Showing all 15 results
$50 (Members: $45) | How to immerse readers in a story through the effective use of point-of-view and perspective | 2 lessons | Self-paced If you already know how to spot head-hopping and can explain why that first-person narrator is slowing down the pacing of a story (and what to do about it), this is…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write stories with good central conflicts | 4 lessons | Self-paced This class digs into what story conflict is, how authors create it (or don’t), and what you can do to fix it. It covers: how character development impacts conflict and how conflict impacts story structure the eternal trifecta…
$30 (Members: $27) | How to finish your novel | 8 lessons | Self-paced I like to call this the What-Comes-After-NaNoWriMo Class. You’ve got a project that you may have made a good start on but it needs work. And you just can’t seem to get it finished. Maybe it isn’t a novel; maybe it’s…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write query letters, blurbs, pitches, and more | 4 lessons | Self-paced This class is meant for novelists who are interested in pursuing a traditional publishing path that requires query letters, synopses, and other author collateral. You’ll learn how to write: query letters elevator pitches for conference or online…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to effectively use point-of-view and perspective in fiction | 4 lessons | Self-paced This class goes beyond the basics of head-hopping to dive deep into problems in perspective and POV. It covers: the possibilities and limits of various narrative points-of-view describes how other developmental problems are related to POV, such…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write mystery, thriller, and suspense novels | 4 lessons | Self-paced This class walks you through writing the related genres of mystery, suspense, and thriller. It covers: Understanding genre conventions Creating a strong central conflict Keys to building tension and suspense Common problems in crime fiction Character development in…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write romance novels | 4 lessons | Self-paced | Intermediate In this class, you’ll learn the basics of writing romance novels. Each lesson includes an assignment for you to do to practice your skills. The class covers: basic conventions of the genre (reader expectations) and why they’re important differences…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write science fiction and fantasy | 4 lessons | Self-paced In this class, you’ll learn the basics of writing science fiction and fantasy novels. The class covers: conventions of the genres and subgenres (reader expectations)—and why they’re important why the “what if?” matters what we mean by “speculative fiction”’;…
$80 (Members: $72) | How to write a novel | 4 lessons | Self-paced This class, written by a developmental editor, shows authors how to apply developmental editing principles to their own work. You’ll learn what concerns like “lack of a clear central conflict” and “poor character development” mean, how to find out if your…
$90 (Members: $81) | How the novel revision process works | 4 lessons | Self-paced | Intermediate For writers, editors, book coaches, and critique partners interested in learning about the revision process. Follow along as an author shows how her vision for a novel changes from the original draft to the final published version. Identify…
A query letter is a sales tool used to interest a literary agent in representing your manuscript, or, more rarely, an acquisitions editor for a publishing company that accepts unsolicited manuscripts. Query letters are typically one page and focus on what the manuscript is about with a sentence or two devoted to the author’s background….
A novel synopsis is typically a three- or four-page summary outlining who the main characters in your novel are and what happens over the course of the story arc. (If you’re writing a nonfiction book, see the Nonfiction Book Proposal Critique option.) Literary agents usually request these, along with a query letter, as a preliminary…
A manuscript evaluation is my feedback on your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses based on my experience as a book development editor, acquisitions editor, and literary agent. I evaluate fiction in the following genres: romance (all subgenres), mystery, thriller, suspense, fantasy (all subgenres) and most science fiction. I don’t evaluate horror, children’s, or YA. For other…
A manuscript evaluation is my feedback on your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses based on my experience as a book development editor, acquisitions editor, and literary agent. I evaluate fiction in the following genres: romance (all subgenres), mystery, thriller, suspense, fantasy (all subgenres) and soft science fiction. I don’t evaluate horror, children’s, or YA. For other…
Nonfiction books are sold to traditional publishers based on a book proposal, not a full manuscript. For indie authors, book proposals are a great way to plan how you will write and promote your nonfiction book. I provide book proposal critiques, including critique of a sample chapter or two for self-help and how-to books. The…