About This Workshop

How to Finally Get Started on that Novel With Amy Shearn

A big part of writing a novel is making decisions and sticking with them. Many aspiring novelists get tangled up trying to write every kind of book at once or fail to approach their choices strategically.

In this workshop we will demystify the process by discussing eight key craft topics to focus on when getting started. By the end of the workshop, you'll be fully prepared for your novel-writing journey ahead.

Workshop Takeaways

• Assess Your Idea: Learn if your idea has enough depth for a novel or is better suited to a short story or essay.

• Know Your Protagonist: Deepen your understanding of your main character through practical exercises.

• Find Your Voice: Determine if the book’s voice matches or differs from your writing style.

• Clarify Your Plot: Pinpoint what your characters want and the obstacles in their way.

• Build Immersive Settings: Create a vivid world and detailed interiors.

• Choose the Right POV: Avoid common pitfalls and find the ideal perspective for your story.

• Know Your Reader: Define your audience and align your writing with your goals.

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About The Instructor

Amy Shearn is the award-winning author of the novels Dear Edna Sloane, Unseen City, The Mermaid of Brooklyn, and How Far Is the Ocean From Here, as well as the forthcoming Animal Instinct (Putnam, 2025). She has worked as an editor at Medium, JSTOR, Conde Nast, and other organizations, and has taught creative writing at NYU, Sackett Street Writers Workshop, the Yale Writers' Workshop, and Writing Co-Lab, an experimental cooperative she helped found. Amy's work has appeared in many publications including the New York Times Modern Love column, Slate, Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Coastal Living. Amy has an MFA from the University of Minnesota, and lives in Brooklyn with her two children. You can find her at amyshearnwrites.com or @amyshearn.Writing a novel. It’s like running a marathon or climbing a mountain: one of those stretch goals that can change you. When you’ve done it, whew, there’s nothing like that sense of accomplishment! And, like with running a marathon or climbing a mountain, the process itself – training, let’s call it – is something that will seep into every corner of your life