The Young Adult Novel Generator is a seven-month program designed to help a small cohort of students complete the first drafts of their YA novels.
More broadly, the Young Adult Novel Generator is an opportunity to embrace the marriage between commercially successful and artistically excellent writing all bundled into one, while building a strong community of Young Adult writers who will fuel each other’s success over the lifetime of their careers.
Throughout the program, you’ll be generating new material and shaping your manuscript. The Young Adult Novel Generator is also divided into four major phases focusing on significant components to the novel development process:
- Phase One features craft discussions on the larger arc of a novel-length work in terms of its nuts and bolts, beginnings, middles, and endings, plus workshops.
- Phase Two moves the “thick of things” with a focus on politics/prose, voice/vision, plus more workshops.
- Phase Three tackles the writer’s journey through craft, creative life, and business, featuring guest speakers and, of course, more workshops.
- Phase Four is when each student will have their instructor one-on-one meetings, meet with a guest agent, and/or participate in small group meetings.
The program will culminate with a one-on-one meeting with at least one literary agent and access to key industry professionals at GrubStreet’s marquee mixers and events that typically happen in May. Writers who complete this program will join GrubStreet’s ever-growing alumni program which provides access to exclusive ongoing classes, mentorship, writing groups, and industry networking opportunities, many of them tuition-free.
As with all of GrubStreet’s programs, writers do not need advanced (or any) degrees to participate. They simply need to be committed to their writing and the broader writing community. Scholarships are also available and applying is simple.
Students have entered our Novel Generator programs with as few as 10 pages written and as many as 150. No matter how far along, what matters most is your openness to exploration and revision. Through class discussion and exercises, we’ll help you clarify your concept and strengthen your plot so you can leave with a cohesive first draft.
All the Novel Generators can work as a companion leading up to applying for GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator, but it is not an alternative to it. The Incubator is for students who have completed a strong first draft of a novel; the Generator is designed to push students toward that strong first draft, whether or not they ultimately enroll in the Incubator or pursue other revision strategies.
Please note that there are multiple Novel Generator sessions, each with its own set of application/registration processes and genre explorations. Please review each program to see what suits your current creative needs, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact [email protected].
Key Dates & Information
Location:
- The 2025-2026 Young Adult Novel Generator will take place on Zoom. Writers everywhere are encouraged to apply.
Registration Info:
- Registration Opens: Monday, July 14, 2025 (Open Enrollment. No Application Required.)
Online Info Sessions:
- Genre-Focused Novel Generators Online Info Session w/ Dariel Suarez, 7/22
- Young Adult Novel Generator Online Info Session w/ Daniel José Older, 8/6
- Program Duration: September 2025 – April 2026 (with breaks for some holidays and between some phases)
- Class Time: Tuesdays, 6:00–9:00 PM ET
- First Day of Class: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Financial Info:
- Tuition Total: $4,500
- Scholarship Info: Available in the amount of 25% to 75% off the total tuition cost. The optional and brief application can be found using the Scholarship link on the course registration page.
Is This Program Right For You?
Wondering if the Young Adult Novel Generator is the right next step for you? If you’re excited to complete your novel and ready to prioritize your writing, this program could be a great fit. Ideal candidates have some experience sharing and receiving feedback in workshops, a handful of pages written, and a rough sense of their story and characters. You don’t need a polished draft, just a strong commitment to your project, a love of the young adult genre, and the time and energy to engage with an encouraging community of writers. If you’re ready to dive deeper into your craft and would benefit from structure, accountability, and literary community, we’d love to read your application.