The Fast-Track Novel Course
Outline, write, and edit your novel to publishing standards with feedback on your manuscript
The pathway to publishing
Suitable for writers who are determined to secure literary agency representation for traditional publishing contracts. Undertake a complete review of your storyline for success, followed by writing a revised draft with mentoring followed by the careful attention of publishing editors from the Big Five publishers and a full manuscript review.
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A springboard to success
Reasons not to get off to a good start on your next adventure
I don’t have a moment to
lose
Then you’re in the right place. We move at your pace! Take the lessons at your own speed. Schedule your coaching and editorial sessions as and when you want them. Want to get your next novel done on a deadline? Let’s write!
I’ve done a course or two
before, you know
Not another writing course. Your lessons include expert insights from our Booker-listed Founder. You’ll find them challenging and thought-provoking and you’ll be working with the best in the business—one on one.
I want to write my way, not for the ‘market’
The course begins with The Advanced Class, which will start by asking you questions to help you craft the novel you really want to write. You’re the golden goose! To write your very best book, we know we need to find your passion and get it on the page.
‘We’ll bypass the basics, cut the filler, and skip straight to the expert insights that will help you create a kick-ass story. You’ll learn some magic tricks to make your process leaner and keener.’
Take absolute control of your story to write a brilliant novel with expert one-on-one guidance, from blank page to book deal
The Fast-Track Novel Course is our insider program. It begins with The Advanced Outline Class, to outline a novel with some sharp moves to get you writing not just any novel, but the novel of your life!
Write with coaching sessions from a published, bestselling, and award-winning author of your choice. All rooting for you, and at your side every step of the way, to help you develop your story to its full potential. You’ll go on to polish and edit your work with editors from the Big Five publishers—Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan. You’ll enjoy a full manuscript read from your editor with detailed feedback to raise your game to publishing standards.
When you join The Novelry on a course, your plan includes membership and access to all our online writing workshops and events. You’ll be part of The Advanced Outline Class group, with a regular and dedicated small-group live class. You’ll meet writers as serious as you are about your career. Plus, you’ll be eligible for our direct submission of your novel to leading literary agents.
Nail your theme, pack a high-concept hook, and plan your plot to go from stage to page in style with The Advanced Outline Class to outline your best novel
Dive into The Ninety Day Novel to prepare and submit your storyline for review from your coach before you start writing, and pace your first draft with a lesson a day and regular coaching sessions
Begin The Big Edit with feedback from your editor on your chapter outline before you revise using the cool, clear logic of the lessons
Submit your novel for The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment for a comprehensive review from the editorial team and prepare to enter the publishing process
Submission to leading literary agents by invitation
The Fast-Track Novel
Toward successful submission to literary agents
The Advanced Outline Class
Master your story
Outline your novel to ensure you have a commercially sound base for a story that readers, literary agents, and publishers will love.
Welcome
The Vital Organs
The Working Plan
The Depth Chargers
Magic and Mastery
The Ninety Day Novel Class
Prepare and develop your initial idea, construct your novel from the ground up, develop a productive writing practice, power through the middle with bold plotting, and raise the stakes towards a satisfying ending.
The Inspiration and Preparation Phase
The Construction Phase
The Swim Phase
The Heat Phase
The Enlightenment Phase
The Home Phase
The Big Edit Class
Revise and polish your manuscript to the highest publishing standards, with in-depth feedback from your professional book editor, and management of the literary submission process.
Turning Pro
The Developmental Edit
Line Edit
The Submission Process
The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment
Enhance your manuscript’s quality and marketability with marked-up revisions from bestselling publishing editors. And a clear plan for submission to literary agents.
Next Steps Toward Publishing
Meeting with the Editor
A Marked-Up Manuscript
Structural Development
The Pitch
Recommendation to Leading Literary Agents
Why Do You Need a Literary Agent?
Understanding Agent Listings
Finding the Right Agent
Demystifying the Publishing Industry
How We Can Help
‘You don’t make a decision about being a writer. The choice is how good you are going to be at it and how hard you are going to work.’
