For some students, there is a strong desire to continue with the structure and collegiality that Writing a Novel provides, while they begin to write more independently. Stay the Course – Finish Your Draft is designed to keep you productive and accountable in the months after the course, to help you work through any issues you might face on the way to completing your full manuscript, and to accompany you over the finish line.

Across 5 months, you will attend monthly online ‘check-in’ sessions with acclaimed novelist and Writing a Novel director Emily O’Grady. You will also join an open online forum for ongoing communication and support, featuring monthly exercises and prompts from Emily. You can work at your own pace through the monthly lessons and exercises, while always keeping in touch through the private class forum. You will also be able to partake in two one-on-one sessions, with Emily or, if available, your original Writing a Novel tutor.

The program will open with a masterclass taught by Richard Skinner, Director of the Fiction Program of the Faber Academy, UK, and culminate in an Industry Weekend, featuring conversations with guest writers and editors about the process of finishing a manuscript, and a series of sessions with a leading literary agent, who’ll provide invaluable tips and tricks to help your manuscript stand out when it comes time to finally hit submit.