Do you want to write a novel? Have you started one that is going nowhere? Or perhaps you've finished one, but you know it's not quite ready for publication? You recognize that the story is not as interesting as you'd like, but you're not sure why. Or maybe you never got past the beginning.

The Novel Immersion workshop, which I lead (read about me HERE), guides you through the process of writing a novel from start to finish. You will be inspired to write regularly, a page a day, five days a week. Two hundred and sixty pages in fifty-two weeks. If you can manage two pages a day, you'll be finished your first draft in six months.

The workshop may be taken individually or in small groups of two to five participants. To lead you through the novel writing process, I post weekly instructional lessons on writing craft. At the end of each week, you post up to five pages of writing for feedback—generally one scene that makes use of the principle discussed that week.

Other members of the group add their thoughts on your writing to mine, and you benefit not only from their comments, but also from seeing the strengths and weaknesses in the work of others, and from reading my advice on how to resolve issues in their work.

I use published novels and film clips to illustrate the various principles, and a discussion thread (email discussion group) provides a venue for questions and answers. The result is personal and very much like a Master's seminar in creative writing.

This process keeps people motivated, and allows me to teach more in-depth and subtle principles about how to write a novel, on an ongoing basis. The near-immediate feedback makes it easy to follow up on issues and make swift changes that affect the direction of the narrative.

Work, play, family, other commitments. We all have them. They can keep us from writing, or we can find a way to incorporate the writing into regular life. Writers must do that.

As author Heather Sellers writes: Becoming a writer means being creative enough to find the time and the place in your life for writing.

We can think about writing, or we can do it. We can write a novel, or we can talk about writing it.

You will learn technique from the novelists we discuss. They will inspire you to follow their example or try something new—the only rule is that you write regularly and post something every week.

At first, you won't write polished prose. You'll get ideas down, flesh out characters, work through plot, and determine structure. Once you have all that, you'll go through the draft again, with an eye for detail. I'll suggest revisions again, and again, until everything works.

Then we'll talk about what to do with the manuscript.

For now, your first decision is simple: Do you want to write a novel? Do you want to complete a novel in progress? Can you commit to writing a few pages a week?

LENGTH: Ongoing/monthly, begin or stop with two week's notice.

COST: $195 a month or $585 quarterly

Next workshop begins April 1st!

CLICK HERE and contact me to sign up for this course.

If you're at all like me, you've always wanted to work on your writing but rarely carve out the time necessary to do it justice. If you can find 30 minutes a day to write, five days of the week, then Pearl Luke's Novel Immersion workshop will take you to those creative places you long for.

Each weekly lesson is tailored to a specific aspect of the writing craft. Pearl's feedback on my work is both encouraging and useful. The opportunity to ask questions and work with a respectful group of other emerging writers reminds me of my university days—minus the timetables, assignments, and exams! Pearl has done an excellent job of creating a workshop in a format that would rival any course on any college or university campus. ~ Linda McDaniel, Lake Cowichan, BC

Participating in the Novel Immersion workshop has been the best decision I could have made to further my writing and I consider it one of the best decisions I have made in my life. The weekly submission format not only keeps me writing on a regular schedule but I get immediate feedback that I have been able to incorporate quickly into my ongoing work. Not only do I get the benefit of Pearl's professional review, but the comments from my fellow participants provide a valuable diversity of views on my work.

This perhaps has been the biggest surprise benefit of the format—just how much I can learn from reading the work of peers, seeing how they deal with their challenges, and receiving their comments on my work. Reading the comments on my work is one of the highlights of my week. I've become addicted to writing. ~ John Geddes, Vancouver, BC

The Novel Immersion workshop provides me with the format I need to write a novel. It helps me to consistently write, while in an excellent learning environment. Pearl is a master at the craft and provides immediate feedback which I can use to edit and refine my weekly submissions. My fellow participants provide the extra stimulus with their readers' comments and remarkable insight. We are a team, with Pearl to guide us through weekly discussion and examples. If you are serious about writing, this course has what you need to succeed. ~ Judy Wiesner, Minneapolis, MN, USA

With no real background in writing other than a couple of workshops and some previous experience being mentored by Pearl Luke, I started to write a novel, my first. ÊI had characters, an outline, and about 100 pages when I used one of my lifelines and emailed Pearl for help. ÊI followed her suggestion and joined the Novel Immersion Group and it has been a huge benefit for me. Not only do I receive Pearl's expert opinion, but also that of four other writers. ÊAnd I read what we say to one another. ÊI take all of that and apply it to my work in progress and I am motivated to write more and to write better. ÊI deeply appreciate Pearl, the group process, and the continuing encouragement to write. ~ Paul Burgoyne, Langley, BC

I find the course 'work intensive' with novels to read and to comment on, and with a great bunch of co-writers who give so much encouragement and help to the lonely writer in his/her den. Added to which, we have a balanced and discriminating leader in Pearl who gives us sound yet stimulating comments and who throws light on how we should consider transitions, scene setting and a whole host of 'pearls of wisdom', no pun intended. There are moments of elation when a new technique is grasped and begins to work in ways not experienced before despite having read all those books on "How to Write." This is a challenging and inspiring course to be part of. ~ Margaret Gill, Old, Northamptonshire, UK

Reading about writing is not the same as writing. Pearl gets you writing every day; it's challenging, it's invigorating, and it works. ~ Sari Sikstrom, Vancouver, BC

I am absolutely addicted to Pearl Luke's writing course. In the few weeks I've been taking this class, my writing has improved dramatically. The structure of the group allows me feedback, not only from a highly trained and published author, but from a group of insightful writers. It has given me confidence to continue writing the book I set out to write, and to write it better. Prior to the class I had been writing in isolation. No longer. The group is vital to my growth. Some weeks, after the strong critiques, I've returned to the drawing board and rewritten entire sections. But a stronger story is emerging before my eyes. I plan to continue moving through this course until my novel is complete! ~ Allison Doke, Marietta, GA, USA



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CLICK HERE and contact me if you want to write a novel.