Novel in Progress

Class Description

First drafts of novels can be messy, amorphous, and daunting. Extensive critical feedback can be counterproductive before the first draft is finished, yet writers often find themselves losing focus without support and guidance. This intermediate to advanced course is for writers who have made significant progress on their novel or are close to completing a full draft, and are looking for accountability, community, and motivation.

This is a generative course rather than a formal workshop. The focus isn't necessarily on learning new aspects of craft--though that learning will happen–but on the process of completing and beginning to revise a draft. Each week’s lesson will include writing prompts that can be applied to a work in progress, short podcasts, and craft and revision technique discussions in the context of the novel. At least three times during the course, writers will have the opportunity to post up to five pages of their work for impressions from their fellow students, and in the last week, all writers will be invited to submit twenty pages of their manuscript to the instructor for a written critique. Novels of all genres are welcome.

Class Format

This is an Online: On-Demand class that will take place on our asynchronous online learning platform, Wet.Ink. Weekly lessons and assignments open each Wednesday. Students will receive an invitation to Wet Ink before 5pm on the first day of class! All video lectures for Online: On-Demand courses have closed captioning available. To enable, click "cc" on the toolbar of each video lecture.

*NOTE that while our handy dandy "Schedule" tab states a 6-7pm class time, there are actually no live meetings for this class! Weekly lessons and assignments open each Wednesday. Students will receive an invitation to Wet Ink, our online class platform, before 5pm on the first day of class.

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.