Imagine...
The excitement of getting started on your story.
The enjoyment as your novel grows.
The pride when you first hold your book.
The joy of signing copies at your launch.
The thrill of earning from your creative passion.
According to a recent study of writers, 97 out of 100 stories are languishing in drawers and on hard drives.
Write a Novel in a Year will ensure that your story is NOT one of them!
This course will support you from the first to the last word of your novel, whilst nurturing your talent as a writer.
If you continue to scroll down, you’ll find a session-by-session overview and you’ll see no writing stone is left unturned.
You will start by exploring the reasons you want to write a novel, the experiences and commitment you can bring to your writing, and then I'll support you every step of the way from idea to book.
The path I'll take you on ensures you won't just wander, you'll know exactly where you're going.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. I've always wanted to write a book and can’t believe I now also an idea to expand it into a trilogy. I couldn't have done this without this writing course and would like to thank Maria for her support and encouragement. I would thoroughly recommend this programme to anyone who believes they have a novel in them."
S Waters, Otley
“I have always wanted to write a book, and, in trepidation, I decided to try "Write a Novel in a Year." I am so pleased I bolstered the courage. Now part way through, I have a plan to follow and guidance all the way. There is something exhilarating about writing a novel, especially when you have someone to turn to. Love this course.”
Lyn, Harrogate
“I have never stuck at a course until I enrolled on ‘Write a Novel in a Year.’ This is purely down to Maria. The course is fun, well-structured and backed up with examples of how to plan, organise and design your novel. Every session is enjoyable and I look forward to them. Maria is full of encouragement and has a way of making you feel like you can achieve anything! I wish all my teachers had been so great!”
Beccy, Leeds
“I recommend this course to anyone who has thought they can write a book. The tutor encouraged me from the start and the course helped me every step of the way, providing support and advice.”
Patricia, Leeds
Course Overview
Part One (9 sessions) Getting Started and Planning:
Deciding on a genre and theme. Research. Planning characters, setting, plot and getting started
1. Course Introduction and The Vital Ingredients of a Novel
2. Generating Your Idea - Fleshing It Out and Research
3. Character Creation
4. Creation of Settings
5. The Opening and Second Paragraph
6. The Overall Plan
7. Secondary Characters
8. Dialogue
9. Show, Don’t Tell
10.Character Perspective and Tense
Part Two (9 sessions) Building your Novel:
Honing skills such as dialogue, 'show, don’t tell,' pace, structure, tension and audience whilst working on your 1st draft
11.Writing Scenes
12.Building Chapters
13.Keeping It Going and Development of Story
14.Viewpoint (First, Second, Third)
15.Mid-Point Review and Narration
16.Narrative Interiority
17.Removing Authorial Voice/Letting Readers Fill the Gaps
18.Techniques for Avoiding Loss of Momentum
19.Vocabulary Choices, Using Metaphor, Wow Sentences
20.Maintaining a Strong Story – Pace and Tension
Part Three (8 sessions) The Professional Novelist:
Editing, presentation, outlets for publication, networking and promoting yourself as an author
21.The Climax
22.The Resolution
23.Tightening Writing and Editing
24.Creating an On-Line Author Platform
25.Typesetting, Presentation and Perfecting Your Manuscript
26.Networking as A Writer – Celebration of Achievement
Bonus Material
The Cover Letter
Writing A Synopsis
Traditional Publishing – Agents and Publishers
Independent Publishing
You will be writing one-two pages a day (250-500 words) and will complete your first draft within one year.
If you answer YES to one or more of the following questions, this course will be perfect for you…
Are you unsure how or where to start?
Does the prospect of writing a full-length novel feel huge to the point of overwhelming?
Are you a writer who would benefit from tackling a project such as this in a methodical way?
Would your existing writing talent benefit from some further direction and development?
Have you already had one or more false starts with your novel?
Read on…
You will love this course and it will help you achieve your dream of writing a book and being a published novelist.
I am so confident of this that I promise a risk-free 14 day money-back guarantee. (Subject to a £10 admin fee - see t&c's for further details.)
Will I really write a book within one year?
Yes! If you follow my method of writing a page every single day. One side of handwritten A4 is around 250 words if you're writing by hand. Therefore, writing one page every day will result in around 90,000 words within one year.
Won’t I need a lot of discipline to get going?
Not discipline, more desire. Once you start your novel, you won’t be able to bear to stop. The characters will live inside you, which is very exciting, and you will want to keep going forward with your story.
How will it fit into my lifestyle?
I send your novel writing course in 26 sessions to your in-box every fortnight, on a Monday at 8am. (gmt) You decide when you complete the exercises. And you arrange your ‘page a day’ habit when it will fit in with your other commitments.
Isn’t it isolating trying to work on my own?
Writing a novel is a solitary activity, so later in the course, I provide information about networking as a writer, both online and socially.
What if I change my mind?
This course comes with a risk-free 14 day money-back guarantee. (Subject to a £10 admin fee - see t&c's for further details.)
What does it cost?
£35 per month for 12 months or one payment of £360. (This investment in yourself has the potential to return to you many times over with all those future book sales, and even more if you use the course to write subsequent books.)
How will I know what to do with my book once I have written it?
In the latter stages of the course, I give guidance around getting your manuscript ready for submission, along with details of getting an agent and/or publisher. I also signpost towards other outlets for publication such as self-publishing and competitions.
How will I know if what I am writing is any good?
As you progress through the course, your novel will strengthen. Writing is a craft and the course will equip you to improve and be able to self-assess and edit until your manuscript is as polished as can be.
Will I get individual feedback on my writing?
This course does not include an individual critique service as this would increase the cost of the course significantly. It is designed to develop your writing skills, and provide self-editing support. See the private consultancy question below if this is something you would like to add to your course.
Is private consultancy available?
You have the option to add one, or both of the following to your course, as and when you feel they may help.
1. A 60 minute one to one private consultation session with me. (via video call.)
2. A detailed report which critiques a 500 word extract of your work in progress.
These services are by arrangement and will incur an additional fee.
