12 Month Novel Writing Course

The October 2024 intake is now SOLD OUT. Please share your preferences and availability for a 2nd intake here.

This course is designed to support, guide and motivate writers to sustain a long-term project. We will meet every other Friday (6-8pm UK) over forty weeks, to engage in structured writing sessions. These sessions will consist of a mix of facilitator presentation, group discussion, workshopping, and guided writing. Suggestions for writing between sessions will keep your draft moving forward. 

We know writing a novel can take years -  so we won't leave you stranded at the end of the course!  All attendees will receive a free three-month subscription to the Novel Writers Support Group (Aug, Sept, Oct 2025) which consists of live, monthly, group progress check-ins, with the option to continue for £5 a month. All structured sessions will be recorded and shared with all ticket holders, so it is possible to engage with the sessions even when you cannot attend live. Novel Writers Support Group sessions will not be recorded. 

As this is a year-long course and is limited to 12 writers, regular attendance and a strong commitment to your project are encouraged. No refunds (or payment plan cancellations) can be made after the course starts. 

Structured Sessions:

*The below represents one possible course structure. Amendments may be made before the course start date, and throughout the course in response to the group's specific needs and interests. 

Session 1: Whose Story is it?

We'll start to develop our primary characters and their voices

Session 2: What Happens?

We'll lay out the series of events our story will cover

Session 3: When, Where and for How Long?

We'll delve into setting and world-building

Session 4: How Does it Happen?

We'll experiment with point of view and tense.

Session 5: Progress Tracking and 'Goal-Setting'

We'll consider long and short-term aims, and experiment with ways of tracking progress (that don't always rely on word counts)

Session 6: Openings 

We'll look at options for opening scenes and getting them moving. 

WINTER BREAK

Session 7: Endings

Does having a destination in mind make the journey easier?

Session 8: Crisis Points

We'll focus on our main dramatic turning points

Session 9: Summary & Scene

How can we balance pace through active scenes, and evocative, specific summary? 

Session 10: Giving & Receiving Feedback

We'll look at how we can give critical, useful feedback, and how to interpret and implement the feedback we receive.

Sessions 11-13: Workshopping

Each writer will have an opportunity to submit up to 2,000 words of draft work for feedback from the group. Suggested writing for between sessions will focus on continuing forward with your draft.

EASTER BREAK

Sessions 14-16: Workshopping

Each writer will have a second opportunity to submit up to 2,000 words of draft work for feedback from the group. Suggested writing for between sessions will focus on continuing forward with your draft.

Session 17: Structure & Pacing

We'll break down our whole story outline and consider how best to structure our narrative.

Session 18: Showing & Telling

We'll think about keeping our writing detailed, specific and active.

Session 19: Language & Style

We'll look at how grammar, punctuation and word choice are tools we can use to our advantage.

Session 20: Summary & Submission

We'll consider how to write engaging summaries and cover letters in preparation for submitting to agents/publishers. 

The Novel Writers Support Group Meetings:

(Aug 22nd, Sept 19th, Oct 17th 2025)

Course Tickets

Accomplice: £499 (or 12 monthly payments of £41.58)

General Admission: £399 (or 12 monthly payments of £33.25)

Subsidised: £299 (or 12 monthly payments of £24.92)

Attendees have the option of booking a 1:1 mentoring session with KR to take place after the structured sessions end. This includes reading up to 2,000 words of your novel project and a 60-minute tutorial to discuss feedback and next steps. All ticket tiers represent a significant discount on standard mentoring rates and are only available to course members. 

Mentoring Tickets:

Accomplice: £75

General Admission: £65

Subsidised: £55

*mentoring tickets must be paid for in full