Advanced Novel Planning - Remote!

Class Description

You’ve already finished a novel. But somehow that doesn’t make it any easier to start the next one. You might have the seed of an idea, but no clear sense of where to take it, what its potential is, and how to build a story from that starting point. If you’re looking to avoid the detours, dead ends, and story stalls that made your previous novel-writing experience frustrating, this class is for you. Over the course of twelve weeks, we’ll look at novel-building strategies from writers including Lisa Cron, Charles Johnson, Jane Alison, Martin Solares, and Elizabeth George, and we’ll do exercises in class designed to help you figure out what your story is and how to tell it. We’ll workshop, but not with the usual manuscript pages. Instead we’ll workshop ideas, shapes, storylines, and craft aspects of your novel including point of view, structure, and narrative stance. You’ll start this class with as little as the image or idea that inspires your novel and you’ll finish with a clear plan for the characters and their story.

Please Note: Class does not meet on October 12th (Indigenous Peoples Day)

Important dates:

This application deadline has passed. Applications received after August 31st will not be reviewed, and will not receive a response.

To apply, please click the red "SEE DIRECTIONS TO APPLY" button in the top right corner of this page. This application will ask you to detail your workshop experience. It will also ask you to upload a 5-10 page writing sample. For this class, please upload 5 pages from a previous novel you've worked on, as well as 2-3 paragraphs detailing the tiniest seed of your next project as you're currently envisioning it. Please make sure this writing sample is in Microsoft Word, double-spaced, and in 12-point font. For tracking purposes, your name should appear in the file name (e.g. Smith.Novel Planning.Submission). You can also track the status of your application in your Grubstreet profile. Please make sure your application is complete before you finally click ""APPLY."" If you have any technical difficulties filling out this application, please email [email protected]. You will receive a confirmation email once our system has received your submission.

This class will be hosted using live Zoom meetings! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information.

For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below:

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.