Register for upcoming webinars to save the date and get helpful reminders beforehand to join webinars live. Join us for talks on diverse writing craft topics, from character arcs to dialogue, plot development, planning, finding your own writing voice, and more.

Upcoming dates

Wednesday 27 March 2024
09:00 PDT / 12:00 EDT / 16:00 GMT / 18:00 SAST

Let's plot

with Nerine Dorman

Bring your writing paper and pencils, your wild ideas, and your wide-eyed wonder. We're going to make it up on the fly, talk about what makes a good story, and how to breathe life into an outline.

About the speakers

Romy Sommer - Now Novel Writing Coach and Editor
Romy Sommer
  • Author of seven novels published by HarperCollins London, as well as seven self-published titles
  • Founder of ROSA (Romance writers Organisation of South Africa)
  • First South African to be nominated for the prestigious RWA Rita® Award
  • Now Novel writing coach
Jordan Kantey - Now Novel writing coach and editor
Jordan Kantey
  • 10 years' experience editing fiction and content
  • Now Novel Writing coach since 2016
  • Honours in English Literature (with distinction)
  • Special interest in literary, historical, and contemporary fiction
Arja Salafranca - Now Novel Writing coach and editor
Arja Salafranca
  • Poet, author, essayist, journalist and editor
  • Author of award-winning poetry collections, A Life Stripped of Illusions and Beyond Touch
  • Debut collection of short stories, The Thin Line
  • Editor of three collections of prose and short stories
  • Holds an MA in Creative Writing
Hedi Lampert - Now Novel Writing coach and editor
Hedi Lampert
  • Mondi Award-winning writer and editor
  • Experienced features writer
  • Author of fictionalized memoir, The Trouble with My Aunt
  • Special interest in creative memoir and life-writing
Nerine Dorman - Now Novel Writing coach and editor
Nerine Dorman
  • Editor and multi-published author
  • Editor of the Bloody Parchment anthologies
  • Author of award-winning YA novel Sing Down the Stars
  • Special interest in science fiction, fantasy, horror and YA

Archived webinar series

It's your story to tell

Coach Hedi Lampert will discuss memoir and autobiographical fiction, focussing on tips and techniques to create a page turner.

It's your story to tell webinar

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Exclusive interview: Author Bonnie Traymore reveals how to make your book a hit (public)

Join Now Novel co-founder Brendan McNulty as he interviews Author (and Now Novel member) Bonnie Traymore on driving a successful marketing campaign. Get practical tips and hands-on advice to prep for your own book launch.

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Blending elements of fiction writing with telling a true story, creative non-fiction is a fun and exciting way to tell a story.

What is Creative Nonfiction? webinar

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Writing an effective hook query letter (public)

Trident Media Group VP and literary agent Mark Gottlieb’s Writing an Effective Hook Query Letter class is an intensive on query letter writing. The course will lend participants a feel for comfortable writing in the fashion of selling a book idea to an agent, editor, or publisher. Rarely is such an industry insider craft shared. This is an excellent opportunity to get your book idea before a literary agent from Trident Media Group, publishing's #1-ranked literary agency.

How to craft an effective scene

Romy Sommer discusses the purpose of scenes, scene structure, and how to create strong scene openings and endings to hook the reader.

How to craft an effective scene webinar

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Travel writing

An introduction to the genre and, briefly, where travel writing is published. Then we'll do some exercises. Bring a postcard, make up your own, or print from the internet.

Travel writing webinar

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Get to grips with writing a novella

What is a novella and why should you write one? Some pointers and some exercises to get you started. If you are already writing one we have some exercise that will advance your writing.

Get to grips with writing a novella webinar

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What novelists can learn from K-dramas

Korean TV shows (K-dramas) have become globally popular, hooking viewers and creating a devoted fanbase. In this webinar, we'll look at the lessons novelists can learn from these shows to hook readers and create their own insatiable fans. You don't need to have watched a K-drama to enjoy this webinar, but be warned: you might just become a fan by the end of it!

What novelists can learn from K-dramas webinar

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Harness the power of PR through storytelling & relationship building (public)

In this webinar, you’ll learn why it’s important to share your story to get in front of the right readers, how to recognize the limiting beliefs and mindset blocks stopping you from moving forward sharing your story, how to push past them, and use your story to build the right relationships with key media that will help you get in front of readers.

