Write Your Novel With Guidance from a Publishing Professional

Emily Harstone is leading a novel-writing workshop, so you can confidently write your novel with direct feedback and support from a publishing professional. As a professional submissions advisor, and the author of The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, and The First Twenty Pages Emily Harstone is the ideal instructor for this course.

  • Four weeks of in-depth guidance on the novel writing process, so you can meet the needs of traditional publishers.

  • Personal feedback on every lesson from Emily Harstone

  • In-depth guidance on crafting an engaging novel.

  • Detailed feedback from Emily Harstone on your novel concept, first twenty pages, and more.

  • Full access to our private community of writers, so you can network with your fellow students.

  • Lifetime access to live office hours with Emily Harstone, even after the course is complete.

Write a Novel that Can Land a Publishing Contract (Without Being Forced to Make Major Revisions)

After working for years as a submissions advisor, Emily Harstone has identified the major stumbling blocks that authors face far too often when finally attempting to publish their novels.

Too many authors make simple mistakes that make traditional publication almost impossible. Fortunately, these mistakes can be easily avoided with the right knowledge and guidance.

This course presents everything a writer should know when working on the first draft of their novel, especially if you want to land a contract with a traditional publisher.

Emily’s years of work as an editor at Authors Publish Magazine and as a professional submissions advisor gives her a unique and valuable perspective into the writing process.

Plus, as a prolific writer, Emily loves helping her fellow writers succeed. She understands the love of writing and the joy of publication.

They don’t teach this in MFA programs – but it is the information that every successful writer eventually learns. (Usually, the hard way.)

The course starts on January 6th and ends on January 31st, 2025. Everything is hosted online, via our digital learning platform. The course includes weekly lessons you can complete on your own time, live office hours, and detailed feedback on your writing.

Please note, you will have a full six months to complete the course and submit your work for feedback.

Because of the intense feedback Emily provides in this course, it is strictly limited to 20 students. (No exceptions.)

Write Your Novel With Confidence

Write your novel with the guidance and support of a publishing professional, so you can be confident you are avoiding major mistakes, while maximizing your future publication chances.

  • Write your novel with guidance from a publishing professional.

  • Avoid the mistakes that can make traditional publication extremely difficult.

  • Get detailed feedback on your writing plan, novel concept, and first twenty pages.

Workshop Schedule

The course starts on Monday, January 6th and ends on Friday, January 31st, 2025. The course comes with daily lessons you can study on your own time, and daily interaction with Emily Harstone. Everything is provided online, through the digital learning platform hosted by Thinkific. Note that you will have a full six months to submit your work for feedback from Emily.

  • Daily lessons you can study at your own pace with our online learning platform.

  • Personal feedback on every lesson via email, our discussion platform, or our private Facebook Group.

  • When you are ready, Emily will provide detailed feedback on your novel concept, writing plan, and first twenty pages.

About Emily Harstone

Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, The 2024 Guide to Manuscript Publishers, and The Authors Publish Guide to Children’s and Young Adult Publishing. Through these books, she has helped many writers connect with quality publishers for their books.

She got her start as a writer when she wrote her first novel at twelve years old. 

Since then, she has graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College, worked as a creative writing professor at Berkeley College in New York, as well as Seattle Pacific University. 


Enroll Now

Enrollment is strictly limited to 20 participants.
Early bird tuition is available until December 23rd.

FAQ

  • What is the course schedule?

    The course starts on January 6th and ends on January 31st, 2025. The course comes with daily lessons you can study on your own time, and feedback on your assignments from Emily Harstone.

    Note that you will be able to submit your work for feedback after the course officially ends, but we ask that you do so within six months.

  • How much time will the course require?

    Expect to spend around 30 minutes a day on the course. Some days will require less work, some days will require more. Daily lessons can be done on your own time. The meetings with Emily will be scheduled to best work for the entire class.

  • How many students will be allowed to enroll?

    Because of the personal feedback Emily is providing, the workshop is strictly limited 20 to students. Once we reach that number we will immediately close enrollment.

  • What if I am already working on a novel?

    This course is designed for writers who are just starting a novel or who are still working on the first draft of their novel.

    If you have already made significant progress on your novel, keep in mind that you may be asked to make major revisions to your work.

  • If I have written a novel before, will this course be helpful for me?

    Yes. When most writers start a novel, they aren't thinking about publishing at all. They are focused on telling their story.

    In this workshop, Emily focuses on how to tell a story, but in a way that works for publishers. Figuring out POV, tenses, and genre before you start to write your novel helps create a novel that is in line with what agents and publishers are looking for.

    In short, the workshop helps you address questions that experienced, published, novelists answer when starting a book.

  • How much time will I have to complete my work, so that I can get Emily's feedback?

    We understand that everyone works and writes at their own pace. Though the primary teaching part of the course is focused on four weeks, you are not required to submit your work during that time.

    You are welcome to study all of the material at your own pace. We do ask that you submit your assignments within six months of the course starting, but this is not a strict rule.

  • Is this course about marketing, or about craft?

    This course is focused on the process of writing a novel. The primary focus is on craft, but the course as a whole is focused on making sure your book meets the needs of publishers.

