Penguin Random House and Bloomsbury have signed Kate Weinberg’s ‘crackling, comical, tender and mysterious’ novel, There’s Nothing Wrong With Her. U.S. rights were sold to Putnam (Penguin Random House) by Janklow & Nesbit and Bloomsbury acquired U.K. and Commonwealth rights.

‍There’s Nothing Wrong With Her is 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.’

Kate says: ‘I’ve used the inspiring resources of The Novelry for help in developing both of my novels, The Truants and There’s Nothing Wrong With Her. I can say, hand-on-heart, that it 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.’

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Penguin Random House have signed This is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen, which will be published by Dutton in the U.S. and by Century in the U.K. Century fiction publishing director Emily Griffin pre-empted world rights following an exclusive submission from literary agent Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. The Penguin Random House rights team subsequently sold North American rights to Maya Ziv, executive editor at Dutton, Penguin Random House U.S.A., with German rights sold to Rowohlt at auction and ‘strong interest in other markets,’ Century said.‍

This is Not a Game is 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 skillset 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.

Kelly took The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment with us at The Novelry, and says: ‘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 is an award-winning executive producer with credits including Academy Award-nominated Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren, and Apple TV+’s Dads, produced with Ron Howard. She is also a global marketing executive whose creative work for brands has won over 50 awards including Cannes Lions and Clios. Originally from Iowa, she is now a British citizen based in London.

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books signed Dream Hunters, a middle-grade adventure by our graduate Nazima Pathan on a two-book deal from Chloe Seager at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. Nazima was introduced to Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency by The Novelry.

Nazima says, ‘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!’

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Orbit has acquired Holly Race’s adult debut novel Six Wild Crowns, described as ‘a beautiful fantasy re-imagining of Henry VIII’s wives from the perspective of Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour.’ 

Holly says: ‘I took The Novelry’s Ninety Day Novel as a way of breaking out of my comfort zone and elevating my craft after my YA fantasy trilogy was published. I was keen to explore other genres and markets, but lacked the confidence to do so without some external guidance. The Novelry offers an incredibly thoughtful and intelligent approach to writing, and I still have some of the course’s advice stuck to the wall above my desk as a constant reminder! I received feedback from both Katie Khan and Tasha Suri as I worked through two novels, one of which was Six Wild Crowns. They offered the kind of knowledgeable, honest and kind feedback that left me feeling fired up and certain of my next steps. I’ll be forever grateful to them and to The Novelry.’

Jennifer Sadera’s I Know She Was There has been acquired by Sue Arroyo at CamCat Books for publication in Fall 2024.

Say Jennifer, ‘Working with The Novelry was one of the most enjoyable editing experiences I’ve had in my 12 years of full-time novel writing. After reading the many positive reviews about The Novelry’s Ultimate Manuscript Assessment, I decided to submit my finished manuscript for feedback.

‘I’m thrilled I made that decision. My editor Tash Barsby guided me through edits to a manuscript I’d thought was ready to go, but soon realized needed the touch of an expert. From minor tweaks to thought-provoking suggestions, Tash covered everything: insightful observations about pacing, plot, and character development, the importance of tangible triggers, and paring down the query letter. My Publisher’s Marketplace announcement even contains her suggestions.’

Introduced by The Novelry and now represented by Chad Luibl at Janklow & Nesbit in the U.S.A. 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).

Says Helena, ‘My editor took my submission package to the next level. She gave me the perfect premise line, went over my first three chapters with her brilliant editorial eye, and gave masterful advice on how to reorganize my book’s timeline to jack up suspense. She then handpicked the perfect agents and gave me the benefit of her industry wisdom throughout the entire submission process. I couldn’t recommend The Novelry more highly.’

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Simon & Schuster have acquired The Fog by The Novelry graduate Brooke Hardwick for publication in September 2024.

In The Fog, Kate arrives on the wild, remote island of Rathlin in the freezing Irish Channel for a ten-day writers’ retreat. Plagued by memories she can’t unravel and desperate to understand the breakdown of her marriage, Kate is determined to leave the retreat with answers. As the retreat’s director uses techniques that tap into the eerie mythology of the island, Kate becomes increasingly fascinated by him and her surrounds. But as the temperature plummets and the strange therapy intensifies, her memories unspool. Triggered into a series of disturbing flashbacks, Kate realizes her past hides a frightening truth, but can she trust her own mind? Faced with dark secrets and duplicity, Kate must unlock the answers she’s so desperate to find—and survive the danger she has unwittingly walked into.

Through our bespoke submissions service, we introduced Brooke to her agent Euan Thorneycroft at A.M. Heath.

Brooke said: ‘I googled “the best online writing course in the world” and found The Novelry. 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.’

Susie Bower is the author of three children’s fiction novels. Voted one of the Independent’s Top Ten novels for children, summer 2019. The Novelry submitted Susie’s book to our literary agency partner PF+D, and Susie was offered representation and went on to secure a two-book publishing contract with Pushkin Books.

Says Susie, ‘I joined an amazing online writing community called The Novelry. Up until then, I’d only written full-length fiction for adults but had got to the point where I’d lost momentum and couldn’t finish anything. I wailed to Louise at The Novelry that I had no ideas and she assured me that after the first week of The Novelry’s Classic (Storytelling) Class, I’d have something. She was right. I waited 66 years to get an agent. It was worth it.’

HarperCollins scooped the debut novel from our course graduate Lucy Barker in a ‘significant’ two-book deal.

In the U.K., Katie Bowden, editorial director at Fourth Estate, secured U.K. and Commonwealth rights to The Other Side of Mrs Wood.

