Write a Young Adult Novel with Guidance from a New York Times Bestselling Author

Get feedback on your manuscript, and personal help getting your writing published, directly from Emily Colin.

  • Four weeks of personal guidance on writing a novel that wins over readers and meets the needs of publishers

  • Detailed feedback on the first ten pages of your manuscript – so you can hook readers and publishers with your opening pages

  • Personal guidance on the process of finding an agent and landing the right publishing contract for your book

  • Detailed feedback on your query letter, logline, and synopsis so you can win over agents, editors, and publishers

  • Access to live office hours with Emily Colin and our other instructors, even after the course is complete,

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

Follow the Path of a Successful Author – While Honoring Your Personal Vision as a Writer

Emily Colin found an agent, landed a publishing deal, and became a New York Times bestselling author. She knows the steps that you need to take to secure an agent and find a home for your book, based on her real-world experience as a successful author. She also knows how important it is to honor the artistic impulse that drives every author.

In this course, Emily will show you how to make your vision for a novel compelling and engaging to readers, agents, and publishers. She’ll then walk you through querying agents and finding the publishing path that’s right for you, helping you craft an airtight query letter, hook, and synopsis for your novel.

The course is based on Emily’s extensive experience in the publishing world. She’s helped start two small publishing companies. She’s been published by major publishers and small presses, writing both adult and YA fiction. She’s become a New York Times bestselling author. 

This course is for authors who want to publish in one of the most popular markets out there: Young Adult Fiction. You’ll study craft, learning how to write a YA novel that stands out from the crowd, while still honoring your creative vision. You'll understand your book's place in the market, learn how to find the right agent, discover diverse paths to publication, and craft a submission packet together with Emily.

The course includes:

  • Four weeks of instruction in writing and publishing a young adult novel
  • Detailed feedback on the first ten pages of your manuscript, so you can grab the attention of agents and editors
  • Detailed feedback on your query letter, logline, hook, and synopsis
  • Live office hours with Emily Colin, plus daily discussion within the course itself

The course officially starts on Monday, July 11th and ends on Friday, August 5th. Everything is held online.

After the course ends, you will have six months to submit your work for feedback, plus ongoing access to live office hours with every instructor at Authors Publish.

Because of the intense level of interaction and feedback that Emily is offering, the course is strictly limited to 22 students. Enrollment will close as soon as the class is filled.

If you are interested in this course, I urge you to enroll right now. We are offering early-bird tuition until Monday, June 27th, unless the course fills before then.

Write a YA Novel that Meets the Needs of Publishers

During this course, Emily Colin will guide you through the process of writing an engaging YA novel that meets the needs of publishers. She'll then help you polish your opening pages, craft a query letter, hook, and synopsis – so you can maximize your chances of landing a publishing contract.

  • Personal Feedback on Your Opening Pages

  • Help Crafting Your Query Letter and Synopsis

  • Expert Guidance on Meeting the Needs of Publishers

Personal Feedback on Your Writing

In addition to the 4 weeks of in-depth training, Emily Colin is generously offering feedback on student writing. She will give you detailed feedback on the first 10 pages of your manuscript, help you polish your query letter, provide feedback on your synopsis, and assist you in finding agents and publishers for your book.


The Course is Limited to 22 Students
Because of the personal feedback Emily is providing, the course is strictly limited to 22 students. Once we reach that number we will close enrollment.

Workshop Schedule

The course starts on Monday, July 11th and ends on Friday, August 5th. The course comes with daily lessons you can study on your own time, and daily interaction with Emily Colin. Everything is provided online, through the digital learning platform hosted by Thinkific.

Note that you will have a full six months from the start of the course to submit your writing for feedback. Also note that you will have access to office hours and the course material even after the course is complete.

  • Daily lessons, available to study any time on our online learning platform, hosted by Thinkific.

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

  • When you are ready, Emily will provide feedback on your first 10 manuscript pages, query letter, synopsis, and help you find agents and publishers appropriate for your book.

About Emily Colin


Emily Colin’s debut novel, THE MEMORY THIEF, was a New York Times bestseller and a Target Emerging Authors Pick. She is also the author of THE DREAM KEEPER’S DAUGHTER (Ballantine Books). Her young adult titles include the anthology WICKED SOUTH: SECRETS AND LIES and the Seven Sins series, both from Blue Crow Publishing, as well as the anthology UNBOUND: STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION, LOVE, AND MONSTERS (Five Points Press), which was a Suspense Magazine “Best of” 2021 pick as well as a 2021 Foreword INDIES Award finalist.

SWORD OF THE SEVEN SINS, the first book in her Seven Sins series, was a Foreword INDIES Award finalist, the YA fiction winner of the North Carolina Indie Author Project, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Manly Wade Wellman Award for North Carolina Science Fiction and Fantasy. SIEGE OF THE SEVEN SINS is a 2021 Foreword INDIES finalist and a silver IPPY Award winner.

Emily’s diverse life experience includes organizing a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, hauling fish at a dolphin research center, roaming New York City as an itinerant teenage violinist, helping launch two small publishing companies, and working to facilitate community engagement in the arts. Currently, she finds joy in teaching classes for the Writers Workshop at Authors Publish and working as a freelance editor.

Originally from Brooklyn, Emily lives in coastal North Carolina with her family. You can find her trying to do yoga, with her nose buried in a book, or getting dragged down the block by her over-enthusiastic dog, Moo. 


Enroll Now

Early bird tuition is available until Monday, June 27th.
Please note, this workshop is strictly limited to 22 participants.

Praise for Workshops With Emily Colin

5 star rating

Excellent instruction and feedback on assignments

Dianne Beck

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 fe...

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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.

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5 star rating

Emily Colin’s Class Was Amazing

Pamela Salmon

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!!!!

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!!!!

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5 star rating

Thank you

Anuradha Dev

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 concentr...

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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.

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5 star rating

I feel more on track toward my goal of being a traditionally published author

Deborah Richardson

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 accomplish...

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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.

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5 star rating

I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop!

Steven Rose

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 ...

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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!

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5 star rating

So useful!

Jennifer Mitchell

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! E...

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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!

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5 star rating

Plot to Publication YA with Emily Colin

Lucy Wilson

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 ...

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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.

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FAQ

  • What is the course schedule?

    The course starts on Monday, July 11th and ends on Friday, August 5th. The course comes with daily lessons you can study on your own time, and feedback on your assignments from Emily Colin.

    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 of the start of the course.

    You will also get ongoing access to live office hours, so you can continue to get answers to your questions, even after the course has ended.

  • 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 to 22 students. Once we reach that number we will immediately close enrollment.

  • I've already finished my novel. Is this course right for me?

    If you have already finished your manuscript, you may be asked to make changes, based on feedback directly from Emily Colin. This feedback will be aimed at making sure your novel meets the needs of publishers.

    You will also get personal feedback on your opening pages, query letter, synopsis, and hook. All of these are key pieces of the submissions packet you will be sending to publishers and agents.

    Finally, you will also get personal help finding publishers appropriate for your novel.

  • I haven't yet started my novel. Is this course right for me?

    This course gives you a solid foundation for writing a novel that meets the needs of publishers. If you are just starting a manuscript, or in the process of writing one, this course guides you through the process of making sure your novel fits the needs of publishers. There are often simple decisions that have a big impact on a book's chances to get published. Emily will guide you through these simple decisions, so you can maximize your chance of publication.

  • 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.

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