Write (& finish) your novel or memoir this year
Find your writing community, and transform your idea into a finished book. Novel in Nine starts Feb. 5
Do you want to write a novel or memoir? Do you need structure and accountability to help you see a book through to completion? Do you want to finish a manuscript you started or bring a dreamed-of writing project to life? Then my nine-month writing cohort, Novel in Nine, is for you.
Novel in Nine is suitable for both novelists and memoirists. If you have a book-in-progress, Novel in Nine will give you the tools to complete it. If your novel or memoir is just an idea in your head and you haven’t yet written a single word, Novel in Nine will help you write it from the first page to the last. This one-of-a-kind cohort happens just once a year, and it begins Feb. 5th.
What you get in Novel in Nine:
weekly video and written lessons and assignments
monthly (optional) live group coaching sessions
monthly word count check-ins
ongoing discussions
new for 2023: monthly live write-a-thons* (optional)
optional monthly critique with Novel in Nine Plus (one spot left)
What you will accomplish: Complete a solid draft of your book by the end of October.
Start date: February 5, 2023
Every week, we dive into issues of narrative craft: characterization, point of view, dialogue, setting, structure, plot, voice, scene construction, and more. You will learn how to create a subplot and weave it into the larger narrative, how to handle multiple points of view, how to add depth to your writing with research, how to maintain your momentum through the novel or memoir’s middle distance, how to bring your story to a satisfying and surprising conclusion, and so much more.
During month nine, we will focus on strategies for revision. We will also discuss finding a literary agent, writing a query letter, and navigating the publishing landscape.
When you join Novel in Nine, you get access to an extensive library of written and video lessons, as well as direct access to the instructor and my decades of experience writing, teaching, and publishing.
You also become part of a community. Previous students have included therapists, tech workers, journalists, a producer of a major true crime show, a writer for a hit TV series, a sculptor, a Broadway performer, a retired FBI agent, a popular blogger, a trucking company operator, small business owners, a librarian, an attorney, stay-at-home parents, a professional athlete, published novelists, a pediatric neurosurgeon, teachers, and more.
Everyone is welcome, whether you’re working on your third book or your first. I strive to create a positive, supportive space for everyone, where we learn from and are inspired by each other.
Praise for Novel in Nine
"Novel in Nine was much more than a class for me, it was a transformation. I had tried for years and years to write a novel, always unsuccessfully. Under Michelle's guidance, I was able to complete my first novel in a seamless, uncomplicated, and manageable workflow. Her experienced directives help me move through my writing to that final goal. I am forever grateful for this class, and for Michelle’s help. I’d do it again." Polly K.
"It was a wonderful experience…We started with little seeds of an idea, and with Michelle's guidance and insight, we brought them to light." Bradford D.
"I've learned the most from taking this class because it taught me to just show up on the page without fear." Kim S.
“"I found Novel in Nine to be a comprehensive step-by-step method of completing a novel in nine months...I would definitely recommend the class to all writers, and to especially those who are experiencing hiccups, writers’ block, or self-doubt." Joanne H.
"Novel in Nine was even more than I had expected. Who would imagine I would write a full 75,000-word first draft of a novel in only nine months? This class was always a bright spot in my week. Michelle has top-notch writing expertise and teaching skills, and she is generous with her time and input. She and the other serious-writer classmates provided valuable feedback and motivation. Novel in Nine was the perfect way to make novel writing a priority, and get to THE END in a timely way." Kathy B.
Maybe you’ve been thinking for years about writing a novel or memoir. Maybe you started a book and need inspiration and advice to take the next step. Maybe you have a few ideas but don’t know how to structure them into a book.
If you want to:
Learn the craft of writing
Grow as a writer
Find your writing community
Transform your writing life
Get your novel or memoir on the page in 2023
…then consider making this investment in yourself and your creativity…because the only person who can write your story is you.
About the instructor: I’ve been mentoring writers for more than twenty years. I’m also a working writer: my books include six novels with Random House and Grove Atlantic and two story collections. I have taught in the Masters of Fine Arts programs in creative writing at the University of San Francisco, Bowling Green State University, California College of the Arts, St Mary’s College of Moraga, and Notre Dame de Namur University, and I have designed and taught novel writing for Stanford Continuing Studies.
This class happens only once a year. Go here to learn more and sign up for Novel in Nine 2023.