Novel in Nine 2024 Cohort
Transform your idea into a finished book in this comprehensive 9-month program.
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Transform your story idea into a finished book.
Learn your craft, grow as a writer, and get your novel or memoir on the page in 2024.
When you join NOVEL in NINE, you will find community, structure, and accountability to help you write the book you have always wanted to write. In this comprehensive nine-month program, you will learn directly from a New York Times bestselling novelist and veteran writing teacher.
Course dates: February 5, 2023 to October 31, 2024.
In Novel in Nine, you will write a complete draft of your novel or memoir in nine months. Instead of a burst of activity followed by months of stalemate, you will take the slow and steady approach, writing about 2,000 words per week. At the end of nine months, you will have a solid novel of 70,000 to 80,000 words. (If you prefer to write a novella or a shorter memoir, you can adjust your weekly word count goal accordingly).
You will get guidance, inspiration, community, and accountability, as well as dozens of practical video and written lessons and one-on-one interaction with the instructor.
WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU JOIN NOVEL IN NINE
Weekly Lessons and Assignments: Each week, you will receive a written and video lesson, plus an assignment to help you write a specific scene or chapter or complete a specific task. You will write about 2,000 words per week, which you can break up in any way you wish--whether you want to write 400 words every weekday or have one marathon writing session per week. All assignments and lectures will remain online, so if you miss a week or two, you can go back and catch up.
Videos: Videos throughout the course will offer encouragement and practical advice.
Monthly live group coaching session: We will meet by Zoom live once per month so you can talk about your project, ask questions, and see your peers face to face.
Accountability check-ins: I'll be checking in with you at the end of each month to see how many words you've written. Why? When it comes to writing your novel, accountability is key!
Active discussion forums: Throughout the course, you will have access to active discussion forums where you can interact with your classmates and the instructor.
Personal interaction with an internationally bestselling author and veteran writing teacher: This course is taught by a working writer with extensive teaching and publishing experience. Scroll down to see the instructor bio.
Great flexibility: You choose when to watch the video lessons, read the lectures, and interact in the discussion forums. The monthly live sessions will be recorded, so you can play them back later at your convenience. You are also welcome to submit questions before the session if you won't be able to attend.
Community and a small cohort of dedicated writers: Novel in Nine has students from all over the world. We've had a neonatal surgeon, a television writer, a sculptor, a Broadway performer, a retired FBI agent, a TV producer, a popular blogger, a trucking company operator, graduate students, small business owners, a librarian, an attorney, stay-at-home parents, therapists, a professional athlete, and more. We have participants from all over the world. One of the best aspects of the course is writing and learning alongside people from different backgrounds. When you join Novel in Nine, you join a passionate community of writers at all stages of life and carer.
Instructor Feedback Optional: This is not a workshop course and you will not be submitting your completed assignments to the instructor for critique. The purpose of this course is to keep you motivated to get your novel on the page. However, you may choose the PLUS* option at checkout to get feedback from the instructor on up to 5,000 words (twelve manuscript pages) per month.
*If you are purchasing Novel in Nine through the 2024 Master Class Bundle, you will receive feedback on the first 50 pages of your novel, and you will have the option to purchase monthly feedback separately.
Nine Months of Weekly Progress
Writing a Memoir in Novel in 9
The fundamental elements of narrative craft that fiction writers must master also hold true for memoir. You will learn about characterization, structure, and setting and description. We'll also talk about how to select details from your life, how to handle dialogue, and the memoirist's contract with the reader, among other things specific to the genre.
"Novel in Nine was much more than a “class” for me, it was a transformation. I had tried for years and years to write a novel, always unsuccessfully. Under Michelle's guidance, I was able to complete my first novel, in a seamless, uncomplicated, and manageable workflow. Her experienced directives help me move through my writing to that final goal. I am forever grateful for this class, and for Michelle’s help. I’d do it again." Polly K.
Scroll down for more student testimonials.
What Writers are Saying About Novel in Nine
"I've learned the most from taking this class because it taught me to just show up on the page without fear. Realizing a rough draft is supposed to be rough is just so freeing."
