The process of writing a novel involves a lot more than just putting one sentence after another. Think: complicated logistics, careful plotting, tangled backstories, and more. Even if these details never make it to the page, they bolster the story. If you’re in the early stages of writing your novel (or have an idea that you’d like to flesh out into a novel), this half-day online workshop can help you build the scaffolding that will support your story from start to finish.

Novelist, editor, and writing coach M. C. Benner Dixon, Ph.D., author of the craft writing book Millions of Suns: On Writing and Life and the award-winning novel The Height of Land, will guide you through exercises related to plot outlines, character development, world-building, and timeline management.

Compare notes with other writers in the workshop and deepen your connections in the writing community. You’ll leave the workshop with a scaffold in place so that you can get to the writing.