novel writing for class 7

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The Guide to 7th Grade: Reading and Writing

Seventh graders are able to focus more on growing the skills they began to develop in the 6th grade without the added stress to adjusting to the new middle school environment. By 7th grade, it is expected that students have acclimated to life as a middle school student and are therefore expected to work more independently and organize their time and schedules with less (but still some) guidance.

In general, in 7th grade, students build on the skills they learned in 6th grade by writing and reading more complex and longer texts and essays. This work will prepare them for 8th grade where they will cement and further their skills, ultimately setting them up for success in high school.

Read on for what to expect this year, and shop all seventh grade resources at The Scholastic Store .

7th Grade Reading

In 7th grade, students deepen their ability to analyze the texts they read and provide evidence from the text to do so. Specifically, 7th graders learn to examine texts more closely and use details from the text in order to develop ideas, analyze, and make inferences.

In addition, they analyze the relationships between elements within one text and across multiple texts while supporting this analysis by citing evidence from the text.

In order to build reading skills, your 7th grader:

7th Grade Writing

There is also particular attention paid to research and teaching students to do their own independent research and research projects as described below, specifically through the use of digital resources.

In order to build writing skills, your 7th grader:

Shop the best resources for seventh grade below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

Explore other grade guides:

Your Seventh Grade Book Checklist

About this Course

WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL

From Inc.com - The 30 Most Popular Online Courses of 2020 "Write Your First Novel" made the list at #15 https://lnkd.in/gZqscmn If you’ve ever had the dream, the desire or even just a vague notion that you would like to write a novel, this course is for you. Whether you are a full-time student, have a full-time job, a family to take care of or all of the above, you can do it. Really! And I will help you get there. In this Course, you will write your first novel. Many people say they have often thought about writing a novel and are planning to do it someday, but very few ever actually do. However, in this course, you will do it. You will learn how to form a basic idea, any idea, into a structure and discipline that will allow you to create, write and complete a fully-realized novel ready to submit for publication. If you have any concerns regarding the protection of your original work, Coursera's privacy policy protects the learner's IP and you are indeed the sole owners of your work. Here is a link to a trailer for the course. To view the trailer, please copy and paste the link into your browser. https://vimeo.com/385761391/c5e7f873cf Learner review: "It was a great experience, I really enjoyed it." In Write Your First Novel, you’ll learn to break down your creative endeavor into components and you’ll discover a process that will allow you to do what few have done: produce and complete a full-length work of fiction in the form of a 50,000-word novel. Learner Review: "You teach storytelling like no other teacher. I cannot put in words how much I appreciate it. This daily writing, and the product that comes with it, have been a great mental support during the pandemic time. Art is a support for life, as Stephen King said, and thanks to you I experienced it first-hand during this time. I think I will keep writing 500 words per night for the rest of my life. I owe it to you. You taught me how to write a novel, and it works every time. Huge thanks, and wishing you all the best." I am a proponent of experiential learning (also known as active learning). My lectures are short and to the point, designed in a step-by-step process essential to your success as a writer. I will guide you, I will show you how to get there, hopefully I will inspire you. You will learn through your own activity - which is writing! I firmly believe that the only way to become a writer is to write, write, write! Learner review: "As a published author, I took this course to relearn the skills. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every lecture and quiz. This course was very, very helpful and the videos were very well executed. Cheers!" Writing fiction is a truly beautiful thing. Putting your own words on a page to tell a story which enters your readers minds and allows them to share the thoughts, emotions and lives of your characters is a very satisfying, rewarding experience. Learner review: "BEST TEACHER EVER! LOVE THE COURSE."

No experience necessary, just a passionate desire to write a novel.

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What you will learn

You will learn how to write and complete a full-length novel of 50,000 words. You will have a finished manuscript in hand at the end of the course.

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Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years.

One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week one: creating the idea for your novel.

In Week One you will create a concept for your original novel, your own Intellectual Property (IP). You will write up a pitch document, post it and review the pitches of five of your peers. You will also create a Logline and a Dramatic Question for your novel, post those documents, review the work of five of your peers and revise your own work with the feedback you get from your peers

Week Two: Create your character profiles and outline Chapter One

In Week Two you will create profiles for your major characters and write up an outline for the first chapter of your novel.

Week Three: Write Chapter One

In Week Three you will begin writing your novel.

Week Four: Write Chapter Two

In Week Four you will write the second chapter of your novel.

Week Five: Write Chapter Three

In Week Five you will write the third chapter of your novel.

Week Six: Write Chapter Four

In Week six you will write the fourth chapter of your novel.

Week Seven: Write Chapter Five

In Week Seven you will write the fifth chapter of your novel.

Week Eight: Write Chapter Six

In Week Eight you will write the sixth chapter of your novel.

Week Nine: Write Chapter Seven

In Week Nine you will write the seventh chapter of your novel.

Week Ten: Table Read Chapters One to Seven

In Week Ten, you have the week off from writing. This week, you will get together with a few friends and read Act One, the first seven chapters of your novel,

Week Eleven: Write Chapter Eight

In Week Eleven you will write the eighth chapter of your novel.

Week Twelve: Write Chapter Nine

In Week Twelve you will write the ninth chapter of your novel.

Week Thirteen: Write Chapter Ten

In Week Thirteen you will write the tenth chapter of your novel.

Week Fourteen: Write Chapter Eleven

In Week Fourteen you will write the eleventh chapter of your novel.

Week Fifteen: Write Chapter Twelve

In Week Fifteen you will write the twelfth chapter of your novel.

