Write Your Novel! The Workshop With Jack

with Jack Smith

pandora-s-box-magrette

January 1, 2025
10 Weeks

$645.00

$645.00Enroll Now

Write Your Novel!

If you want to get a good start on a novel in just ten weeks, or revise a portion of a novel you’ve already written, you’ll benefit from taking this course.  Give your imagination free rein.  Move steadily ahead and count the pages!

During the ten weeks of this class, you’ll learn or restudy the basics, get a good start on a first draft or revise part of an existing manuscript and discuss with your fellow writers novels that you find interesting.  Plan on submitting up to 3,000 words each week. You won’t finish a novel in ten weeks, but you can write half of a short novel and finish it by taking the class again or on your own.

You should focus on character and story, but each week you’ll be asked to think about another element of fiction as it relates to your novel-in-progress.  If you want to go back and make changes, that’s fine, but the main thing is to stay up as much as possible in order to complete as much of a rough draft as possible in the time allowed.  You can always make changes later.

Built into the course is the final assignment on revision strategies.  Most novelists do more than one revision, so even if you’re intending to take the class to revise a novel you’ve written, you’ll probably need to do more revision.

This is a highly interactive class: you’ll receive feedback at all stages from your fellow writers and your instructor.

Open to beginning as well as advanced writers.

Jack Smith was very good and very encouraging. I got my novel finished in this session!
—Sylvia Schwarz

Course Outline

Week One: Getting started

Start with a primer on the basic elements of fiction and the process of writing fiction.  Write a preliminary outline for your novel. Think in terms of the five-stage plot structure.

Week Two: Your first 3,000 words

Knock out 500 words a day (or revise an existing novel) with your focus on character and story.  Keep your eye out for conflict—for complication and rising action.

Week Three:  Your second 3,000 words

Keep going with your story.  Think about making your protagonist more complex.  As you do, your story might make an unexpected turn.

Week Four: Your third 3,000 words

Watch for ways to make secondary characters—supporting characters and your antagonist (if you have one)—more interesting.

Week Five: Your fourth 3,000 words

Heighten the tension.  Has your protagonist overcome an obstacle?  Look for a rug-pulling or reversal.  It may occur in later pages.  Don’t force anything.  Focus on the difference between narrative summary and narrative scene.

Week Six:  Your fifth 3,000 words

Keep going.  Focus on scenes with dialogue of two types: dialogue and minimal action (dramatic point of view); dialogue with interspersed action, description, and character thoughts (one character’s point of view).

Week Seven: Your sixth 3,000 words

Focus on good prose: exposition and description (of setting as well as character). (Note: if you’re working on the second half of your novel, keep in mind the climax of the 5-stage plot structure. It may occur soon.)

Week Eight: Your seventh 3,000 words

Now focus on voice. Do you like the voice so far? What would it take to make it more interesting?  Is it the prose itself?  What about the scenes—the dialogue?  Is it something about the protagonist?  (Note: if you’re working on the second half of your novel, keep in mind the falling action of the five-stage plot structure.)

Week Nine: Your eighth 3,000 words

Focus again on plot.  Has your protagonist overcome an obstacle?  Look for a reversal, but again don’t force anything.  Look for ways to foreshadow future plot developments and/or echo previous ones.  Don’t engineer anything.  Subtlety is the key. (Note: if you’re working on the second half of your novel, keep in mind the resolution.)

Week Ten:  Develop revision plans for your completed half.

Why Take a Novel Writing Course with Writers.com?

  • We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and we are here for one reason: to support you on your writing journey.
  • Small groups keep our online writing classes lively and intimate.
  • Work through your weekly written lectures, course materials, and writing assignments at your own pace.
  • Share and discuss your work with classmates in a supportive class environment.
  • Award-winning instructor Jack Smith will offer you direct, personal feedback and suggestions on every assignment you submit.

$645.00Enroll Now


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Student Feedback for Jack Smith:

Both the expert analysis from Jack and the gracious feedback from other classmates were invaluable to my writing process. Jack pointed out things I hadn't thought of while also giving direction on writing that needed reworking. I'm confident that this course has made me a better writer. Highly recommend it! Keith Murphy

Excellent experience, it guided/forced me to create the structure of the novel before trying to tell the story. Tammera Bollman

Great class! It was fun to experiment with the limitlessness of fiction. Jack is a great teacher—he was very accessible and responded promptly to assignments and questions. Jaki Eisman

Wonderful. Jack delivered fresh perspectives on my writing that I haven't gotten anywhere else. Ian Fossberg

Jack was very constructive with his feedback. I was very lucky to share the course with competent, positive, and constructive students. I learned a lot and enjoyed the process! Jose Di Mase

Jack was great - a perfect combination of praise and useful guidance. He was supportive and encouraging throughout and always on hand to answer any questions. I plan to do more courses with him. Paul Kimm