    In addition to learning about character development, novel structure, tropes, and more, Emily's feedback (and lessons) is focused on making sure you are aware of the needs of publishers, during the writing process.

Reviews of Workshops By Emily Harstone

5 star rating

Wonderful, high-quality course

Jane Lo

I am so thankful that I was able to take part in the Novel Writing Workshop with Emily Harstone. Emily was incredibly supportive and affirming of my efforts in writing. Prior to the start of the course I just had a few disjointed ideas, but her th...

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I am so thankful that I was able to take part in the Novel Writing Workshop with Emily Harstone. Emily was incredibly supportive and affirming of my efforts in writing. Prior to the start of the course I just had a few disjointed ideas, but her thoughtful assignments pushed me to think them through and turn them into the first chapter of my novel, and her detailed and thorough feedback gave me the direction and encouragement I needed to continue writing. I'm now 12000 words into my first novel and still going strong, all thanks to Emily. She is wonderful. Thank you so much!

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5 star rating

My Review of The Novel Writing Workshop

DeWayne Mason

Emily was an outstanding instructor. Personable, lively, responsive, and perceptive, her materials were informative, her clarifications during office hours were discerning, and her feedback on my first twenty pages combined positive and extremely...

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Emily was an outstanding instructor. Personable, lively, responsive, and perceptive, her materials were informative, her clarifications during office hours were discerning, and her feedback on my first twenty pages combined positive and extremely helpful remarks. She also provided specific suggestions for readings and resources that I have already used to enhance my work. I've worked with a large number of experts in developing my memoir, but Emily is at the top. I think she's truly gifted and loves to teach. I'm hoping she will find time to edit my first fifty pages after I polish them another time or three. Thanks for your efforts, Emily.

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5 star rating

Very helpful course

Linda Weber

This course was invaluable help to me in fleshing out a NaNoWriMo novel I dashed off during writing month. Emily’s insights were spot on. Her advice on novel ideas and assessment of their commercial viability was also very welcome. The course ...

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This course was invaluable help to me in fleshing out a NaNoWriMo novel I dashed off during writing month. Emily’s insights were spot on. Her advice on novel ideas and assessment of their commercial viability was also very welcome. The course engaged me with meaningful assignments and connected me to other serious authors with great comments and critique from around the world. Highly recommended.

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5 star rating

Extensive and personal feedback

Julie Christiansen

As I neared the end of the four-week seminar with Emily Harstone on how to submit a manuscript to a publisher or an agent, I realized that I had learned more in just four weeks of daily lessons than I had in almost ten years of trial and error in ...

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As I neared the end of the four-week seminar with Emily Harstone on how to submit a manuscript to a publisher or an agent, I realized that I had learned more in just four weeks of daily lessons than I had in almost ten years of trial and error in getting my manuscripts published. What makes the course offered by Emily and Authors Publish so unique is the extensive and personal feedback which she gives each student in the class. Through Emily's professional critique, I was able to turn a ho-hum manuscript into an eye-catching, attention-getting excerpt. Armed with that and a tightly crafted query letter and synopsis, I am confident now that I will be able to find the right publisher for my manuscript.

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5 star rating

It motivated me to start writing again!

Susan Payne

This course broadened my abilities to get my manuscript out in the hands of the right publishers and agents. It renewed my interest in writing. Emily is very knowledgeable about editing and submitting. I would encourage anyone considering submi...

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This course broadened my abilities to get my manuscript out in the hands of the right publishers and agents. It renewed my interest in writing. Emily is very knowledgeable about editing and submitting. I would encourage anyone considering submission of a manuscript to enroll in this workshop.

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5 star rating

Worth Every Penny!

YVONNE BORGOGNI

This was a fantastic class from beginning to end: well-structured, organized, and informative. Each section gave me a better understanding of how publishing works. I would highly recommend this class.

This was a fantastic class from beginning to end: well-structured, organized, and informative. Each section gave me a better understanding of how publishing works. I would highly recommend this class.

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5 star rating

High Praise for Manuscript Publishing for Novelists

Michael Hood

Manuscript Publishing for Novelists provided an excellent overview of what is involved in this process. The organization of the course followed each step of the process from proper formatting of the manuscript, to preparing a query letter, to vet...

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Manuscript Publishing for Novelists provided an excellent overview of what is involved in this process. The organization of the course followed each step of the process from proper formatting of the manuscript, to preparing a query letter, to vetting a publisher and agent, and to reviewing a checklist before submitting the manuscript. Along the way, during each segment of the course, there were helpful recommendations of what to do and not to do. Emily is not only an expert in this field, but also a genuine person. Every aspect of the course was conducted in a professional manner, and I would recommend Manuscript Publishing for Novelists to anyone interested in publishing their first novel.

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5 star rating

Most Helpful Course on Publishing

Vicki Biggs

This was the most helpful course on publishing! It covered aspects of preparing your query letter and synopsis for a publisher that books on the subject had not managed. And it provided clarity on how to look out for the kinds of publishers and ...

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This was the most helpful course on publishing! It covered aspects of preparing your query letter and synopsis for a publisher that books on the subject had not managed. And it provided clarity on how to look out for the kinds of publishers and how they can impact your future publishing efforts. In a world of ebooks, publishing has changed, though not as much as you might think and this course addressed this nicely.

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