampersand Agency with his debut novel, Pale Red Dot, an adult science fiction adventure on Mars that explores history, memory, and guilt with a queer romance subplot.
My experience with The Novelry can only be described as transformative—they helped turn my story into a book, and turned me from a hobbyist into a writer.
—Connor Martini

Nicole Brooks
Introduced by The Novelry, Nicole signed with literary agent Rachel Beck at Liza Dawson Associates with her debut novel, The Flood. A high-stakes, race-against-time thriller set against the backdrop of a devastating natural disaster, The Flood has an epic, cinematic feel paired with the suspense and twists of Lucy Foley or Will Dean.
I’d been trying to get an agent for five years and although I’d had some near misses, I knew I only had the energy for one more try. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to work with The Novelry. The kindness and respect shown by everyone made me fall back in love with writing and made me feel like I really could do this. I look forward to working with Rachel and building on the solid writing foundation I finally found at The Novelry.
—Nicole Brooks

Danielle Cahill
Danielle won the Caledonia Novel Award 2024 with her novel Trad Wives and signed with literary agent Ariella Feiner at United Agents. In 2023, the novel also won BPA’s Pitch Prize and was longlisted for the Bath Novel Award.

Emily James
Emily James signed with literary agent Kiya Evans at Mushens Entertainment with her debut contemporary romance novel.
It was so encouraging to have the whole team believe in me and my writing, both during my one-to-one coaching sessions and our Octopus Scheme catch-ups, and so lovely to have The Novelry team cheer me on when I signed with my agent. It’s also been fantastic to get to know the other writers, and I can’t wait to hear what comes next for them! Thank you so much to everyone at The Novelry for being such a huge part of my writing journey.
—Emily James
Congratulations to all our writers, and we wish all of you a Happy New Novel!
Now’s the time to sign up for your course to write your novel in 2025! With a team of bestselling authors waiting to meet and greet you, Big Five editors on standby, and an exciting, action-packed program of live classes and workshops, we’re kicking off 2025 in fine style to get your ideas onto the page so that this time next year you’re holding that novel in your hands.
Welcome home, writers. Join us on the world’s best creative writing courses to create, write, and complete your book. Sign up and start today.