Success stories
Our writers go on to publishing contracts with major publishers.

Orion, an imprint of Hachette, will publish a second novel by The Novelry graduate, Rebecca Ley.

Rebecca says: “The Novelry’s writing courses are unique—intelligent, surprising, more than a little magical—and I can’t recommend them highly enough. The lessons 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 second book I returned for another course, 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!”

Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House in the U.S., and The Borough Press, an imprint of HarperCollins in the U.K., has acquired the debut novel by The Novelry graduate, Rosie Storey.

TV rights to adapt the novel have also been snapped up by See-Saw Films, a production company with BAFTA, Emmy, and Oscar wins.

Dandelion is Dead follows 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...

Rosie was introduced to her agent Jemima Forrester at DHA through The Novelry’s bespoke submission service.

Rosie says: “My plan after completing The Novelry program was to approach literary agents, so I was thrilled when The Novelry made these introductions. 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.”

Shylashri Shankar, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed a three-book publishing deal with Canelo Crime.

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.

Shylashri was introduced to her literary agent James Wills at Watson, Little through The Novelry’s bespoke submission service.

An earlier draft of Blood Caste won the 2022 Spotlight First Novel Award, and was also longlisted for the 2022 CWA Debut Dagger. Shylashri is a researcher based in New Delhi, and won the AutHer Award for Best Non-Fiction 2021 for Turmeric Nation: A Passage Through India’s Tastes. She has also published three academic books, and reviews crime fiction for a national magazine in India.

Pushkin Children’s Press has published four middle-grade fiction novels by The Novelry graduate Susie Bower, as well as two books for younger readers.

Susie was introduced to her agent at literary agency Peters Fraser and Dunlop (PFD) through The Novelry’s bespoke submission service.

Susie says: “I joined the amazing online writing community 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 courses, I’d have something. She was right. I waited 66 years to get an agent. It was worth it.”

Theo Clarke’s memoir Breaking the Taboo is an instant Top 20 non-fiction bestseller!

Biteback Publishing acquired the first book by The Novelry graduate, Theo Clarke. Breaking the Taboo: Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma, which The Times described as “a shocking book exposing Britain’s maternity crisis,” and the Daily Mail called “a shattering story of giving birth in Britain today,” received widespread coverage in national news and was picked as Book of the Day by New Statesman.

Theo says: “I used The Novelry courses to write 100,000 words in six months. As I progressed through the classes, I realized how important structure was to writing my story down. I found it so helpful to be given advice such as thinking of myself as the ’past you’—more like the main character in fiction. For the first time, having never been a plotter before, I finally sat down and wrote out a chapter list.

“The Novelry helped me realise that I wasn’t writing my whole story down but only a portion of it. In my case, this was the moment I suffered a traumatic birth while elected as an MP in one of the most turbulent moments in recent British history—with three Prime Ministers and the death of the Queen.

“I started to think seriously about story arc and what was the change I had undergone. I began writing my memoir about being one of the few MPs to have had a baby while elected, but I ended up sharing how vulnerability became a strength—and revealing in much more detail than I had planned the trauma of giving birth to my daughter. I realised on the course that my memoir wasn’t about me, but about what I had learnt from my experience to help others recover from their birth trauma and feel less alone.

“I found the practical exercises particularly helpful, such as sketching out a timeline with key events and using old photographs on my phone to prompt ideas and write them down. Writing a book can be a lonely job, so I also enjoyed connecting with other writers by joining the workshops. Having done other writing courses, I would recommend The Novelry as the course that helped me get my published book over the line—so thank you!”

Boldwood Books have published three novels by The Novelry graduate T.J. Emerson.

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.”

Monica Balt has signed with agent Sam Brace at PFD for her debut historical novel, Calabash Mansion. In Calabash Mansion, a biracial woman (inspired by Queen Victoria’s real “Colonial Godchildren”) marries a compelling stranger to save her family from ruin, only to discover later, when pregnant on his remote jungle plantation in British Guiana, that her husband is haunted by a sinister family curse—that only he or their unborn child can survive. Monica is a graduate of The Novelry and was introduced to her agent through our bespoke submission service.

