Your Novel Year
This small-group mentorship for novelists, delivered via live video conference, is yet one more manifestation of my writing philosophy: You don’t have to go it alone.
Whether you are writing your first novel or wrestling down your third, if you are seeking support for its journey, Your Novel Year is the program for you!
Your Novel Year begins anew each January, but applications are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year. Use the contact button below if you’re ready to apply, or if you have questions.
In Kathryn's words...
Back in 2000, while floundering my way through my first novel, it was quickly apparent I needed more education. Not in writing—I’d already been a published dance critic for two decades—but in storytelling. With no interest in collecting another graduate degree, I instead waded through dozens of workshops, conferences, and craft books before finally figuring out how to structure a story capable of creating an emotional connection with a reader.
I don’t regret the process, as I met so many inspiring writers, teachers, and publishing professionals. But key lessons arrived in a jumble, so that for too long I missed why story works. Peer feedback often felt like the blind leading the blind. With no mentor who was familiar with the novel I was attempting to write, I often felt lost. In the end, the cost was high: ten years of my life, and almost as much money as I would have spent on a Master of Fine Arts—a degree that these days can cost $30-70K yet still might not result in publication.
If I could do it all over again—but better!—What would I change?
While we can never go back, I could apply my teaching degrees, my experience as a developmental editor, conference presenter, and writing craft blogger to this wish list—as well as that PhD equivalency from the School of Hard Knocks, of course—to smooth the path for those struggling with their own novels. So in 2018, I took all these crinkled shoulda-coulda-wouldas, ironed them out, and used them to create a year of craft workshops, discussions, and feedback that participants can apply while drafting or revising their novels.
Your Novel Year is the answer
Your Novel Year will support you in finishing your novel through:
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two-hour craft workshops throughout the year that will inform structurally sound decision-making
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page turn-ins that will encourage you to stay accountable for pushing forward
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expert feedback that will keep you on track with the story you intend to tell
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group discussion of key scenes (without having to read each other’s pages!) to enhance their emotional power
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up to two hours of one-on-one phone support
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20% off a developmental edit if used within one year of program completion
Sound useful? My credentials, testimonials, and fees are in my brochure.
If you have questions, or are ready to apply, click the link below to fill out the application form.