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.’

Lucy says, ‘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. And, just as predicted, I really did quickly start to come to my writing with confidence and joy. As a writer, you can’t ask for much more. I’m hugely grateful that I discovered this fantastic writing course and the marvellously inspiring Louise Dean and her equally inspiring coaches. Thank you!’

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 says, ‘Utterly brilliant. Do this course! Life-changing, in fact. The course, the community and the guide, are the best things that have ever happened to the writer in me.’

Karina Robles Bahrin was the winner of the Epigram Books Fiction Prize for The Accidental Malay.

Karina says, ‘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.’

Geoff Parkes has signed a two-book publishing deal with Penguin Random House Australia! Fiction publisher Beverley Cousins bought rights to When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole and The First Law of the Bush from Catherine Wallace at High Spot Literary.

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.

Geoff says: ‘What I found particularly beneficial was to be able to step logically, through a series of progressions; compiling the first draft, learning how to edit that myself, before handing it over for more rigorous assessment and editing. I’m extremely grateful for the professional expertise and friendly assistance of Lizzy Goudsmit Kay and Tash Barsby, who ensured that at every contact point, the novel was made better than what it was before.’

With a career spanning executive management with a global Fortune 500 company, to working on the floor of an abattoir, Geoff is an established sports writer based in Melbourne now pursuing crime fiction, heavily influenced by the rural New Zealand settings he grew up in.

New Island have signed The Grateful Water by Juliana Adelman. Juliana is represented by our partner agency Greene & Heaton. 

Says Juliana: ‘I was just dabbling around with little prospect of finishing anything when I took The Ninety Day Novel. I got to the end which gave me the confidence to revise and revise some more with The Big Edit. But the best thing about The Novelry is the people! A supportive environment fostered by Louise and the team and a whole crew of writers.’

Trapeze scooped a ‘powerful and engrossing’ debut novel by writer and teacher Carla Jenkins in a two-book deal from Madeleine Milburn at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, who saw off competition from nine other agents to represent Carla after submission by The Novelry.

‍Fifty Minutes was published in hardback in May 2024, with Carla’s follow-up novel due to publish in 2025.

Carla says, ‘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!’

U.S. rights were sold to Grand Central in a significant six-figure two-book pre-empt. Atlantic imprint Corvus acquired U.K. and Commonwealth rights to One Moment, the ‘heart-wrenching and uplifting’ debut novel by Becky Hunter as part of a two-book deal.

Says Becky, ‘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. The sessions with Emylia, my writing coach, were a real highlight—she always made me feel like she genuinely cared about my novel, and I was constantly amazed at the way she engaged with the story and the creative suggestions she brought forward. The sessions kept me on track and helped me work through plot kinks along the way and I felt like I had a real champion through the whole process.’

Rebecca Ley’s novels were both written at The Novelry and snapped up by Orion Fiction.

Says Rebecca, ‘The Novelry’s writing courses are unique—intelligent, surprising, more than a little magical—and I can’t recommend them highly enough. I began with The Ninety Day Novel which enabled me to tap into my subconscious in a way that no other writing course had. The result was my debut novel, For When I’m Gone, which was published by Orion Fiction. While working on my shortly-to-be-published second book I returned and took The Classic (Storytelling Class), which was also superb, and invaluable in terms of understanding archetypes and the ingredients for a spellbinding plot. The course rewires your writing brain—suddenly, completing a manuscript seems manageable. Combine this with astute advice from incredible writer Louise Dean and I can’t imagine a better head start in this particular creative process. You can even do it all in your pyjamas, should you want—what could be better!’

Welbeck landed two books by Kate Gray in a six-figure deal following a four-way auction.

Says Kate, ‘In desperate need of some TLC, I joined The Novelry. I wanted to feel part of a gang, share writing wins and woes, and remind myself that I’d done it before and I could do it again, no matter how daunting the blank page first appears. I hoped that if I surrounded myself with like-minded writers, I would soon be fired up with creativity and rediscover that escape I desperately craved. I looked forward to the weekly team chats, and the live author Q&A sessions where I wrote down all the advice and notes in my new Moleskine until my hand ached. 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 of The Honeymoon. I decided to write the sort of book that I would want to read. A fast-paced thriller with twists aplenty, relatable characters in situations that you as a reader could easily find yourself in and gritty themes; everything I adore in suspense fiction. Within two months I had a finished first draft. Unheard of in my writing career. Within four months it went on submission. Then it went to best and final bids at auction a fortnight later. This story, one that hadn’t existed even half a year ago, was now going to be a lead title for Welbeck.’

Aria, the popular fiction imprint of Head of Zeus, pre-empted the ‘effortlessly funny’ debut novel from Comedy Women in Print shortlistee Hannah Dolby.

Hannah says, ‘I wrote my novel with The Ninety Day Novel and edited it at The Novelry and want to thank you for all the support!’

Tracey Emerson is the author of three novels written with The Novelry.

Tracey says, ‘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.’

Macmillan will publish the debut novel from our course graduate Monica Vuu this summer.

When One of Us Hurts is described as ‘small-town crime fiction at its shocking best. Monica Vuu has crafted a memorable debut full of macabre surprises.’

Says Monica, ‘Signing up for a course at The Novelry is one of my best decisions. I was 100% green; it was my first foray into writing. With the daily lessons and the supportive community, The Novelry made my induction into the fiction-writing world joyful. There was no way to know then, but the positive experience set the tone for my ongoing writing journey. This is a safe space for inexperienced writers to come and play.’