Kate Davies
Polari Prize-winning and Times ‘book of the year’ author of contemporary fiction and children’s fiction
Michael Mammay
Acclaimed author of multiple science fiction novels with starred reviews and one of Library Journal’s Best SF Books of the Year
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Andrea Stewart
Sunday Times instant bestseller author and finalist for the British Fantasy Awards, praised by Sarah J. Maas
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Clare Mackintosh
No.1 global bestselling New York Times and Sunday Times award-winning crime author with more than 3 million copies sold
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Anissa Gray
New York Times acclaimed author of contemporary fiction novels, a Marie Claire Book Club Pick optioned by Sony Pictures, and a DuPont and Emmy award-winning journalist
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Evie Wyld
The multiple prestigious literary prize-winning author of the Miles Franklin Award, the Stella Prize for Fiction, the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, and the Betty Trask Award
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Heather Webb
USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction and Goldsboro RNA Award finalist, translated into 17 languages
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Libby Page
Sunday Times bestselling author of Up Lit and winner of the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award
Tasha Suri
Award-winning author of multiple fantasy novels, including one of TIME magazine’s best fantasy novels of all time
Melanie Conklin
Award-winning children’s fiction author and winner of the International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Award
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L.R. Lam
Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction
Kate Riordan
Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary thrillers published by Penguin, Apple Fiction Chart No.1. fiction bestseller, and Richard and Judy Book Club pick
Katie Khan
Acclaimed book-to-movie author of speculative fiction and finalist for the Romantic Novel Awards and Brave New Words Award
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Gina Sorell
New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice and Read with Jenna acclaimed author of contemporary fiction
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Tara Conklin
New York Times instant bestseller author of multiple book-club pick novels translated into eight languages
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Colleen Oakley
USA Today bestselling author of six novels translated into 21 languages and Georgia Author of the Year
Amanda Reynolds
The No.1 bestselling author of suspense novels, including the TV-adapted major production for Sundance AMC, Close To Me
Emylia Hall
Top Ten bestselling author of cozy crime and women’s fiction with multiple book club picks
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Urban Waite
Esquire Best Book of the Year winner and multiple award-nominated author, highly praised by Stephen King
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Ella McLeod
Branford Boase-nominated and Guardian Best Books Pick author of YA novels and romantasy fiction
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Alice Kuipers
Carnegie Medal nominee and New York Times Book for Teens winning, bestselling author of YA, children’s fiction, and memoir, and winner of the Grand Prix de Viarmes
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Kate Dylan
Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction novels for both YA and adult
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David Solomons
Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Prize and British Book Industry Awards Children’s Book of the Year, author of acclaimed middle-grade children’s novels and a BAFTA and Branford Boase Award nominee
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Your professional publishing editors
Find the perfect fit for you and your book, whatever the genre.
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‘A wonderful organization for aspiring writers, and we’re thrilled to work with them!’
‘Finding an agent is certainly top of my list, and I knew I just wasn’t THERE, yet, but couldn’t pinpoint why. I primarily chose this program based on the course material, yes, but also on the fact that I could receive coaching and a manuscript assessment. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Advanced Class, its layout and format, and the way Louise breaks down the elements of a novel. The class helped me identify problems before I even sat down to write, saving me time and gratuitous words I’d undoubtedly have to cut later had I not taken the class. And now I can’t wait to dive into writing my next novel!’
Kayla Green
‘The Advanced Class has really helped me to flesh out my characters and organize my story. I have a better idea of story and chapter structure. I feel like I now have all the tools I need to make my story the best it can be. Before, I felt writing an entire novel sounded too overwhelming. But now I can’t wait to write it!’
Miranda Cameron
‘The Novelry’s Advanced Class 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, focussed me, and given me back my belief in my ability to write. I feel ready and able to tackle my next draft now with all the new tools I’ve acquired in my belt, and I know I’ll be going back over some of the sessions to reinforce them.’
Laura Pearson
The Fast-Track Novel Course
Progress at your own pace
Course and community access for an entire year.
Stay a little longer
Life. It happens to the best of us.
Money-back policy
Our Happy Writing guarantee.
Write with the best in the business
Award-winning authors. Publishing editors. Leading literary agents.
40+ workshops a month
In addition to your class.
Genre expertise
What’s your style?
Video masterclasses
From the likes of Kristin Hannah and Yann Martel.
A supportive writing community
Find your people.
More 5-star reviews
Than any other writing course. The Novelry is the world’s top-rated online writing school.
Better value than a university course
With a practical career outcome.
Flexible pricing
Pay up front or monthly.
Created by a Booker Prize-listed author
We don’t just talk the talk.
Toward publishing!
Work with the professionals to reach your best standards.
The Fast-Track Novel Course
- Welcome Call
- Membership (1 Year)
- The Advanced Outline Class
- The Ninety Day Novel Class
- 6 Coaching Sessions
- The Big Edit Class
- 2 Editorial Sessions
- The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment
Trusted by the world’s leading literary agencies
FAQs
If you’re bursting with questions we haven’t answered here, check out our full FAQs page or feel free to get in touch.
Your coaching begins after the first week of the second phase of your program, The Ninety Day Novel, where you will write and refine your draft novel alongside a currently published bestselling author in your genre of fiction.
