Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

    • Welcome!

    • Two Words That Will Change Everything...

    • Your Course Workbook

    • Assignment 1: Set a Goal

    • What You Need To Write

    • Decide What to Write

    • Social Media and Support
  • 2

    Finding Your Story

    • Section Summary

    • Finding Ideas

    • Assignment 2: Find Ideas

    • Your Idea Checklist

    • Assignment 3: Pick An Idea
  • 3

    Developing Your Story Idea

    • Section Summary

    • Are you an Outliner or a Pantser?

    • Creating Your Outline

    • What If...?

    • Assignment 4: What-if-ify

    • The Stages of Your Book (video)

    • Discussion: Outlining

    • Are You Done With Your Outline?
  • 4

    How to Actually Write

    • Section Summary

    • How a Book is Built

    • How to Write a Scene

    • Your Tackle Box

    • Using Your Characters

    • Mini-Cliffhangers

    • Flashbacks

    • Time Breaks

    • Foreshadowing

    • Using XXX

    • Dialogue

    • Assignment 5: Dialogue

    • Characters & Dialogue

    • Dialogue Quiz

    • Descriptions
  • 5

    Starting to Write

    • Section Summary

    • Scrivener vs Word

    • Assignment 6: 4 Important Questions About Your Book

    • Types of First Chapters

    • Assignment 7: First Chapters

    • Discussion: First Chapters

    • First Chapter Myths

    • Assignment 8: Write Your First Chapter

    • First Draft Thoughts

    • It's Time to Write!
  • 6

    The Long Haul

    • At 15,000 words

    • At 30,000 words

    • Discussion: Your Novel

    • At Your Climax

    • When You Reach The End

    • Picking a Pseudonym (or Not)

    • How to File Your Copyright
  • 7

    Rewrites and Final Steps

    • Section Summary

    • How to Rewrite

    • Beta Reader 101

    • Discussion: Rewrites

    • Self-Published vs Traditional Publishing

    • When You REALLY Reach the End!