Really good. Jack is supportive and enthusiastic and honest. Erica Eisdorfer

Jack's lessons and assignments were just what I wanted—I have generated much new writing and practiced the skill of fictionalizing my 'material' and freeing myself from the confines of writing exactly how things happened. Eileen Wiard

I began the course with ideas and some experience writing from another one of Jack's courses, and I have ended the eight weeks with a solid plot outline. As Jack wrote to me when he sent his feedback, I am ready to write my novel! Resham Karfa

Jack is a fabulous teacher, and his course was perfect for me. The assignments and Jack's guidance helped me gain confidence and set myself free from the "tyranny" of facts, in Jack's words. The experience was very liberating, enjoyable, and productive. Dung-Chi Tran

I moved forward with my story because of Jack's direction and went much further than would have happened without these sessions. Jack's feedback was clear and helped me consider revisions that improve the flow and plot ideas. Jack responds quickly to submissions and questions, which is assuring. Cheryl Israel

I appreciated Jack's thoughtful critiques, both of my work and of the work of my classmates. Jack and my classmates were very helpful. Jack's critiques definitely assisted me in making this a stronger manuscript. Sharon O'Toole

I found the earlier exercises extremely helpful and came away feeling encouraged about my novel idea and excited to continue working on it. [Jack] was accessible and encouraging and gave excellent feedback. I would take another of his classes, perhaps when I am farther along with my project and looking for structure and feedback. I just want to say again how much I appreciated the teacher's attentive and individualized feedback and encouragement. This was my first fiction-writing experience, and it felt like a risk. I was in good hands with Jack. Elizabeth Hawkins

Excellent and beyond. Gordon Pelton

I couldn't ask for a better instructor. Jack shared a wealth of resource materials, allowed us to submit lengthy pieces of work, and gave detailed feedback and made suggestions for improvement. I really enjoyed this course, thanks to Jack Smith's leadership and the class participants. What more could you ask for?

This course was a great educational experience. I look forward to working with Jack more in the future. Cheryl Johnson

Jack was very patient and attentive. His comments were on the mark and he made helpful suggestions. Having a group of intelligent and sympathetic readers, including Jack, was enormously helpful. Especially during this disjointed time, when weekends and weekdays blend together and I'm not able to meet with friends, I found it much easier to make progress. Barbara Ensor

Jack was very encouraging and provided me with helpful feedback. His comments are friendly but also critical, which is important with writing, as too many compliments and not enough critical opinions aren't helpful. The class content was engaging. I've already recommended the class to a friend and will continue to do so. And I'm taking another class at the moment. I've been very happy with my experience. Shay Meinecke

We had a great group: everyone was engaging, and Jack was wonderful. He was very prompt with feedback. He pointed out areas of improvement and was very encouraging, gave positive feedback on areas that were strong. I will take another class with Jack. Sharon Mirza

I came out of the course feeling much more confident than I was when I started it, with pieces in my writing that I can use. I am also happy to have discovered that memoir and fiction are not mutually exclusive but can be blended to create new truths. Sharon Bakar

Jack does an excellent job of accepting each of his students where they are on their writing journey. Anne Virtue

Though I have gained much valuable knowledge from the workshops I have taken at Writers.com, I felt it would be advantageous for me to get private tutoring as well.  After much hesitation, I read several stories instructor Jack Smith had posted on the site.  His stories resonated with me, so I took the plunge and connected with Jack.   It was one of the best things I have done for my writing in a very long time.  Jack is a personable and pleasant fellow whose suggestions and advice were of immeasurable value to the story I submitted for his critique.  Moreover, I felt I received very good value for the time spent on the piece.

I fully intend to continue working with Jack into the future.  I am confident my writing will consistently improve as a result of the tutoring I will receive from Jack Smith. Rebecca Hanley

I was adrift; writing brings me a great deal of joy and somehow I wasn't able to begin. I couldn't make the dive. Jack's assignments helped me put a toe in. And his responses to my writing helped me tread water. And then: momentum! So I'm very grateful. Erica Eisdorfer

This was probably the best online writing class I’ve taken in terms of what I learned from it and class participation. I found the lessons very useful, and will incorporate them in how I write... Jack was very thoughtful, conscientious, and informative. He did a great job with the class... I would definitely recommend your classes. This was my second class from you, and I’m enrolled in Jack’s May novel writing class...I’ve taken online writing classes from UCLA, Gotham, Writer’s Digest, and Writers.com. I must say I’ve really enjoyed Writers.com. Thank you! Bill Hughes

