You can’t build a solid house on a shaky foundation. Just like you can’t become a better writer, until you master the 6 basic skills that every fiction writer must know.

Whether you want to write novels, short stories, memoirs, flash fiction or even screenplays and stage plays, this course will help you master the 6 Universal Foundations that make up all great fiction: Character, Dialogue, Point of View, Narrative Style, Setting, and Plot.

Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned writer looking to improve your craft, this fun, interactive course (jam packed with over 6 hours of video and more than 25 fun writing exercises) will give you the skills, confidence, and inspiration you need to become a FICTION WRITING MASTER!

This course is jam packed full of:

• Examples from popular books and movies that will help you fully grasp the elements of great storytelling
• Loads of fun, inspiring writing prompts designed to spark your imagination, get your creative juices flowing, and implement the topics covered in each lecture
• Tons of practical writing tips and advice to take you on an unforgettable creative journey toward becoming an exceptional fiction writer

With two learning tracks (Foundation and Advanced), this course offers a unique flexible curriculum, allowing you to learn at your own pace and skill level.

If you’re just starting out, try our Foundation Track to master the basics first before moving onto the more advanced elements. Or, if you’re a more seasoned writer (or someone who enjoys an extra challenge!), try our Advanced Track to dive deeper into each of the six areas of fiction writing mastery.

Regardless of which track you choose, we guarantee that after taking this course, you will:

• Be more inspired to write
• Feel more confident about your writing
• Notice a vast improvement in your writing abilities

Create complex, realistic characters who will jump right off the page

Write vibrant, riveting dialogue that will breathe life into your scenes

Choose the best point of view for every scene

Compose intricate, scintillating prose that will pull readers in from the first word

Construct vivid, memorable settings that will shape the world of your story

Structure masterful, gripping plots that will hook readers and keep them turning pages

Meet Your Instructors

Jessica Brody is the author of more than 20 novels for teens, tweens, and adults including The System Divine trilogy, the Unremembered trilogy, The Geography of Lost Things, The Chaos of Standing Still, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, A Week of Mondays, Better You Than Me and I Speak Boy. She’s also the author of the Descendants: School of Secrets series, based on the hit Disney Channel original movie, Descendants, and the LEGO Disney Princess chapter Books. Her books have been translated and published in over 20 languages and several have been optioned for film and television. Her first non-fiction book, SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL (a how-to plotting guide for novelists) is out now from Ten Speed Press/Random House. She lives with her husband and three dogs near Portland, OR.

Joanne Rendell is the author of three novels published by Penguin. She is also the co-author (with Jessica Brody) of The System Divine trilogy, a sci-fi reimagining of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, published by Simon and Schuster. She writes essays and interviews for the Huffington Post and other publications. She also has a PhD in literature and teaches fiction writing to teens and kids in New York City, where she lives with her husband and son.

Get Answers Fast from our Growing Library of Answered Questions

We take the top questions from all our Office Hours and Webinars, edit them into their own mini-lectures, and categorize them for you. Categories include character development, fast drafting, NaNoWriMo, pacing, point of view, revising, writing process, worldbuilding, and more. It's very likely we've answered a question similar to yours, so this is a great resource to get answers fast!

Character Development

• How to create well-rounded characters?
• Does a hero always have to change over the course of a story
• What's the best way to have a character realize something organically?
• How do I make readers like an unlikable character?

The Publishing Industry

• What is a realistic timeline between drafting and getting published?
• How do I find an editor?
• Can you publish on various platforms?
• Is traditional publishing still a viable path?

Revisions

• How do you keep track of your revision process?
• How do you know when you're done revising a chapter?
• What do I do if I get bored with the story I'm writing?
• How do I start revisions for a very messy draft?

Save the Cat! & Plotting

• How do you structure a series using Save the Cat!?
• How do the Save the Cat! beats relate to chapters?
• How do you use Save the Cat! in the revision process?
• Does a hero always have to change over the course of a story?

World Building

• How do you build a convincing fantasy world?
• How do you describe a world in a way that shows rather than tells?
• How much setting detail is too much?
• What's the difference between a world and a setting?

Writing Process

• How do you defeat perfectionism to finish a book?
• How do you find your voice as a writer?
• How do I prioritize all the story ideas I have and avoid leaving stories half-finished?
• How do I turn a hodgepodge of detailed notes and dialogue into a draft?

  Unlimited access to all our on-demand writing courses

$2,137 value

  The Writing Mastery Community 

$1,799 value

  Monthly "members only" webinars + webinar recordings

$1,499 value

  "Office Hours" with instructors & guests

$799 value

  Searchable Q&As from office hours & webinars

$499 value

  Surprise bonus content

$399 value

TOTAL VALUE

$7,132