The NovelryReviews of thenovelry.com

Somerset Maugham once quipped, “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” So, in an often confusing process of moving from initial idea through to a submission-ready manuscript, The Novelry has proved a godsend. Not only have I completed my first draft, but my editor provided insight, wisdom, and encouragement above all (Thanks, Francine!). If you are someone who is contemplating this journey, but is intimidated by the process -- or doesn't know exactly where to begin -- you won't be in any better hands than this course. You start slowly, mastering the rudiments of fiction, and then pick up the pace as you become more confident in what you're doing. Well-taught units on structure, character development, and more help you answer the zillion questions that afflict the would-be author. One thing it's not? Formulaic. Instead, The Novelry provides the framework and best practices to help you write the book you want. It's a decision I'm very glad to have made. I look forward to completing the journey.

Great experience! Brought great clarity!

The quality and breadth of lessons, the range of workshop topics, the availability of staff and the helpfulness of the coaching at The Novelry all exceeded my expectations and made for a valuable writing experience. The team has put together an outstanding learning experience for writers at all levels. The platform, staff and coaches are welcoming and provide a comfortable and supportive environment.

Easy to follow. Really get to use my brain.

I’ve just finished The Big Idea portion and have really enjoyed it. The lessons are interesting and build upon each other. The structure of this section has been nicely set up as well. I really look forward with continuing in The Big Write.

The Novelry is THE PLACE for writers. I couldn't imagine a sharper, more supportive place to hone my craft as a writer and accomplish the outcomes I am looking for. The entire staff is unbelievable as coaches, editors, and educators. I have taken years worth of starts and stops and turned it into a draft for a novel that I am so excited to begin editing!

So far: I have taken the Big Idea, which included a 45-50 minute session with an editor/coach. I should note that I have been in journalism for many years and I've written a previous novel that could not find a publisher. I've certainly read a lot of books about writing. However, I have not had any similar past course-like experiences, so I have no point of comparison for what Novelry offers. That said, I found many of the thirty 'chapters' of the course to be very, very helpful. They are clear and to the point and intelligent, but not too cerebral to be practical. The session with the coach/editor was good. She did not suggest answers to all the big questions I had (perhaps too much of an ask), but she offered me some ideas and an overall sense of what I need to do to improve my story. At the same time, I do wish I'd left the conversation with the feeling that I truly knew what I needed to do to make this story a great candidate for representation and publication.

I am forever grateful for this course, and all of the writers and authors here! The Novelry exceeded my expectations for everything from coursework to individual coaching and community. I have learned so much and started going back through the courses for a second time after finishing to keep reworking my story and learning. All of the writing coaches are absolutely phenomenal and have been instrumental in my writing process. There are not enough stars or words to do The Novelry justice.