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12 Months to a Completed Novel: a Generative Book Workshop with Swan Huntley, Starts January 20th, 2025
Regular price
$7,200.00

12 Months to a Completed Novel: a Generative Book Workshop with Swan Huntley, Starts January 20th, 2025


Unit price per

The program will start on January 20th, 2025

Please do not pay for the program until you receive a formal acceptance notification via email.

Click HERE to Apply by December 1st, 2024. Early applications are encouraged as space is limited.

Any questions about this mentorship? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.

Instructor Swan Huntley’s novels include I Want You More, Getting Clean with Stevie Green, The Goddesses, and We Could Be Beautiful. She’s also the writer/illustrator of the darkly humorous The Bad Mood Book and You’re Grounded: An Anti-Self-Help Book to Calm You the F*ck Down. Swan earned an MFA at Columbia University and has received fellowships from MacDowell and Yaddo. She lives in Los Angeles.

Read an interview with Swan about this upcoming year-long program.


About Swan's Novels
:  

"Huntley writes with wit and verve, excelling at economically hilarious descriptions... The book's strengths lie... in the zippy social satire, in the portrait of a dysfunctional family (Catherine's relationship with her sister turns out to be especially affecting) and, most of all, in Catherine's voice--strange and funny and engaging to the very end."  -Jennifer DuBois, The New York Times Book Review  

"An engrossing portrait of female friendship, Huntley’s sophomore novel explores the risks and rewards of finding an unexpected soul mate. Readers who enjoyed Camille Pagán’s Life and Other Near-Death Experiences and the works of Meg Wolitzer will savor the slow burn of this expressive and electric novel."  -Stephanie Turza, Booklist (Starred Review)  

“Huntley slowly and skillfully reveals the extent of Jane’s deceptions. The novel we are reading is not the whitewashed memoir Zara produced. It’s much better.” -Washington Post

12 Months To A Completed Novel: A Generative Workshop with Swan Huntley

First Page To Final Page: Write Your Novel in a Year

35 sessions / Day of the Week + Meeting Times (Mondays 6:00PM — 8:15PM EST)

In this 12-month workshop, writers will finish a full manuscript of their novel with support from their peers and from Swan.

The course will be split into three sections:

1. Lectures, Exercises + Guest Speakers (10 sessions, January 20 – March 24, 2025)

The first section of this course will consist of generative in-class writing exercises, guidance on how to outline a novel, and craft lectures by guest speakers who’ve published novels and have wisdom to share about what they did wrong – and right.

Writers are welcome to share new passages every time class meets if they’d like to. Each student will have two individual meetings with Swan. By the end of this section, writers will have a complete outline for their novels.    

2025 Guest Faculty will include (more to be confirmed):
  • Allison Larkin
  • Jen Silverman
  • Isabel Fonseca
  • Graham Moore
  • Maggie Shipstead,
  • Ivy Pochoda, and others. 

2. Workshops (15 sessions, March 31 – June 2, September 1 – 29)

The second section of this course will consist of workshops, during which students will give and receive feedback. Each student will submit up to 5,000 words three times during this period, and meet with Swan twice individually to discuss their progress.  

3. The Business of Getting Published (10 sessions, October 6 – December 8)

The last section of this course will be devoted to the business of publication.

Agents, editors, and published authors will join the class to talk about their experiences. This will be an opportunity for writers to talk about their goals with professionals from the literary world. Each student will meet once with Swan during this section to discuss their specific goals for moving forward.  

2025 Guest Faculty will include:
  • Maggie Langrick
  • Jordan Blumetti
  • Lisa Weinert
  • Aisha Muharrar
  • Tara Roy, and others. 
While this course cannot guarantee the publication of your manuscript, all writers should leave the course with a completed first draft of their manuscript and a greater understanding of how to build a literary career.

What you will receive:

  • 120 hours of instruction
  • A finished book to submit to contests, editors, and agents
  • Access to guest authors, editors, and agents
  • Peer and instructor feedback on 15,000 words
  • Five 45 minute 1:1 sessions with Swan
  • Exercises and readings
  • New friends and community

Click HERE to Apply.



TESTIMONIALS:


"Swan Huntley has a knack for understanding the heart of your story, even if it's not fully formed on the page. Her insights help pinpoint the best next steps to move the story toward its best version. She makes the painful process of coaxing a novel from thin air a fun one." -Pat Rogers  

“Working with Swan on my memoir made the process feel very smooth and organized. She is a pleasure to work with and also is very professional. I would absolutely recommend her in the future.”  -Amy Price  

"Collaborating with Swan was such a joy! Up against ever-changing deadlines, new materials, and unforeseen delays, her commitment and dedication to the project was nothing short of remarkable."  -Brandon Buechley

Tuition Payment:


Full Tuition for the 12-month program is $7,200 USD. You can pay the tuition in full or payment plans of varying installments are available upon acceptance to the course. Accepted writers must commit to the full year and meet all assigned deadlines.

FAQs:

Why not an MFA program?

This program combines the best things about an MFA program—community, mentorship, and intensive craft analysis—with specialized and practical publishing advice.

Why does this class cost so much?

The 12-month mentorship is an MFA-level course, taught by a published novelist who is also an experienced educator with years of creative writing teaching experience at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Your tuition helps pay your instructor a living wage, and covers the cost of booking guest speakers, arranging second readers, scheduling events, and administering the program.

Can I get a refund if I do not complete the program?

Once paid, your full tuition is nonrefundable. This is a selective program with limited spots. We are making a commitment to you for the full year and expect that you will do the same. For this reason, there are no refunds after your tuition has been paid.

I finished the mentorship When will I get published?

We can’t promise that every writer who leaves the 12-month novel generator will get published right away, or ever. Publishing is a tricky business, involving lots of luck and time—as students who enroll in this course will learn! That said, as publishers ourselves, we strongly believe that we can help prepare novelists to better navigate the publishing industry, and that our program and the connections made here will increase your chances of success.

In the course description, there are mentions of meetings with guest speakers. I want the details right now! Why can’t I have them?

People who work in publishing are busy, and we confirm guest speakers on a rolling basis, as their schedules permit.

I barely have an idea for a novel. Is this class too advanced? 

Maybe. How serious are you about the idea? If you just have an inkling, but you’re committed to coming in and focusing on that idea over the course of the year, this class might be the right fit for you. The key thing is that on the first day, you come ready to write. No one will write the pages of your novel for you, but this course can help you apply structure to your idea, and motivate you to finish the draft.

I have written several drafts of a novel, and I can’t seem to find an agent or figure out the next steps. Should I take this class? 

Absolutely. Sometimes taking a novel to the next level requires cracking it open and figuring out how it works, and the insight of new readers can help that process along. This class will give you a new perspective on your work and offer concrete next steps for you and your novel.

Additional Program Information:

  • Tuition is $7,200 USD.

  • No more than 10 writers will be accepted

  • Program Starts January 20th, 2025

  • The program is fully online and students may participate from anywhere.

  • NOTE: Shifting some dates around may be necessary but any changes will be communicated well in advance, if possible.

Contact us HERE if you have any questions about this program.

Click HERE to Apply.