How to Finish Your Novel (The Right Way)

“Writing a novel is such a big, emotional undertaking,” says instructor Kilby Blades. “A lot of authors make clouded decisions the closer they get to the end. Some turn into perfectionists who edit and re-edit for months or years before calling a manuscript complete or putting their work out there; others hire the wrong help and receive bad advice; others rush too quickly down the path to publication without a good understanding of industry. I wanted to teach a class that would address all of that.”

In this five-part series, we’ll discuss how to get to your first-draft finish line if you’re stuck, how to become a better self-editor using troubleshooting and problem-solving techniques, and how to know when your work is ready for other people to read. We’ll talk about how to choose critique partners, beta readers and editors, how to avoid common final-stage mistakes, and how to maximize your chances of an offer when you submit your work to publishers for consideration.

“THE END is just the beginning of your novel’s best life,” says instructor Kilby Blades. “As an author who is actively publishing in today’s marketplace, I’ll walk you through what that looks like today and demystify the process of getting your work into readers’ hands. I’ll also provide written feedback on a ‘Path to Publication’ plan we’ll work on in class.”

Students taking the class should be actively working on a novel, as there will be workshopping as part of the course.

About The Writing Salon's Remote Classes

You will be able to participate in live class meetings via Zoom videoconference. To attend classes, you'll need a phone, tablet or computer and access to the internet. You can participate in the class from wherever you'd like, whether on your living room couch or in your office. Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about Zoom and your remote class. If you have any questions about remote learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.