Write Your Dream Novel
Want to write a great novel? Not sure how to get started (or how to keep going)? Join me for a 12-week intensive course that will take you from page zero to first draft.
This course is for everyone. Whether you’re committing to write that novel you’ve always thought about or have five manuscripts under your belt, I want to help you reach your dreams as a writer.
I’m Ben a former literary agent whose books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies, hit multiple bestseller charts, and won major awards such as the 2025 Printz Award. I’ve read and critiqued thousands of manuscripts from writers all over the country and helped them take their writing from good to great.
I can’t wait to help you do the same.
About the Course
In this 12-week course, we will meet virtually once a week as a group for two hours. Each week will focus on a different topic related to the craft of writing or the publishing industry in general. I will read and review your material for the week and give you in-depth feedback, both written and verbal. The first thirty minutes of each session will be dedicated to the focus topic of the week, followed by fifteen minutes of Q&A. The remainder of the time will be spent on individual critiques.
As a participant, you can approach this course in one of two ways:
Start fresh and write a brand new novel. This can be something you’ve been thinking about and jotting down ideas on for years, or something entirely new.
Bring a work in progress. If you elect to do this, you will be required to rewrite any work you already have as the goal of this course is to walk through the writing process step-by-step, learning new techniques and putting them into practice as we move through the course.
Participants are encouraged to read and critique their peers in writing group sessions, to be organized outside of course hours; however, this isn’t mandatory.
This course costs less than a college credit and (in my professional opinion) is worth a lot more.
Course Syllabus:
9/14 - Introductions | The Three Elements of a Good Novel (And How to Organize Them)
9/21 - Building a Realistic World
9/28 - Creating Relatable Characters
10/5 - Developing a Believable Backstory
10/12 - How to Plot a Novel
10/19 - Tropes and Why They’re Successful
10/26 - Knowing Where to Start Your Novel
11/2 - Pacing, Tension, and Conflict
11/9 - NO CLASS HELD
11/16 - Self-Editing
11/23 - Industry: Traditional versus Indie Publishing
11/30 - Industry: Writing a Query Letter
12/7 - Industry: Finding a Literary Agent and Landing a Publishing Deal