Novel in a Year with Jenny Kane
The 2024-2025 Novel in a Year course is now live!
Write a novel in a year with guidance and support from best-selling author, Jenny Kane!
Do you have an idea for a novel but don’t know where to start?
Have you started a novel but lost your momentum?
Let Jenny Kane help you to realise your dream by enrolling on this 5-part course to take you and your novel from the very first word through to ‘The End,’ over a twelve-month period.
Beginning with a general introduction to novel writing – and helping with that all-important first paragraph – the workshops address character and location perfecting, timeline checking, pace and structure, and how to write the end of your novel; while avoiding soggy middle syndrome.
You’ll be guided through hunting for plot holes, tying up loose story threads, and how to edit your own work, before learning how to write a blurb and apply to either agents or publishers or if you should consider self-publishing.
The sessions will be delivered via Zoom over a 12-month period on the following dates (except for the final session 6 that will be delivered at Nottingham Writers’ Studio) :
Full Timetable for #NovelinaYear #NWS March 2024 – March 2025
Session 1 on Saturday 23rd March 2024 @ 1pm – 4.30pm inc. a 30 minute break
- An Introduction to Novel Writing
- Deciding upon your genre and audience.
- Getting the first paragraph on paper.
Session 2 and 3 on Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th June 2024 @ 2pm – 4pm on both days.
- Discuss progress.
- Do you know your characters well enough?
- Dialogue – how much is too much/not enough?
- Location and timeline checking
Session 4 on Saturday 7th September 2024 @ 1pm – 4.30pm inc. a 30 minute break
- Aim to be at the 40,000 word mark- you’re halfway!
- Looking at pace and structure
- Planning ‘The End’
Session 5 on Saturday 7th December 2024 @ 1pm – 4. pm inc. a 20 minute break
- Editing and Proofing
- Hunting for plot holes
- Tie up loose ends
- How to polish and perfect your work
Session 6 at Nottingham Writers’ Studio on Saturday 22nd March 2025 @ 10am – 3pm
- Self-publish or mainstream publisher?
- How to submit your book
- Blurb and synopsis writing
- Marketing
- And a celebration! You’ve written a book!
NB. Please note that as these dates are booked so far in advance, they are subject to change should Jenny have emergency/unavoidable situation occur. If Jenny has to change a date, a new one will be arranged that suits everyone- even if she end up teaching the group in two halves.
It is understood that any student signing up for the course is able to attend on the dates stated above.
Aims of ‘Novel in a Year’
To show that, with mutual support from other hopeful novelists, a drive to write, and plenty of encouragement, anyone can realise their dream of writing a novel.
The Novel in a Year workshop takes each element of writing – tackling each one in turn – and breaks them down so that the biggest hurdles to your stories completion soon feel surmountable.
The focus of the course is the art of structuring your writing into a novel. While writing prompts are given as part of the process, more basic writing skills are not covered.
Critique
A critiquing service is provided by Jenny at a cost of £14 per 5000 words. This is optional and is arranged directly via Jenny once the course has begun.
Testimonials
Morwenna Blackwood
Jenny’s Novel in a Year course was the best thing I ever did for my writing life. From getting down to writing, the course takes you through the mechanics of structuring your novel and developing the plot, to editing, marketing and submitting your finished manuscript to publishers and agents; but more than that, it gives you a good idea of what being a writer actually involves!
Jenny’s approach is very relaxed and friendly, so you never feel pressured or out of your depth. She encourages you to send in extracts of your work, and gives you practical – and invaluable – feedback.
I have taken dozens of writing classes over the years, but my novel stayed a daydream until this one! With Jenny’s support I finished my novel, edited it, submitted it, and it was published by an indie publisher last week. I’ve only ever wanted to be a writer, and it is an amazing feeling to have actually achieved a life-long goal – but this is just the start for me.
Honestly, I cannot recommend this course highly enough. Thanks, Jenny!
Richard Durant
If it hadn’t been for the Novel in a Year course and Jenny’s teaching, feedback and general encouragement I would never in a million years have written a novel. The course was inspiring, but – even more significantly – it brought the structure that made the difference between vague ideas and good intentions, and the reality of actually completing a 300-page novel. Jenny’s guidance and the mutual support between the course participants made all the difference. A fantastic experience!
About Jenny Kane
From the comfort of her cafe corner in Mid Devon, award winning author, Jenny Kane, has written twenty novels, including the contemporary women’s fiction novels, A Cornish Escape (2nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020), A Cornish Wedding (2nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020), Romancing Robin Hood (2nd edition, Littwitz Press, 2018), Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2016), and Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013).
As Jennifer Ash, Jenny writes historical fiction, including The Folville Chronicles and audio scripts for ITV’s popular 1980’s television show, Robin of Sherwood.
Jenny co-runs the creative writing business, Imagine. You can find Jenny at www.jennykane.co.uk
Secure your place!
The cost of this fantastic year-long course is £300.00 for NWS Members and £325.00 for general admission. To secure your place, you’ll need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £100.00 (NWS Member) and £125.00 (general admission). You will be invoiced for the remaining balance which can be made payable in 4 instalments of £50.00 across the year. Alternatively, you can choose to pay the remaining balance in full. Please note: spaces are limited to 6 for the entire year. Click on the PayPal button below to secure your spot!