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* Seminar price includes a copy of The Novel Project by Graeme Simsion.

Participants in face to face courses must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must comply with any other precautionary measures Writing NSW puts in place. Course participants are currently required to wear a mask while in the classroom.

A novel, unlike that story in a bar or a two-thousand-word essay, is a substantial project which can seem like an impossible feat, whether you’re figuring out where to start or you’re 30,000 words in with nowhere to go.

‘Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.’ This oft-misattributed quote reflects a general sentiment about writing as romantic, tortuous and, implicitly, unteachable. This seminar introduces another approach, based on established theories of creativity and design, to adopt a more structured and reliable process.

In this seminar on novel writing, story structure and project management, bestselling author Graeme Simsion demystifies the secrets behind his beloved Rosie trilogy and other international bestsellers The Best of Adam Sharp and Two Steps Forward.

You’ll learn how to approach your manuscript as a project, with a clear path from conception to a final manuscript.  The process is broken down into no-nonsense, practical steps that you can actually do. And better yet, this seminar is designed so that you can adapt each part of the process to your own individual project.

Please note: this seminar is delivered in a lecture-style setup, so participants will not have desks, and no writing exercises will be undertaken or workshopped on the day. Questions and discussion will, however, be encouraged.

Each participant will receive a copy of The Novel Project: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Novel, Memoir or Biography which is full of practical and hands-on information to keep you on track. Your copy of the book will be distributed on the day of the seminar.

Is this course right for you? Read our FAQ >

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. A top-view and practical understanding of the steps involved in the novel-writing process from conception to final draft, and the ability to adapt and apply this to the plan the undertaking of a long-form fiction or narrative non-fiction project;
2. A comprehensive view of how each step in the process relates to writing craft, including how to develop a concept and brainstorm ideas; how to create a comprehensive and useable outline; how to write from an outline; how to write and edit a first draft; and how to revise and edit the manuscript for publication.
3. A variety of easily replicable techniques to use when facing creative blocks or unsure where to go next.

Participant requirements

Feel free to bring a fully charged device or pen and paper for note-taking. Please read our FAQ before enrolling.

If you are feeling unwell and experiencing any COVID-related symptoms on the day of the course, you must stay at home and contact us to let us know. As a participant in this course, you will be required to follow all COVID safety measures in place by Writing NSW to ensure the health and wellbeing of our community.

If you have questions about this course and/or COVID-safe guidelines, please contact us.

More from Writing NSW

Check out our full range of in-person writing courses in Sydney, our online writing courses and our feedback programs to see how we can help you on your writing journey. Find out about our grants and prizes, as well as writing groups across NSW, and sign up to our weekly newsletter for writing events, opportunities and giveaways.