- Kim S.
"Novel in Nine was even more than I had expected. Who would imagine I would write a full 75,000-word first draft of a novel in only nine months? This class was always a bright spot in my week. Michelle has top-notch writing expertise and teaching skills, and she is generous with her time and input. She and the other serious-writer classmates provided valuable feedback and motivation. Novel in Nine was the perfect way to make novel writing a priority, and get to THE END in a timely way." Kathy B.
"It was a wonderful experience going through the last months with you. We've all made so much progress. We started with little seeds of an idea, and with Michelle's guidance and insight, we brought them to light."
- Bradford D.'s note to the class upon completion of Novel in 9 2020
"I'm blown away. I'm vastly enjoying meeting all of these creative minds." - Josh C.
"This class is keeping me motivated to get the words on the page! Enjoying the recommended topics - they keep me going." Kathy B.
"I'm really happy to have found this course. Your class has encouraged me to: 1) write in the living room, (wait, I can do that? on the couch?), which morphed to 2) oh, goodie, I can write in bed, yay. 2) I am also daring myself to be really productive in 30 to 45 minutes, which has been a real pleasure, results in so many surprises in the writing, and is more manageable...I really like the exercises and am delighted at what is coming up." - Ellen S.
"I'm encouraged by the idea of taking it paragraph by paragraph and not overwhelming myself with the idea of creating the whole. I also am telling myself to have fun instead of...telling myself 'I have to write a novel today!" -Madeleine K.
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"I found Novel in Nine to be a comprehensive step-by-step method of completing a novel in nine months...Novel in Nine is thoughtful, with specific direction, some homework (not overwhelming!), and encouraging feedback from Michelle and from the other participants in class. The pace is steady and the deadlines don’t feel rushed or drastic. I would definitely recommend the class to all writers, and to especially those who are experiencing hiccups, writers’ block, or self-doubt." Joanne H.
"The organization you offer in this program is really helping me structure and flesh out the book and it's feeling really helpful. Thank you!" Allyson P.
"I had never done any writing before and was incredibly nervous. However what I found was a very supportive inclusive group of people at all stages of writing. Michelle’s course is easy to follow and she was always there for encouragement and support. I highly recommend the Novel in Nine course." Kelly Elise
"The course is giving me great structure and discipline. The lessons are making me think like a writer... I have the wind at my back...I have learnt more about my story and characters and I owe that all to you." ~Colin M.
Your Instructor
Michelle Richmond is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels and two award-winning story collections. Her books have been published in 31 languages and optioned repeatedly for film and television. She has taught in the Masters of Fine Arts programs in creative writing at the University of San Francisco and California College of the Arts and has served as Distinguished Visiting Writer at St. Mary's College of Moraga, Bowling Green State University, and Notre Dame de Namur University. She has also designed and taught novel writing courses online for Stanford Continuing Studies. She is the founder and publisher of Fiction Attic Press.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why nine months? A typical novel is between 70,000 and 90,000 words. Nine months gives you the ideal amount of time to achieve the goal of writing 80,000 words. By breaking the big task of writing a novel into weekly small tasks, you will make real, recognisable progress that will keep you motivated. 2,000 - 2,500 words per week is manageable for most writers without being overwhelming. At the end of each month, you will have made serious progress on your novel.
Nine months is long enough to go deep and write a compelling story driven by complex characters, and it's short enough that you will stay motivated and engaged.
Make your time count in 2024
How much time have you spent thinking about writing a novel? How often have you started a novel, only to become distracted or overwhelmed?
Your time is valuable, and your goal of writing a novel is achievable. Novel in Nine provides you with the tools, incentive, accountability, and community you need to complete your novel in exactly nine months.
Join us for Novel in 9 2024, because the only person who can write your novel is YOU.
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Important Copyright Notice: All contents of this course, including written and video lectures, course syllabus, downloads, workbooks, worksheets, and course description are under copyright. No part of this course may be reproduced, copied, or distributed in any way, for any purpose. By purchasing this course, you are agreeing to the copyright terms.