Story Structure for Novelists
with Jeff Lyons and Sarah Aronson
This course includes:
6 hours of expert video workshops
3 written modules on story structure
13 in-depth worksheets and guides
Perfect If: You want to tell your story with confidence.
Open To: Novelists and aspiring novelists of all levels.
$149.00
$149.00Enroll Now
100% money-back guarantee for 14 days, no questions asked.
You’ll Leave This Course With:
- The knowledge to turn your story into a fully realized novel.
- A roadmap to follow as you draft and revise your novel.
- Confidence in the process of structuring your story.
- The tools to tell a story with deeper thematic and structural meaning.
- Worksheets and guides to help make your novel unforgettable.
Your story idea is brilliant. But is it built to last 80,000 words?
So many promising novels fizzle out—not because the writer lacks talent, but because the story lacks structure. Without a strong foundation, it’s easy to open the story in the wrong place, get stuck in the middle, or feel unsure how to deliver a satisfying ending.
That doesn’t have to happen to you!
What if, when you looked at your draft, you could clearly see the hallmarks of a well-structured story—and you knew just what that story needed to become an unforgettable novel?
Story Structure for Novelists gives you the tools and resources to develop any story into a full-length work. Whether you’re engaging with story structure for the first time or trying to revise your novel draft, you’ll come away from this course with confidence in your story’s narrative arcs.
What’s Included
In Story Structure for Novelists, you’ll get expert guidance from our award-winning writing instructors on how to structure your story. Across more than six hours of in-depth video content—plus a wealth of helpful worksheets, resources, and written modules—you’ll discover exactly what your story is about, with a gripping premise line, a strong beginning and a satisfying ending, and a taut, toned midsection.
That’s three full-length courses, plus bonus materials, for less than the price of one!
You’ll Get:
This course includes 6 hours of video content, 13 worksheets and handouts on story structure (plus examples!), and 3 lectures to help guide you through the essentials of narrative plotting.
Here’s what you’ll get as part of Story Structure for Novelists:
3 Full Video Courses
Discover story structure in depth with these three complete video courses:
- Anatomy of a Premise Line with Jeff Lyons (2.5 hours): Find the emotional driving force that guides your story, and distill it into a simple, powerful premise line.
- How to Avoid the “Mushy Middle” of Any Story with Jeff Lyons (1.5 hours): Learn how to keep your novel taut and compelling through its middle section.
- How to Write Beginnings and Endings with Sarah Aronson (2 hours): Ask yourself the right questions to start and end your novel with style and impact.
3 Written Modules on Scene Writing, Story Pacing, and Plot Structure
Work your way up from the story’s smallest unit—the scene—into the full plot and structure of a novel.
13 Worksheets, Handy Resources, and Guides
Each video course is packed with exclusive worksheets and templates that map out your story’s structure and help you visualize the bones of your novel’s narrative arc.
What You’ll Learn
Master story structure, and gain the freedom to write the very best version of your novel. In Story Structure for Novelists, you will:
- Learn how to craft compelling, effective scenes—that then stitch together into full narrative arcs.
- Understand concepts in narrative patterning, including A Plots and B Plots and how they intertwine.
- Determine whether your story idea has the makings of a novel that can be both written and pitched to publishers.
- Develop story structures that honor the moral dilemmas at the heart of any great story.
- Figure out exactly how your novel should start and end.
“I learned so much about mapping my story’s structure and how that can guide my writing and, as a result, save me precious time.”
Alex Pastorino
In-Depth Advice from Expert Novelists
This course combines materials from three of our best courses on story structure: Anatomy of a Premise Line and How to Firm Up the “Mushy Middle” of Any Story with Jeff Lyons, and How to Write Beginnings and Endings with Sarah Aronson.
Together, Jeff and Sarah have:
- Written industry-leading books on storytelling and story structure.
- Coached and represented award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors.
- Taught hundreds of novelists through to publication.
Supportive Mindset for Novelists
Included FREE when you purchase Story Structure for Novelists before Sunday, May 11!
Don’t let this be another course that sits on your hard drive unused…
Get live support and accountability in a community of other novelists—and get your novel written!
Supportive Mindset for Novelists is a four-week live group program beginning Wednesday, May 13, with novelist and Writers.com Community Manager Elle LaMarca.
Week 1: Trust Yourself & Trust the Process
You’ll let go of perfectionism and creative blocks, to free yourself to write.
Week 2: Build Resilience; Challenge Resistance
Learn how to write through ups and downs.
Week 3: Rewrite the Narrative—Building a Sustainable Practice
Set yourself up with a writing practice you can rely on.
Week 4: The Writer’s Compass
Connect, or reconnect, with your creative purpose.
Join For:
- Weekly live calls.
- A supportive community of fellow novelists.
- Creative prompts and writing exercises.
- One month full access to the Writers.com Community.
- A dedicated online space for your writing and questions.
This course includes:
6 hours of expert video workshops
3 written modules on story structure
13 in-depth worksheets and guides
Perfect If: You want to tell your story with confidence.
Open To: Novelists and aspiring novelists of all levels.
$149.00
$149.00Enroll Now
100% money-back guarantee for 14 days, no questions asked.
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Join dozens of happy writers!
“I’ve never been so clear about my story, and I truly believe Jeff is the reason behind it.”
—Allison Smith
Meet Your Instructors
Jeff Lyons
Jeff Lyons is a traditionally published fiction/nonfiction author, screenwriter, and story development consultant in the film, television, and publishing industries. He has worked with major studios like NBCU and Columbia Pictures, and leading independent producers and film and television production companies.
Jeff’s books on story structure and storytelling include: Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Master Premise and Story Development for Writing Success (Focal Press, 2015), Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller (Focal Press, 2020), and The Story-Subplot Connection: How to Develop Subplots for Screenwriters and Novelists (Focal Press, 2021).
Sarah Aronson
Sarah Aronson began writing in 2000, when someone in an exercise class dared her to try. Since then, she has earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has published several novels for children and young adults, including: Head Case, Beyond Lucky, and Believe, and the chapter book series, The Worst Fairy Godmother Ever. She is also the author of the picture books Just like Rube Goldberg, Brand New Bubbe, and the newly released, Abzuglutely!: Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug.
Sarah is the co-founder and director of Writing Novels for Young People Retreat at VCFA and teaches whenever she can for the Highlights Foundation. She reviews novels for Jewish Book World. Her mantras are “Try everything,” and “Celebrate Every Milestone,” for both her classes and writing.