Wednesdays (and 1 Thursday) May 20 - July 15
July 1st is skipped due to the holiday
6-8 PM
Novel Architecture: 8 Weeks to a Full Manuscript
Building a book is an act of architecture, not just inspiration. This 8-week production sprint is designed to take you from a raw concept in Week 1 to a completed, structurally sound and revised manuscript by Week 8. We strip away the paralysis of perfectionism and focus purely on narrative pacing, thematic weight, forward momentum, and the publishing process including editing and querying.
All supplies included. Participants will receive a notebook and reading guide that follow the course, but are also welcome to bring their own laptop.
Just stuck on a specific part? Email us at info@arteasystudio.com about dropping in on single sessions.
Session | Title | Core Deliverable (In-Session) | Homework |
1 May 20 | The Spark | Three premises drafted; one chosen | 3 developed premises; choose one project |
2 May 27 | People on the Page | Character Blueprint + Dialogue Scene | Revised Blueprint; revised dialogue scene to 1–2 pages |
3 June 4 (Thursday) | Architecture Part 1 | Tension Audit completed | Completed Tension Audit; begin thinking about 10 key scenes |
4 June 10 | Architecture Part 2 | Scene-by-scene outline built; opening scene started | Complete outline (10+ scenes); 1,500-word opening scene |
5 June 17 | Voice & Style | POV rewrite; Voice Lab exercises | Polished 1,500-word opening scene; full Voice Lab |
6 June 24 | The Draft | 30-minute writing sprint; workshop prep | 3,000+ words; 2 pages for workshop |
7 July 8 | Workshop | All students workshopped | Continue drafting; review Self-Edit Checklist |
8 July 15 | Revision & Beyond | Completion Plan written | Finish the draft |
