Write Your Novel in Five Acts

You’ve got the idea, the characters, maybe even a few chapters, but something isn’t quite working. More often than not, it’s structure.

Structure is the engine of every successful story; it’s the architecture that shapes ideas into a gripping narrative that hooks in readers and keeps them turning the page. Without story structure, plots lose momentum, character development stalls and readers switch off. This intensive six-month novel-writing course shows you how to use five-act story structure to build a compelling novel from the ground up.

Guided by John Yorke, author of the bestselling book Into the Woods, and the UK’s leading narrative expert, you’ll learn how to craft a storyline, shape character arcs, sustain tension and ensure your narrative holds strong from first page to last.

You’ll write or rework the first 8-10,000 words of your novel and develop a detailed blueprint for the rest. Along the way, you’ll gain the editorial insight to identify structural weaknesses and strengthen the foundations of your book.

Live masterclasses with John Yorke and guest authors offer further insight into how successful writers use story structure not to limit creativity, but to support it. As our experts say, ‘It’s useful to think of structure as having a kite-string hold on your story. It stops stories from going down the wrong route or flying off into the horizon.‘

Whether you’re starting a new novel or reshaping one that isn’t quite working, this course gives you the tools to take control of your narrative and to write with intent, clarity and confidence.