Novel In a Year: First Draft

with Abby Geni

THIS IS THE YEAR TO WRITE YOUR NOVEL

Novel in a Year: First Draft is a unique opportunity to join a writing cohort, study novel craft, workshop key scenes, measure your progress, meet deadlines, and give and get support for the long slog from plotting to composition and beyond.

It’s a chance to devote an entire year to your novel, giving it the attention and effort your work deserves. Award-winning author Abby Geni (The Wildlands, The Lightkeepers) will lead workshops, offer detailed craft lessons, and provide intensive feedback on your manuscript. You will study every aspect of the writing process, from grammar to characterization to structure to revision.

This program will meet IN PERSON for the 2024 cohort.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Students at any stage of novel drafting are encouraged to apply. You may have completed a 500-page draft; others may have nothing more than an idea and a first sentence.

Work of any genre is welcome, though we offer a specialized program for Young Adult/Middle Grade and Speculative Fiction.

This application-based class is selective, and you will find your classmates to be dedicated and serious about their work.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Specific topics covered during the class sessions include:

  • Structure
  • Using Scene & Summary
  • Outlining
  • Setting & Description
  • Voice, Tense, & POV
  • Character Building
  • Crossing The Vast Middle
  • Tension & Dialogue
  • Endings
  • How Publication Works
  • Representing Your Novel

PLEASE NOTE: This program is for novelists who are ready to make a strong commitment to their work, and our waitlist for the course is typically very long. Students will be expected to participate in the full program.

HOW IT WORKS

Students will meet monthly for three-hour sessions to discuss craft, solve drafting challenges, workshop scenes, and share some snacks and beverages. In between class sessions you’ll have plenty of time to write and generate new work while still staying in touch via StoryStudio’s private online class forum.

We’ve structured this program to provide maximum benefit without demanding too much time away from focusing on your own work. In addition to workshopping short scenes in class, participants will meet individually with Abby for 100-page manuscript reviews.

Students enrolled in this course will receive complementary admission and early registration to three (3) classes from our acclaimed Master Class series throughout the year—a $195 value. (Recent and upcoming writers include Alexander Chee, Pam Houston, Vu Tran, R.O. Kwon, Sara Paretsky, and Garth Greenwell, among others.)

Additionally, the class also includes optional evening social gatherings via Zoom, to be scheduled between Abby and the cohort as desired. As a writer in our Novel in a Year program, you’re considered a “VIP” at the studio with early-bird access to programs and events.

Throughout the course, you’ll have access to a private online forum for exchanging additional work and sharing articles and links of interest. And most importantly, these courses provide accountability check-ins to report your progress and struggles, and keep you writing.

YOUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Whether you’ve already made headway on your novel or are just gathering ideas, your cohort will provide the structure, companionship, feedback, good humor, and emotional support to help you see your project through.

You’ll also join StoryStudio’s larger community—in person and on social media—where you can connect with students from other classes, receive “first chance” invitations to special programming, and stay informed about literary events around the city.

The Novel In a Year program has been going for TEN+ years strong, and you will have the opportunity to benefit socially and professionally from a strong network of alumni, many of whom are experiencing publishing success.

The program fee is $2,500. 

This tuition includes:

11 sessions, meeting once per month for 11 months
A 100-page manuscript review with Abby Geni
3 comped passes to our Master Class/PJ Seminar series
A private online chat forum
VIP status at the Studio
A literary community to take well beyond this program

2024 Schedule Meets on the Following Dates on X,
6:30pm – 9:30pm Central:

XXX

HOW TO APPLY

APPLICATIONS OPEN OCT. 17 – NOV. 27, 2023

This course is limited to 12 students and is submission based. 2024 will be in-person.

  1. You will be asked to submit a 10-page writing sample in a .doc or PDF. The sample can be a short story or novel excerpt. 12-pt font and double-spaced is preferred.
  2. Someone who submits on the first day has the same chance as someone who submits on the last day, so don’t worry, and don’t rush.
  3. Payment isn’t due until after the application period is closed and acceptances have been sent out. We are happy to discuss payment plans with students who are accepted.
  4. You can indicate you’d like to be considered for the Doro Boehme Scholarship fund, which offers a $500 grant for tution. 

The next cohort will begin in January 2024. Please subscribe to our newsletter to get the most up-to-date information. When applications open, we will update this page as well. To be notified when details are available, please put your name on our waitlist and we’ll contact you.