Scott H.
Good teaching, disappointing lack of flexibility
I bought The Novelry’s Novel Development Course in 2024 and finished a rough draft through the Ninety Day Novel. The teaching genuinely helped. But when I asked to pay for a rollover to start The Big Edit, they refused because my membership had lapsed. I’d never started that course or used its editorial sessions. The only option was to buy it again for $1,595. They bundle drafting and editing and encourage a break between them. Their current website repeatedly emphasizes flexibility, with phrases like “don’t worry if you need to stop writing for a while,” “no pressure to finish within that time,” and “roll over everything, including any unused coaching, editorial, or manuscript sessions.” Yet I couldn’t find a clear warning in those extension descriptions that letting membership lapse could make me ineligible for a paid rollover. When you sell stages together, encourage breaks, and advertise flexibility, that restriction should be just as clear. I contacted them almost a year after expiry. They sent warnings, which I missed among their weekly marketing emails—I acknowledge that they gave notice. But I don’t remember it being clear when I bought the bundle that missing the deadline meant losing the option to pay for an extension. Had I understood that upfront, I would have renewed. They first cited data privacy regulations. After discussing my request with Louise, they emphasized applying the policy consistently. Neither explained the reasoning behind making a full-price repurchase the only paid way back. My experience is that I paid for editing upfront as part of the bundle and never used it. I’m now left with no access, no credit, and no reduced-cost way back—just the option to buy it again for $1,595. That doesn’t feel like the flexibility they repeatedly advertise. ----------------- Update — September 23, 2026 Thanks, Louise. Deleting my old account explains the need for a fresh enrollment, but not why it must be at full price. For example, a one-time discount code would let me enroll again while recognizing the editing component I already purchased but never used. That wouldn’t require restoring my old account or any deleted work. One clarification on the reminders: the ones I can find were sent within the week before my access expired. I haven’t found one sent a month beforehand.
Response from The NovelrySep 23, 2026
Dear Scott, I wish we could have reactivated you, as we so enjoyed having you with us. But we'd be in breach of the commitments we make to every writer on data privacy, copyright and confidentiality. We delete writers' accounts six months after their access ends, without exception: their storylines, exercises, submissions and anything else they've shared with us. We have a commitment to protect your work and ideas. Your access ended almost a year before you got in touch, so your account was long gone and there was nothing left for us to roll over. A fresh enrollment is the only way back for anyone once an account has been deleted. That is why we applied the policy consistently. It was never a penalty. Before any access ends, we send multiple reminders, starting a month ahead, so writers can roll over while their account is still open. We wrote to each other, you and I, just days before yours ended, and I said then how much we hoped to see you back for The Big Edit. I know how easily emails get lost in a busy inbox, and I'm sorry you missed these. Vicki replied to you the next morning. Lizzy brought your request to me and answered you the same day. We hate to see a writer go, and we hate even more to see one unhappy. The Big Edit has just been rebuilt, and we'd love to see you and your novel again. Thanks as always for all your kind words. Warmly, Louise