Biography Meets Myth

Biography is about historical events. Myth is about using a story to find meaning in real lived events. Marry the two and you can add universal appeal to an otherwise personal viewpoint. Join this hands-on workshop and start discovering the mythical themes behind your own history.

Biography Meets Myth webinar

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Nerine Dorman Interviews Kate Elliott (public)

Now Novel coach Nerine Dorman is in conversation with American fantasy author Kate Elliott, to discuss world building with view to transcending the tropes and subverting expectations.

Journal Writing Workshop

Come to know yourself - or your characters. After looking at some examples of journal writing, we'll get onto doing some writing exercises. You can use these to explore your fictional characters better, or you can write autobiographical pieces.

Journal Writing Workshop webinar

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Getting the Balance Right. Focus on Dialogue, Character and Exposition.

Balance – the key to writing beautifully. Dialogue, narration, character development and exposition, show vs tell, bringing in emotion. Sure, it's daunting, and how do you do it anyway? And how much is too much or not enough? In this session we focus on including all these elements and getting the balance right.

Getting the Balance Right. Focus on Dialogue, Character and Exposition. webinar

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Writing Exercises Workshop

Join editor and Crits Live host Jordan Kantey for a fun, interactive workshop where we answer short writing prompts and work on elements of craft such as description, dialogue, hook-writing, and creating a compelling narrative voice.

Writing Exercises Workshop webinar

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Hooking the Reader

How to create an opening scene that is guaranteed to hook readers.

Hooking the Reader webinar

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Genre: Horror/Thriller

Romy Sommer of Now Novel interviews horror/thriller author Joan de la Haye in this final instalment of our 2022 genre-themed series.

Genre: Horror/Thriller webinar

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The Emotional Side of Writing

Coach Romy Sommer discusses the emotional side of writing - expectations, procrastination, self-doubt, writers' block, writing with depression/chronic illness.

The Emotional Side of Writing webinar

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Interview with Charlotte Colwill and Kay Peddle

Brendan of Now Novel interviews UK literary agents Charlotte Colwill and Kay Peddle.

Interview with Charlotte Colwill and Kay Peddle webinar

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Genre: Paranormal

Coach Nerine Dorman discusses writing in the paranormal genre.

Genre: Paranormal webinar

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Genre: Romance

An introduction to the conventions and reader expectations of the world's best-selling genre.

Genre: Romance webinar

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Genre: Young Adult

Author and writing coach Nerine Dorman discusses writing for Young Adult readers.

Genre: Young Adult webinar

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Writing Sci Fi with Kate Baucherel (public)

Jordan Kantey interviews sci-fi author Kate Baucherel about her writing process and writing in the sci-fi genre.

Genre: Memoir

Coach Hedi Lampert discusses the skills and techniques needed for writing memoirs.

Genre: Memoir webinar

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Genre: Literary Fiction

Join coach Jordan Kantey as he delves into Literary Fiction, what it is, as well as its key elements.

Genre: Literary Fiction webinar

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The Writing Process

In this webinar, we look at the many different writing processes and plotting methods available to authors.

The Writing Process webinar

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Introduction to Genre Fiction

This webinar kicks off our series profiling different fiction genres, and gives an overview of the genres covered throughout the series.

Introduction to Genre Fiction webinar

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Writing Cosy Mysteries with Catherine Coles (public)

We chat with British historical cozy mystery author Catherine Coles about writing in the mystery genre as well as her career and writing process.

Creating Characters

Fun ways to create believable and compelling characters.

Creating Characters webinar

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What is Group Coaching? (public)

A Q&A with our coaches in which we discuss how the Now Novel group coaching program works.

Self-Publishing

Everything you need to know before you take the leap into self-publishing for the first time

Self-Publishing webinar

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Story Structure

Classic three-act structure made simple - understanding the major plot points in order to craft a strong plot outline

Story Structure webinar

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Getting Started

What do you need to do to get started with writing your new novel? This session gives an overview on how to set goals, how to make writing a priority, and includes fun exercises to get the creative juices flowing.

Getting Started webinar

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Showing vs Telling

Learn about showing vs telling in writing. Get practical advice on how to make your stories a more immersive reader experience.

Showing vs Telling webinar

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Character Arcs

Learn about creating character arcs that make your readers invest in characters’ journeys.

Character Arcs webinar

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Dialogue Writing (free preview)

Learn how to write good dialogue that is full of purpose and four key functions of dialogue.