Monica says: “I’ll be eternally grateful to The Novelry for being there just when I needed it the most. Thank you to Louise Dean for her encouragement, to all the coaches and editors who have guided me through the years, and to my warm and wonderful community of The Novelry writers.”

Moyette Gibbons, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with literary agent Hannah Schofield at LBA Books for Disappearing, a book club debut about Honour Oaks, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who moved to London in the 1960s.

Nan Stone has signed with literary agents Jenny Bent and James Mustelier at The Bent Agency with her debut novel, The White Bone Wife. A Rebecca-inspired gothic set in 1930s Shanghai, The White Bone Wife tells the story of a young British-Chinese woman who falls in love with a married shipping tycoon and becomes his concubine, only to be terrorized by his wife, a disfigured opium addict lurking in the same house.

Nan honed her novel at The Novelry and received eight offers of representation through our bespoke submission service before signing with The Bent Agency.

Nan says: “Signing up for The Novelry has been one of the best things I’ve done for my career. Their tailored, incisive feedback on the Ultimate Manuscript Assessment helped turn me into the writer I am today. My heartfelt thanks to Gillian Holmes and Nic Caws for their longtime support, and also to the brilliant Emily Kitchin, who was the first person to believe in my book’s potential. From her spot-on edits in the UMA to her constant guidance through the querying process, I couldn’t have asked for a better supporter. I’m thrilled beyond words to be working with my dream agents, Jenny Bent and James Mustelier, on the next chapter of my career!”

Nat Bawarchi Grant, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with literary agent Ed Wood at The Blair Partnership for her debut novel, Finished—a thriller with book club appeal, in which a journalist goes undercover at a renowned Swiss finishing school, only to learn its polished image is a cover for something much more sinister—and that the truth of her mother’s disappearance is one of their darkest secrets. Set between New York and the Alps, it explores the seductive mythology of ‘tradwife’ culture, the insidious reach of the patriarchy, and the punishing price of silence.

Nat was introduced to her agent through our bespoke submission service.

Nat says: “I signed up for The Novelry one rainy January afternoon when I was frustrated with my writing journey. As soon as I spoke to Louise Dean, I knew I was becoming part of something special. My writing has come on in leaps and bounds, and I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to my fantastic coaches, Amanda Reynolds and Katie Khan, whose expert guidance helped me shape my novel into something I could never have achieved alone. Combined with Tash Barsby’s exceptional editorial eye, I managed to complete my novel to a standard I’m genuinely proud of.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to say I’m now represented by the formidable Ed Wood at The Blair Partnership and I cannot thank The Novelry enough for believing in me and my work. This journey has been transformative, and I’m deeply grateful to have had such an incredible team supporting me every step of the way.”

Congratulations, Nat!

Nisha Lamsam Ligon, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with agent Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary Agency to represent Nisha’s middle-grade science fiction novel, Angani: The Starsnake Files, along with a number of picture books.

Nisha says: “The Novelry has given me the structure and guidance I needed to finally write a novel, and an understanding of the long road of novel-writing. Even more importantly, it’s provided an incredible community of writers and tutors who I feel constantly connected with, so the process isn’t so lonely. I love this community!”

Sacha Bonsor, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with literary agent Elizabeth Sheinkman at PFD for her novel An Illustrated Guide to Sorrow and Spice — about family, food, freedom, and the argument that led to the very first moussaka.

Seema Punwani, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with literary agent Claire Cavanagh of The Rights Factory.

Born in Spain, raised in Mumbai, Seema is a single mother now living in Singapore. Her debut novel Cross Connections was launched at the Pune International Literary Festival in India in 2018.

Sidra Ansari, a graduate of The Novelry, has signed with literary agent Hannah Shepherd at HS Literary Agency for her book-club fiction based around the experience of Muslim women navigating life in the West.

Sidra says: “The course content was super insightful and informative, and the coaching calls invaluable. I learnt to sharpen my writing tools, grow courage and confidence, and slow down to enjoy the process of putting a story together—every writer’s dream!”