The Writer's Workshop @ Authors Publish

While I was happy with my opening chapters, I knew my novel's momentum slowed half way through (muddled middle). This course showed me how the stakes for my protagonist were unclear, even though I spent months last year on revisions. Julie Artz offered excellent feedback on the exercises and assignments I completed (and there were many of them). She helped me identify specific issues and work through the rough spots. I am completely overhauling several chapters. And I even have a solid query letter ready to go! I feel confident that I am now on the right track to take my novel all the way through to publication. This course was excellent value for $$. I recommend it to anyone with a completed or near completed draft, who is prepared to put in the work required to produce a polished manuscript.

I learned and re-learned a lot in this course. Every step of the way, my writing improved, and Emily and Julie were always helpful, courteous, and kind (you know, the scout pledge). Their responses and suggestions to my writing helped a lot. I've added some of their tips to my Scrivener novel template. I don't spend much money on these kinds of classes because I can't afford them. But this one was worth the money.

Emily Colin's Plot to Publication was a wealth of information on how to build and strengthen a YA novel and how to get it out into the world. Emily has a clear and welcoming instructional style, and she provides extremely detailed and helpful feedback on assignments. This is truly one of the best writing classes I've taken, and I highly recommend it to writers of all levels.

This is my second course with Emily and Julie. I can't thank them enough for showing me the core of the craft: character-driven plot. The logline and Jacket Copy exercises helped me prepare for this next, foundational revision of my historical novel manuscript. The resources are excellent and the fact that we have time after the official month-long course is "over" to submit the other assignments, are perfect for our rich, full lives. I look forward to continuing to submit my work to them in preparation for this next round of revisions. It helps to have direction when there was none before this course. Thanks so much Julie and Emily! Keep on!

I learned more about how to write a YA novel from her class than any other class I’ve taken (conferences included.) My writing improved in leaps and bounds. And I loved every minute of it! Emily is the best!!!!

Emily Colin is a hard-working instructor. Instead of skimming through my work, she would dissect it bit by bit and ask me questions that I haven't been asked before. It helped me to look at my story from a different perspective. Since she concentrated on this being a YA story instead of a romance, she gave me feedback to make my story work for the YA market. I am really glad I took this course.

Emily was wonderful about feedback that has really helped me to focus. Attempting to become a published author is serious work. She was great with her guidance. She offered a path where before I was zigzagging, trying to do too much and accomplishing little.

I know it's a cliche (bad, bad, Steven!), but it was invaluable to have the direct access to and feedback on my writing from from a New York Times bestselling author. I LOVED this workshop. It was also great to receive feedback from the other students on the assignments I submitted, and the first chapter of my manuscript that I submitted. This workshop has helped my writing, and my hopeful career as a published author immensely. There is so much value in getting help from someone who's been there and done what you're trying to do; getting direct feedback that's based on real, successful experience . . . the kind of success that I want. I learned a long time ago to "be careful whose advice you take, as you may end up with their results." Well, I want Emily Colin's success as a published author of YA fiction. Thank you, Emily!

Emily's course was very well laid out and included a lot of useful information. While some of it was familiar, it was useful to understand her take on it. It also helped confirm previous research I had done on several topics, which was a relief! Emily's feedback was always helpful, insightful and thought provoking. She really went above and beyond what was promised. Sometimes an 'online' format can end up being detached and mechanical, but not this one!

An excellent course, well put together with lots of insight, extra information and thought from Emily Colin. I really enjoyed doing the daily lessons and the homework exercises, which helped me to think about aspects of writing and structure that I had not considered before. The price of the course was well worth it for the content. Emily gave us personal feedback on submitted pieces of work and was very encouraging of ideas and thought processes, which I really appreciated. Asking us to consider how our own favourite writers (in published YA novels) tackle certain barriers such as plotting, stakes, etc, was a useful tool to apply to our own work. Overall, a fantastic course for anyone serious about writing, even if they don't plan to write or publish YA.