Transform your idea into a finished book.

Novel in Nine 2024

Write your novel in nine months. Inspiration. Advice. Community. Accountability.
February - October, 2024

Transform your idea into a finished book in 9 months.

Write your awesome label here.
Write your novel or memoir with us in 2024.

Weekly Lessons & Assignments

Each week, you will receive a written and video lesson, plus an assignment to help you write a specific scene or chapter or complete a specific task.


Active Discussion Forums

Throughout the course, you will have access to active discussion forums where you can interact with your classmates and the instructor.

9 Live Group Coaching Sessions 

We will meet by Zoom live once per month so you can talk about your project, ask questions, and see your peers face to face. All sessions will be recorded for playback.

Word Count Check-ins

I will be checking in with you each month to make sure you're meeting your word count goals. Accountability is key to maintaining your writing habit over the course of several months.

Steady Progress

You will write about 2,000 words per week, which you can break up in any way you wish. All assignments and lectures will remain online, so if you miss a week or two, you can go back and catch up.

"Novel in Nine was much more than a “class” for me, it was a transformation. I had tried for years and years to write a novel, always unsuccessfully. Under Michelle's guidance, I was able to complete my first novel in a seamless, uncomplicated, and manageable workflow. Her experienced directives help me move through my writing to that final goal. I am forever grateful for this class, and for Michelle’s help. I’d do it again.
Polly K., blogger
Patrick Jones - Course author

About your instructor, Michelle Richmond

Bestselling novelist, small press publisher
Michelle Richmond is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels and two award-winning story collections. Her books have been published in 31 languages and optioned repeatedly for film and television.

She has taught in the Masters of Fine Arts programs in creative writing at the University of San Francisco and California College of the Arts and has served as Distinguished Visiting Writer at St. Mary's College of Moraga, Bowling Green State University, and Notre Dame de Namur University. She has also designed and taught novel writing courses online for Stanford Continuing Studies. She is the founder and publisher of Fiction Attic Press.

Learn your craft. Finish your book.Write with a goal to publish.

I teach you the things you probably won't learn in an MFA.

We will cover every aspect of the novel writing process, and we will do a deep dive into narrative craft.

NOVEL in NINE is a craft intensive. I created the video and written lessons based on my own experience as a New York Times bestselling novelist and many years of teaching in Masters of Fine Arts programs in creative writing. We cover everything you would expect to cover in a novel writing course...and much more. I frequently add new video and written lessons based on student questions. 

While MFA programs generally focus on a small segment of the market--"literary fiction"--in this course you will learn about how to work within commercial genres. The course is open to writers working in any genre: suspense, fantasy, historical, thriller, romance, YA, literary, upmarket "women's fiction," and more. If your goal is to write and publish literary fiction, you will learn how to create urgency in the narrative while maintaining your unique voice and vision.

  • Characterization
  • Point of view
  • Plot
  • Structure
  • Setting
  • Dialogue
  • Description
  • Pacing
  • Suspense
  • Style and tone
  • Writing a compelling first chapter
  • Maintaining focus through the difficult middle
  • Raising the stakes
  • Writing minor characters
  • Weaving in subplot
  • How to bring your novel to a satisfying conclusion
  • Working with (and outside of) genre conventions
  • Writing the cross-genre novel
  • Working with scene lists
  • Constructing scenes and chapters
  • Creating urgency in your story
  • and much more...

Course dates: Feb. 5 - Oct. 31, 2024

  • 40 Modules
  • 9 Group Coaching Sessions
  • Ongoing discussion forum
  • 60 Video Lessons
  • Dozens of Written Lessons

Word Count Check-ins

I'll be checking in with you every month to make sure you're staying on track with your book and meeting your word count goals. Think of it as tough(ish) love from someone who wants to see you succeed!

Optional Feedback

If you want professional feedback on your writing, select Novel in 9 Plus Critique at checkout. 

When you choose the critique option, you will receive instructor feedback on up to 5,000 words of writing per month.

What Students are Saying about Novel in Nine 

Novel in Nine was even more than I had expected. Who would imagine I would write a full 75,000-word first draft of a novel in only nine months? This class was always a bright spot in my week. Michelle has top-notch writing expertise and teaching skills, and she is generous with her time and input. She and the other serious-writer classmates provided valuable feedback and motivation. Novel in Nine was the perfect way to make novel writing a priority, and get to THE END in a timely way."
Kathy B.
"I've learned the most from taking this class because it taught me to just show up on the page without fear. Realizing a rough draft is supposed to be rough is just so freeing."
Kim S.
"The course is giving me great structure and discipline. The lessons are making me think like a writer... I have the wind at my back...I have learnt more about my story and characters and I owe that all to you."
Colin M.
I found Novel in Nine to be a comprehensive step-by-step method of completing a novel in nine months...Novel in Nine is thoughtful, with specific direction, some homework (not overwhelming!), and encouraging feedback from Michelle and from the other participants in class. The pace is steady and the deadlines don’t feel rushed or drastic. I would definitely recommend the class to all writers, and to especially those who are experiencing hiccups, writers’ block, or self-doubt....superb.
Joanne H.

Don't rush it.

Instead of a burst of activity followed by months of stalemate, you will take the slow and steady approach, writing about 2,000 words per week.

At the end of nine months, you will have a solid manuscript.

Stay motivated and accountable.

When you join NOVEL in NINE, you will find community, structure, and accountability to help you write the book you have always wanted to write. 
Deadlines keep you motivated. Check-ins keep you on track.

Expert Advice. Personal interaction.

You will learn directly from a New York Times bestselling novelist and veteran writing teacher. Interact with the instructor and your peers in the discussion forums and monthly live sessions.

Frequently asked questions

When does this course begin and end?

Novel in Nine 2024 begins on February 5th, 2024. You will get a new set of lessons and a new assignment every week from February through October.  You will have access to the course for 18 months after the start date, through August of 2025.

What if I change my mind?

Get a full refund within 14 days of purchase. If you choose to pay in installments, you can cancel your plan at any time.

Will I get feedback on my writing?

This is not a workshop course, so you will not be submitting your work to the class for feedback.

 If you would like instructor feedback on your writing from the instructor, please choose NOVEL IN NINE PLUS CRITIQUE at checkout. When you choose this option, you will receive Michelle's feedback on up to 5,000 words of writing per month.

If you're not sure right now, you will have the option to add critique later. The monthly critique subscription is $199 per month. You can cancel at any time.

Can I add feedback later?

Yes, if you purchase Novel in Nine without feedback, you will have the option to purchase feedback later for $199 per month on a first-come, first-served basis. The critique subscription is for 5,000 words of writing per month, and you can cancel the subscription at any time.

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