Welcome to my novel-writing camp in which students not only improve their writing, but they also aim to finish their books. I have sessions in the fall and winter for National Novel Writing Month and sessions over the summer. You don't have to write a long book! It can be just 25 pages. . .or it can be a hundred or two hundred pages. Whatever your goal might be, I'm here to help. You can sign up for two weeks or four weeks or six weeks. Every session is unique. 

As a novelist, I've written a book in a month, so I know you can do it. Like any rough first draft, it will be imperfect; however, you'll be finished, and then you can rewrite it or edit it. Then, you can publish it or submit it to Scholastic's Writing Contest.

Below I answer some of the common questions. 

------What is the structure of each day of the camp?------

Discussion, skill, and brainstorming: 25 Minutes
Writing: 25 Minutes practicing the Pomodoro Technique (I'm available the entire time on the chat to answer questions and help when students get stuck.)
Final discussion: 5 min (To lead you into your next min solo writing session afterward)

------Can I really finish a book in two weeks or a month?------
Definitely. Thousands of people write books in a month for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). You can do it too! As soon as you sign up, I'll send you a series of brainstorming videos to help you explore your story idea. 

------Are you a published novelist?------
I'm a young adult novelist with two acclaimed novels, Trafficked, published by Penguin, and This Is Not a Love Letter, published by Disney-Hyperion. They've both made top lists like NPR's Best Books and Columbia's Banks Street Best Books, and they've both received starred trade reviews.

------How is this camp different from other novel-writing classes on Outschool?-----
First, it is very intense and you will finish a solid draft of your book if you follow my proven system. Plus, you'll be taught by me! We have a lot of fun and I know what I'm doing. I not only have published books, I also have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

-------Can I write any type of book?-------
Yes, I can help you write any book from realistic to fantasy to romance to horror. I've studied every genre and I've written most of them as well. 

-------What is the vibe of the class?------
I want everyone to feel comfortable in the class. All types of learners and writers are welcome. I guide the class in such a way that everyone feels heard and valued...and we try to laugh and have fun. It's important to me to build you up, and help your confidence grow as a writer so that you believe in yourself and your unique voice. The minute you sign up for this class, you are a novelist. I believe in you and I know you can do it. 

-------Why is this class so intense?-------
If you write a book slowly, it often does not get finished. Writers of all ages get distracted by shiny new ideas. Writing fast means you finish, and then you can improve it. 

-------How will I finish a book now when I didn't finish before? --------
You'll finish your book by committing to it for this summer and clearing your life of other things: you'll write every day for at least two hours. There's a reason National Novel Writing Month in November works. Creativity thrives with greater focus. Both my teen and adult students struggle with finishing. That's why we write fast in this class...racing ahead of any self-doubt and chasing creative joy. Writing a novel intensively actually works. Yes, your hands will ache. Your back will break. This is a creative marathon! I'm going to help you, panting and sweating, all the way to the finish line. When you've finished your first draft, we will have a party. Then you can edit and refine it. But first, let's fly. 

------I've written a first draft. Can I write a second draft in this camp?-----
Yes, you can. In this case, you'll evaluate your rough draft before the class starts, and I'll give you some video workshops to do this. Then, you'll either substantially edit or you'll rewrite it from scratch, including everything we're working on in the class. Most authors do not keep their first draft. You'll need to rewrite pages. 

------How many pages do I need to write per day?------
This depends on how long you want your book to be. It could be two. It could be ten. It's up to you. 

------What are the additional benefits of finishing a novel?-------
You'll pour your unique voice into your prose and grow your creative confidence, which will then spread to the rest of your life. Creative confidence is a key element of future success, no matter what you choose to do. From this point on, you'll always be able to say that you finished a novel. Another benefit of learning how to tell a gripping story on the page is that it will help you become a better storyteller in general. You'll learn how to tell a good story in conversations. The ability to understand people and to appeal to people's emotions, which is what you're doing as a storyteller, is an important skill for many careers. 

------Will you give me feedback?------
Yes! I will read up to 20 double-spaced pages a week. The first deadline is on the first day of camp: you give me your first pages and then I will give you immediate feedback about what specific skills you should work on that week, and then you give me the rest by the Friday, and I will give you feedback on the Saturday. I'll tell you what's great and what you could improve. You must send your pages edited with a grammar and spelling check, and it must be clear that you wrote them that week, using the skills we've been working on. I can't read a book you wrote before the camp. (If you want editing help, book privates.) If you write more than 40 pages in the two weeks, I suggest applying all the feedback I gave you to those future pages...or you can join another class or camp or book privates. Editing takes me a very long time, so I do need to limit it. 

------Should I edit my book as I'm writing?------
I do want to see that you're improving. So, look at my feedback and apply it to pages going forward. 

-------What do I do before the class starts?-------
Before the class starts, you'll re-read one of your favorite books and analyze it. You'll also brainstorm your characters, world, and plot. I will give you videos and experiments to do this.

------What's the vibe of the class?------
Our community of writers is important. The class is positive and upbeat, and everyone cheers everyone else on. We celebrate you! 

------What specific skills will I learn in each class? -----
See the syllabus. Every two-week session is different. I use new examples all the time.