Before your first coaching session, we’ll guide you on how to create an outline for a commercially viable novel. You’ll be nudged in the course to use our interactive tool to submit that to us (on a regular basis as you develop your story). We’ll look at your planned storyline as a team, and if we think another writing coach would be best suited to your story, we’ll drop you a line, but you’ll be able to make the final decision (and can always swap coaches later if you wish).
Every writing coach reviews your storyline in advance of the session via the interactive tool we call ‘The Plan.’
Your first coaching session begins with your writing coach understanding your intentions and aspirations for your book and writing career. That’s your brief to us, and it allows us to give you the dedicated and personal guidance and support you need to achieve your ambition.
The coaching sessions are 45 minutes online, and you’ll find that’s plenty of time to get help with story development and troubleshoot any problems to stay on track with your writing. All sessions are recorded for you to keep. You may schedule your coaching sessions whenever you wish during your year with us and will be able to browse our diaries to select a time that works for you, in your time zone. Some like to stay on track with a coaching session every two weeks of their writing period, for example, and others like to pace themselves with one a month or get more help up front or more guidance and advice later on. You can get the support you need when you need it.
During the writing of a first draft, our focus is on your storyline, and we work with you to creatively develop and expand the story together, reviewing development in every session and answering your questions for your story.
Additionally, you can book Paid Feedback Sessions, which include a report and a live debrief. We suggest you leave getting feedback on your work until later in your program, after the first draft.
Unlike other writing courses, we advise you don’t share or ‘workshop’ the novel at this stage where your confidence and the story are still vulnerable. Some courses have first-time writers on first drafts advising others in their position, and we think this is a bad idea and, at best, a waste of your very precious time.
At The Novelry, we’ll keep you and your story safe within a one-on-one relationship of trust and care with wise guidance from a published author who cares about your success and will believe in you and your story.
You can browse our writing coaches and find the author you would most like to work with, then book your coaching session from your Library.
You may wish to book with an author experienced in the genre you are writing.
Another great way to consider who you want to write with is to take a peek inside the first pages of their published books on Amazon and see whose writing style appeals to you most strongly.
The wonderful thing about The Novelry is that you can work with the writing coach of your choice but also book sessions with any other writing coach whenever you wish. So if things change for your story, say you swap genre, or need more help on specialist technical matters from another coach, we’ve got you covered.
Yes! This is a flexible writing course you can take at your own pace around your other commitments. The time it takes to complete a novel depends on the time you can set aside, but with an hour a day we know it’s possible to comfortably finish your novel in a year.
If you need more time, you can extend your course and roll over everything including any unused coaching, editorial, or manuscript sessions.
The cost of another full year is $599 (USD) or £499 (GBP), or you can pay monthly (and cancel anytime) at $55 or £45 a month.
Alternatively, you can remain as a member only for just $29.99 or £24.99 a month.
The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment will give you the ultimate feedback on your novel! Plus, you will get feedback on the first three chapters in The Big Edit, and feedback from the community, too.
You can also purchase Paid Feedback Sessions for $425 or £350 for a 5,000-word section of your manuscript.
The feedback sessions offer a detailed report and a live editorial debrief recorded for you to keep.
We don’t believe in feedback or workshopping a first draft. It can kill it.
But we do believe in giving feedback on the second draft and beyond, where you’re working with us toward publishing standards. Once you know what you’re keeping, it’s time to finesse—and only then. You will work with publishing editors, formerly of the Big Five publishing houses, at that stage. We follow a carefully managed process based on our combined industry experience of how great novels get made.
We will take great care of you and your novel, with every step at just the right time for your development.
You will work with publishing editors from the major Big Five publishers, like Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan, who will guide you in the third phase of your program on how to raise your work to publishing standards for submission to literary agents and onward to publishing. You may work with the editor of your choice. See our team of experienced professional publishing editors here. These senior editors are known and trusted by literary agents. We’ll be able to advise you if you can’t find an obvious fit by reading the profiles of our editorial team. Our Editorial Director reviews all bookings and we will be sure to suggest the very best editor for your storyline and genre.
Our courses are suitable for people with visual or auditory impairment, dyslexia, and those with English as a second language. We offer an app that translates the courses into 99 languages, and a speak-aloud option, too.
The most rewarding experience
“I came to The Novelry a broken writer. I had tried everything and had gotten so close to getting an agent several times, but it was obvious there was something not working with the execution of my novels. Hooks, pitches, and the actual writing were not my weakness—something was falling apart past the opening chapters. It was my coach who finally told me what it was (being as gentle as she could be, knowing it meant a total reworking of the story. Again.) And it finally clicked! From there, continuing through the lessons and being guided home by my editor, this experience has been one of the most rewarding of my career. This novel is better than anything I ever thought I was capable of writing and I look forward to happily writing many more with my newfound skills and insight!”
