Online: Year of the Novel - Phase 3 with Amy Lovat

This novel writing course, Year of the Novel (Phase 3) with Amy Lovat, will be held online.

Have a completed draft of a novel and wondering what comes next? Year of the Novel: Phase 3 is designed for writers who are ready to move into the editing and revision stage of their manuscript.

While Year of the Novel runs across three phases, this final phase can also be taken as a stand-alone course. Over eight weeks, you’ll learn how to assess your draft, identify what’s working (and what isn’t), and develop practical strategies for revision. Through lessons, discussions and peer feedback, you’ll strengthen your manuscript and gain the tools to approach editing with confidence.

This course is intended for writers who already have a substantial draft or completed manuscript. Participants should have progressed beyond the planning and early drafting stages and be ready to undertake significant revision work on an existing novel project.

Interested in starting at the beginning rather than joining in Phase 3? Join the waitlist for the full Year of the Novel program here.

Course Overview
In this third phase you’ll work on turning your very good novel into a brilliant one. You’ll kill some darlings, bolster any threadbare sections, and refine and finesse the language. You will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to launch your fully-realised novel into the world.

Throughout, Amy will use examples from a wide variety of contemporary fiction and from students’ work-in-progress to explore the topics covered, and guest speakers will share their insights to further expand your understanding of how published writers do what they do.

Each week during the course, a new lesson will be posted online. Participants will have the week to work through the content and post responses to exercises designed to put the theory they’re learning into practice. Participants will engage in giving and receiving peer feedback on writing exercises and receive some limited tutor feedback.

Participants will meet with the tutor each week on Zoom to ask questions and discuss the online lesson content. Sometimes, those Zoom sessions will involve a guest speaker talking about their writing life.

As you work through the lessons online, you’ll also be working offline to write your novel. To this end, you’ll be encouraged to set specific, achievable writing goals each week and have the opportunity to share your successes, discuss your challenges and help others with theirs, in our class forum.

You should come to the first class with a specific work-in-progress or idea for a novel. Sharing and discussion will be encouraged, and there will be ample opportunity for you to speak to the group about how various techniques and lessons may be applicable to your specific project.

To benefit from this course, you should be working on a novel and have an existing writing practice. You can contact us with any questions before enrolling.

Participant Requirements
Internet access and confidence using basic computer software are essential for this program. This interactive online course has limited places. Book early to avoid missing out.

You will receive an email with an invitation link to join the online classroom a week before the course starts.

You should come to the first class with a completed or substantially completed novel manuscript that you are ready to revise. This course focuses on editing and redrafting rather than generating new work, so participants will get the most from the course if they have already done significant work on their novel.

This course is designed for writers of fiction. If you have a narrative non-fiction manuscript and are interested in enrolling in this course, please contact us to discuss.

Please note:

The in-person and online streams of Year of the Novel are completely separate, so please choose carefully at enrolment. We’re unable to offer transfers between the streams once your place is confirmed.