The weekly assignments for Jack Smith's new course on Writing Autobiographical Fiction served to focus our efforts. A wide range of topics allowed us to probe our memories to create memoirs and then turn them into fiction. This process is an effective exercise and it got my creative juices flowing. Barbara Levin
Jack is a fantastic teacher. He is infinitely patient, doesn't take anything personally, and he is supportive without relinquishing his desire to provide us with detailed, specific, constructive criticism. I of course worked with him longer later and was very impressed with his ability to refrain from taking offense when I did not use one of his suggestions, but simply anticipate why I might be hesitant to do so and offer a solution that could satisfy the need I had which prevented me from making changes to the text to begin with. In other words, he is humble, smart, and flexible; even wise, and that is not a word I use lightly. He seems to find the balance between allowing students their own style and self-expression while correcting everything that needs to be corrected. Finally, I really appreciated in Jack his sense of humor, which is subtle and compassionate. His way of constructing a class and giving feedback allows students to feel encouraged and supported even when he is busy with correcting our text and way of working so we may become better writers. He just kept on making suggestions patiently on where and how I could use an image to help my scene, so that without even noticing, I acquired a good habit and will never again NOT think of using more visuals with descriptions. Same goes for using action instead of telling, or avoiding clichés. I hope you will use Jack for more classes in the future, he is truly a gifted teacher....

Thank you for creating and leading the best online writing website I have tried (and I have tried several). Marcella Agh

I enjoyed [the novella class]. I also really enjoyed the suggested reading. I realized the first week I wasn’t quite prepared. Jack’s suggestion to beef up my outline was the best advice I could have received. It wasn’t easy writing those 3000 words a week, but at least I didn’t have to think “what” I needed to write about. With the outline, it came fairly easy... As for Jack ... I thought he was personable, but with just the right amount of “removed” to make a good reviewer. In my case, he pointed out things I didn’t even think about and he was very supportive. He focused mostly on concept, and in a first draft, I believe this is critical. I have recommended you to other people. I am glad you are there for me.  Anne Jennings

I found the lessons and the assignments to be inspiring and challenging.Jack gave helpful and encouraging feedback. He is a well read and accomplished writer, so his critique and input was astute. I think your offerings are fantastic. There is something for everyone, IMO. As a beginning writer, it's also nice that the classes all seem to be geared towards all levels. I can already see that you get what you put in with the classes, and that's ideal. I would definitely recommend your classes. I immediately enrolled in another class, so yes, I will probably keep taking classes with your site! Debra Barclay

Jack Smith is a very good teacher to work with. So much that I will be taking another course with him in a month! His assignments were clear, his resources useful, and his feedback rapid and helpful. He responded swiftly to questions and gave advice on how to grow for the following week, and overall. Resham Karfa

[Jack] consistently provided detailed, thoughtful and helpful feedback. I’ve taken many courses with Writers.com so my repeated presence says more than any words I can add. Shawn Montgomery

Jack is excellent at gently pointing out how what you've written might not work or might not come across as authentic. His comments and suggestions are clear and very helpful. Reading other students writing and comments on their work gives depth to the whole experience. I really learned a lot from his guidance to me and to the other students. The additional reading materials Jack provided are excellent. Louise Aiello

I was very pleased with the class. Jack gave me great feedback. I think I made real progress on my novel and hope to take this class again in March. Jack is able to point out areas where you need more development as well as compliment your writing when he feels it is good. His feedback was invaluable to me. I've already recommended this course to my writing friends. It was so practical in helping me push through the writing of a novel and it's made me believe that I will actually complete it!  Julia Gentile

January 1, 2025
10 Weeks

$645.00

$645.00Enroll Now

About

Jack Smith’s MA is in creative writing, his PhD in English. He has published six novels and four nonfiction books. His novels include: If Winter Comes (2020), RUN (2020), Miss Manners for War Criminals (2017), Being (2016), Icon (2014), and Hog to Hog, which won the 2007 George Garrett Fiction Prize and was published by Texas Review Press in 2008. His seventh novel, Madness, the first in his series FATE, is scheduled to be published soon by Pierian Springs Press. Amor Fati is to be published on Valentine’s Day, and Mayhem, the second in the series FATE, is to be published later in 2025. He is currently at work on the third in the series, entitled Chaos.  He has published stories in a number of literary magazines, including Southern Review, North American Review, Texas Review, Xconnect, In Posse Review, and Night Train. His reviews have appeared widely in such publications as California Review of Books, Ploughshares, Georgia Review, American Book Review, Prairie Schooner, Mid-American Review, Pleiades, the Missouri Review, Xconnect, and Environment magazine. He has published several dozen articles in both Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market and The Writer magazine.  His creative writing book, Write and Revise for Publication: A 6-Month Plan for Crafting an Exceptional Novel and Other Works of Fiction, was published in 2013 by Writer’s Digest Books. A collection of his articles—Inventing the World: The Fiction Writer's Guidebook to Craft and Process—was published by Serving House Books in 2018. His latest nonfiction book is Contributions to Literature: A Tribute to Small Press Books. His coauthored nonfiction environmental book entitled Killing Me Softly was published by Monthly Review Press in 2002. Besides his writing, Smith was fiction editor of The Green Hills Literary Lantern, an online literary magazine published by Truman State University, for 25 years.