Your Success On Your Terms
If you’re aiming to get published, you’ve come to the right place. But not everyone writing considers success in terms of becoming published.
Many of us find the achievement of completing a novel satisfying and rewarding in itself. As most published authors know, it’s the writing itself – the daily pleasure of putting pen to paper, or following the twists and turns of our hero’s journey – that gives us a reliable and deeply satisfying creative outlet in an uncertain world.
Writing a novel transforms our daily experience. We get to eavesdrop, beg, borrow and steal from the things we see, and recycle our days and ways, spinning gold from dust.
Writing a novel is deeply therapeutic in an unusual way. It’s not so much that we get to vent, (be careful, I’ll put you in my novel!), it’s more that we give a problem that might defy or confound us to a complete stranger to handle and we watch how they approach it as we conjure scenes and develop the story. In that sense, we overcome, or surmount the difficulties of life.
As an author, you get to play god. In this one small but special part of your life, you are in control. It’s a mysterious and magical process, and you’ll find that a novel writes you, as much as you write the novel. You’ll discover page by page what it is that you truly hold dear. Write first and foremost for yourself. Indulge yourself, make yourself smile, and stay playful. Write for pleasure at The Novelry and you’ll be rewarded with far more than you ever imagined.
At The Novelry, your coaching journey begins with one simple but important question: what do you want to achieve?
Your success, on your terms, is very much at the heart of what we offer, and we never lose sight of it.
So whether you’re writing for you, for your family, to leave something behind or to be published, we will make a plan to get you there. Caring about your story as a person as well as a writer is a big part of the reason we’re the world’s best-loved creative writing school.
Some of Our Published Success Stories
Our writers go on to secure publishing contracts with the imprints of major publishing houses, including The Big Five. For example, Rashmi Siredesphande is published by Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Carla Jenkins is published by Trapeze, an imprint of Orion. Lucy Barker is published by 4th Estate, an imprint of Harper Collins.
Rebecca Ley
Rebecca Ley is the author of two novels.
‘Wonderfully assured.’ —The Times
‘Pass the tissues...’ —Evening Standard
‘Lovely novel. Highly recommend.’ —Jenni Murray
‘Beautifully written.’ —Sun
‘Prepare for heartbreak.’ —Woman & Home
‘Brilliant.’ —Bella
Tracey Emerson
Tracey Emerson is the author of three novels.
‘Tense, daring and totally addictive.’ —Emma Christie
‘This taut, elegant thriller thrums with dark menace and dread. I couldn’t look away.’ —Kate Riordan
‘The last time I had this sort of reaction to a character was when I read The Talented Mr Ripley.’ —Mark Wightman
‘A gripping, atmospheric and addictive read.’ —Lesley Glaister
‘Original, surprising and absolutely brimming with menace.’ —Amanda Block
Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is the author of eight books for children. Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2022, and voted one of The Times Best Books of 2020.
‘Rashmi Sirdeshpande is a lawyer who became a children’s author and she has a talent for taking the big subjects and making them accessible to young readers.’ —BookBag Blog
‘Essential reading for young people.’ —BookTrust
Lucy Barker
Fourth Estate has scooped the debut novel from our course graduate Lucy Barker in a ‘significant’ two-book deal.
Katie Bowden, editorial director, secured UK and Commonwealth rights to The Other Side of Mrs Wood. US rights were sold to Millicent Bennett at HarperCollins, which will publish in June 2023.
The Other Side of Mrs Wood is described as ‘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.’
Becky Hunter
Atlantic imprint Corvus has signed One Moment, the ‘heart-wrenching and uplifting’ debut novel by Becky Hunter.
Publishing director Sarah Hodgson acquired UK and Commonwealth rights as part of a two-book deal. US rights were sold to Grand Central in a significant six-figure two-book pre-empt while German rights have gone to Droemer Knaur in a four-way auction and Romanian rights have been pre-empted by Nemira.
Hannah Dolby
Aria, the popular fiction imprint of Head of Zeus, has pre-empted the ‘effortlessly funny’ debut novel from Comedy Women in Print shortlistee Hannah Dolby.
Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks, editorial director, secured world English rights to No Life For a Lady and one further novel from Diana Beaumont at Marjacq. No Life for a Lady will publish in hardback, e-book and audio as a lead debut in March 2023.
The publisher describes Dolby’s book as a ‘smart, funny and life-affirming’ historical novel that follows the story of Violet Hamilton as she searches for her missing mother, the beautiful Lily Hamilton, who vanished from Hastings Pier 10 years earlier.
Carla Jenkins
Trapeze has swooped for a ‘powerful and engrossing’ début novel by writer and teacher Carla Jenkins in a two-book deal. Editorial director Sareeta Domingo signed UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Madeleine Milburn at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, who saw off competition from nine other agents to represent the author. Fifty Minutes will publish in hardback in May 2024, with her follow-up novel due to publish in 2025.
Domingo said: ‘Carla’s writing is immediate, powerful and engrossing, and Dani is a character that it’s impossible not to root for. I was completely drawn in right from the outset.’
Kate Gray
Welbeck has landed two books by Kate Gray in a six-figure deal following a four-way auction.
Rosa Schierenberg, editorial director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights to The Honeymoon and one other from Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment. It will be a lead hardback for Welbeck in July 2023.
Gray has previously published six commercial women’s fiction novels with HQ as Katy Colins. This is her first psychological thriller.
Susie Bower
Susie Bower is the author of three children’s fiction novels. Voted one of the Independent’s Top Ten novels for children, summer 2019.
‘Thoroughly charming and endlessly intriguing, Bower’s accomplished debut combines a magical mystery with a heartfelt account of adoption and trying to fit in. Written with grace and flair, School for Nobodies exerts a luminous hold on the imagination from start to finish.’ —Waterstones
‘Another enchanting fantasy.’ —Telegraph
Literary Agency Submissions.
Our round up of the latest wins from The Novelry’s literary agency submissions process.
Clare Barnett Huerta
Introduced by The Novelry, and now represented by Chris Bucci at Aevitas Creative Management.
Clare says: ‘The Ninety Day Novel and The Big Edit courses gave me the structure, motivation, and confidence to complete my manuscript. Having the support and guidance of accomplished publishing professionals was invaluable at every step. Writing coaches Emylia and Anna gave me insightful feedback on plotting and characters. Editors Tash and Josie helped my submission package shine and introduced me to my agent. I’d recommend the Novelry to any novelist pursuing traditional publishing.’
Helena Echlin
Introduced by The Novelry and now represented by Emma Leong in the UK and Chad Luibl in the USA.
Clever Little Thing is a taut psychological thriller about a woman convinced her daughter has been possessed by her former babysitter; comparable to Ashley Audrain’s The Push and Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth. Now sold to Pamela Dorman Books/ Penguin Random House and Penguin Canada, Grijalbo (Spain) and Nord (Italy).
Brooke Hardwick
Introduced by The Novelry, and now represented by Euan Thorneycroft.
Nazima Pathan
Introduced by The Novelry, and now represented by Chloe Seagar.
Shylashri Shankar
Introduced by The Novelry and now represented by James Wills.
Cate Guthleben
Introduced by The Novelry, and now represented by Millie Hoskins.
Course Graduates’ Latest News
Karina Robles Bahrin
Karina Robles Bahrin was announced as the winner of the Epigram Books Fiction Prize for The Accidental Malay. ‘Desire, religion and politics collide in this delicious début by Karina Robles Bahrin. Slick, sharp and full of the frustrations and joys of modern urban Malaysia, The Accidental Malay is a joy to read.’ Tash Aw
Hemmie Martin
Represented by A For Authors, Hemmie is the author of contemporary women’s fiction.
Juliana Adelman
Represented by Imogen Morrell, Juliana Adelman is an author of historical fiction.
Free resources and tips for writers. Get on the list!
Get the world’s #1 writing blog to your inbox every Sunday. Fabulous and free.
We never share your data. Unsubscribe any time.
