Draft:The Novelry

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The Novelry is an online fiction writing school founded by the award-winning novelist Louise Dean (author). She describes its aim as guiding aspiring authors from first idea to submission-ready manuscript.[1]

Background

The Novelry originated in 2017 when Dean announced a challenge in The Bookseller, inviting writers to join her in writing a novel in ninety days. Retrieved 27 May 2026 2026.[2] The call attracted around 200 applicants and The Novelry grew from that initial cohort. [3]

Building on the “90-day novel” format, Dean created the school’s prospectus of fast-track novel-writing and editing courses. With a culture based on collaboration, peer support, constructive feedback, and “tools not rules” the curriculum is structured around teaching, coaching, and community.[4] Courses are self-paced with live and recorded lessons and include one-to-one coaching sessions with published authors and professional book editors.[5] Guest instructors have included Kristin Hannah, Paula Hawkins, Yann Martel, Tayari Jones and Tami Hoag. [6]

Recognition and growth

The Novelry grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, attracting bestselling authors across a range of fiction genres as tutors and coaches Including Kate Riordon, Lesley Kara, Piers Torday, Amanda Reynolds, Bea Fitzgerald, Tara Conklin, Heather Webb, Colleen Oakley, Ella McLeod, Gina Sorell, Urban Waite and Evie Wyld.[7][8][9]

The growth enabled the school to recruit its own in-house team of book editors who have all worked at the “Big Five” publishing houses: Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan Publishers, and Simon & Schuster.[10][11][12][13][14]

In 2024, The Novelry expanded from its UK base into the US, partnering with authors and editors from major US publishing houses and US-based literary agencies.[15]

Notable alumni

The Novelry has built relationships with global literary agencies. When a student’s finished manuscript meets publishing standards, the school will introduce the writer to agents. Dean told Publishers Weekly, “...when we pitch our writers to literary agents, 75% of those who are accepted by agents will get major Big Five publishing deals."[16]

Award-winning and best-selling The Novelry alumni include:

  • Rosey Storey’s debut novel, Dandelion is Dead, was selected as one of the Best Books for Spring 2026 by Oprah Daily.[17]
  • Lynn Tavernier’s debut novel, The Lost Hours, was a finalist for the 2025 Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger award and a winner of the Killer Nashville Claymore Award for best unpublished mystery.[20]
  • Theo Clarke’s best-selling memoir, Breaking the Taboo, was short-listed for the Best Non-Fiction or Fiction by a Parliamentarian at the Westminster Book Awards 2025.[21]
  • Emma Nanami Strenner’s debut, My Other Heart, was Jenna Bush Hager's Read With Jenna book club pick for August 2025.[22]
  • Holly Race’s debut romantic fantasy novel, Six Wild Crowns, became an instant 2025 Sunday Times Bestseller.[23]
  • Monica Vuu’s debut novel, When One of Us Hurts, won the 2024 Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for Best Adult Crime Novel.[24]
  • Lucy Barker’s debut novel, The Other Side of Mrs Wood, was chosen as a 2023 New York Times Book Review Editor’s Pick.[25]
  • Karina Robles Bahrin won the Epigram Books of Fiction Prize 2022 for her debut novel, The Accidental Malay.[26]
  • Children’s novelist Susie Bower’s debut novel, School for Nobodies, was longlisted for the 2018 Bath Children’s Novel Award.[28]

The Next Big Story Prize

The Novelry launched a writing competition, The Next Big Story, in 2025, offering a prize of USD$100,000/£175,000 to an emerging writer. Over 22,200 contestants submitted the first three pages of a manuscript to be judged by a panel that included authors Tayari Jones, Yann Martel and Julia Quinn.[29] The winner, Stella Donovan, was awarded the prize and enrollment in The Novelry's The Finished Novel course.[30][31]

Edevo partnership

In 2025, the Novelry partnered with Edovo, a learning platform provider, to offer incarcerated people across the United States access to a version of the School’s writing courses.[32]

The Octopus Scheme

The Novelry ran a scholarship program called the Octopus Scheme in 2022 to fund places on its courses for writers from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds, including low-income households, primary carers, ex-offenders, writers with disabilities, writers of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.[33][34]

External


References

  1. "Top ten novels about novelists". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  2. "Louise Dean launches 90-day writers'community". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  3. "Louise Dean on how to write a novel". Harpers Bazarre. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  4. "Beyond The Creative Status Quo—How Creators Are Reinventing Success". Forbes. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  5. L.R., Lam (December 2023). "Teaching Writing In and Out of Academia". Writing in Education. Winter 2023 (90): 30–31. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  6. "The Novelry Online Writing School to expand into US". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  7. "The Novelry reveals expansion plans after 'massive growth' in pandemic". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  8. "Sceptre's Toon to join The Novelry as Joyce and string of authors appointed writing coaches". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  9. "Riordan's 'intoxicating' novel goes to PMJ". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  10. "Goudsmit Kay swaps Transworld for The Novelry". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  11. "PRH's Barsby and Lindon join Goudsmit Kay at The Novelry". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  12. "Elizabeth Kulhanek and Natasha Qureshi among The Novelry's 18 new recruits". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  13. "HQ's Emily Kitchin joins The Novelry". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  14. "Appiah moves to The Novelry editorial department from Macmillan Children's Books". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  15. "The Novelry Online Writing School to expand into US". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  16. "The Novelry Offers $100,000 Prize to Break Publishing Barriers". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  17. "The Best Books of Spring 2026". Oprah Daily. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  18. "Meet Kelly Mullen". Kelly Mullen. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  19. "The Best Crimes and Thrillers of 2025". Waterstones. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  20. "Lynn Tavernier". Crime Writers' Association. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  21. "Breaking the Taboo". Biteback Publishing. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  22. "Jenna Bush Hager's August Book Pick Solves a 17-Year Family Mystery". Today. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  23. "Six Wild Crowns". Times Bookshop. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  24. 2024 Davitt Awards Winner for Best Adult Crime Novel | When One of Us Hurts by Monica Vuu url=https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/2024-davitt-awards-winner-for-best-adult-crime-novel-when-one-of-us-hurts-by-monica-vuu/. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  25. "Big Personalities, Small Towns and Rules Made to Be Broken". New York Times. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  26. "On menopause and being Malay: Author Karina Robles Bahrin opens up on award-winning debut novel 'The Accidental Malay'". Malay Mail. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  27. "The 37 best books of 2020: our top reads from every genre". The Times. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  28. "Interview: debut children's novelist SUSIE BOWER – The Bath Novel Awards". Bath Novel Awards. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  29. "New book prize to award aspiring writer £75,000 for first three pages of novel". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  30. "Stella Donovan wins The Novelry's £75k Next Big Story Prize, beating 22,500 entrants". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  31. "The Novelry Just Picked Its First Writing Contest Winner — Here's Why Emma Roberts and More Are Excited About Her 'Fresh Voice' (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  32. "The Novelry Offers $100,000 Prize to Break Publishing Barriers". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  33. "The Novelry launches creative writing scholarship for talent from under-represented backgrounds". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  34. "The Octopus Scheme: The 2023 scholarship programmefrom The Novelry - Apply now!". National Association of Writers in Education. Retrieved 4 June 2026.