Week Sixteen: Write Chapter Thirteen

In Week Sixteen you will write the thirteenth chapter of your novel.

Week Seventeen: Write Chapter Fourteen

In Week Seventeen you will write the fourteenth chapter of your novel.

Week Eighteen: Table Read Chapters Eight to Fourteen

In Week Eighteen, you have another week off from writing. This week, you will again get together with a few friends and read chapters Eight through Fourteen, Act Two of your novel.

Week Nineteen: Write Chapter Fifteen

In Week Nineteen you will begin the final Act of Your Novel

Week Twenty: Write Chapter Sixteen

In Week Twenty you will write the sixteenth chapter of your novel.

Week Twenty-One: Write Chapter Seventeen

In Week Twenty-One you will write the seventeenth chapter of your novel.

Week Twenty-Two: Write Chapter Eighteen

In Week Twenty-Two you will write the eighteenth chapter of your novel.

Week Twenty-Three: Write Chapter Nineteen

In Week Twenty-Three you will write the nineteenth chapter of your novel.

Week Twenty-Four: Write Chapter Twenty

In Week Twenty-Four you will write the final chapter of your novel.

Week Twenty-Five: Table Read Chapters Fifteen to Twenty

In Week Twenty-Five you will take another week off from writing and table read the final act of your novel.

Week Twenty-Six: Submit Your Finished Novel

In Week-Twenty Six you will submit your completed, polished novel. You will also write a prologue for your novel and a synopsis to submit to agents.

TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL

This course helped me as a writer because of the teacher. He was not a quick talker, but he was not a slow talker. He was very understanding. I really would love to get teached by him again.

This made me realize how much potential i really do have in writing and it made me find out that I love writing and reading books.

My Gratitude and thanks to Mr. David Wheeler,

You are genuine master writers psychology.

Nice course. David was great but would have been better to let the lecturer edit people chapters better. Instead of always getting feedback from group. It was not always good but discouraging.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.

The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center .

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Last updated on Jan 04, 2023

How to Write a Novel (That People Will Actually Want to Read)

Much like learning to ride a bike, the best way to learn how to write a novel is by just doing it. Unlike saddling up on a Schwinn for the first time, however, writing a novel can’t be accomplished in one hot summer’s day. It requires good doses of commitment and perseverance. As Octavia Butler put it: “You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”

This post will break up the 14 major steps of writing a novel into bite-sized pieces, organized into three categories — before, during, and after you write your manuscript.

1. Nail down your story idea.

2. Study books in your genre.

Here’s a good cliche: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The more you can prepare yourself before you start writing a novel, the better your chances of seeing it through completion. The following steps will help you build your author's armor;

Let’s get started!

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How to Write a Novel

1. Nail down your story idea .

An obvious step, but not an easy one to cross off. In fact, you might find yourself making up other first tasks to avoid nailing this one: such as finding the perfect writing spot, buying the perfect stationery set, and doing other, shorter forms of creative writing . While all of these things might help you on your way to writing a novel, without spending time really solidifying what you want to write about, this novel-to-be simply won’t come to fruition.

If you’re struggling with coming up with even the seed of an idea, don’t fret. There is literally an endless supply of novel topics out there, and you can start perusing hundreds of them in our list of 300+ writing prompts , our directory of 200+ short story ideas , or even our plot generator .

If you’ve been chewing over a story idea but are having trouble giving legs to it, try writing down one or two lines about the theme of your book . If you’re wondering how to write a novel, it’s likely because there’s some message you want to put out in the world. The message behind your book is its theme, and it will underscore the whole story. For instance, Nineteen Eighty-Four follows a man yearning for love in a world where individuality and original thought is not only a sin but a crime. But what the book is really about is the human right for freedom of privacy.

“I can’t write without a reader. It’s precisely like a kiss—you can’t do it alone,” wrote American author John Cheever. If you want your novel to be attractive to prospective readers, you need to first understand how to think like a reader. And the way to do that is to — let’s all say it together — READ!

There are many reasons why time spent reading is worthwhile for an aspiring author:

3. Choose a point of view that fits your story .

You know how when gossip moves through the grapevine, it tends to stray further and further from the truth as it passes from person to person? This is because any time a person tells a story, they inevitably add their own unique biases, thoughts, and perspectives. For this reason, choosing the point of view your novel will be told from is an extremely important step in starting your novel and will have a huge impact on the actual story itself.

Here are the different POVs you might want to consider:

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Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

4. Establish an immersive setting .

Consider this line from Pride and Prejudice :

“What are men to rocks and mountains?”

This line glides smoothly from the page when Elizabeth Bennett takes a trip to the Peak District in Georgian Era England. If, on the other hand, the book took place in modern-day Texas and a 20-year old Elizabeth Bennett spoke those words, it would stick out like a sore thumb.

The key here is context — and the context or setting of a story will dictate everything about it, from character to plot to conflict, and beyond.

If you are planning to write about a setting outside of your own immediate knowledge, make sure you do adequate research. Consider working with sensitivity readers if you are writing about a place or culture outside your own.

5. Develop your main characters .

If you’ve ever eaten a multi-course dinner (or seen Pretty Woman ), you will know to start with the knives and forks on the outside and work your way in.

This is not the case with developing your characters . While it is definitely important for an author to picture what their characters look like, starting from the inside and working your way out is a better approach. Here’s where you can begin:

Once you have these core elements established, you can start exploring other aspects of your characters using these resources:

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6. Establish the conflict and stakes .

Kurt Vonnegut once said that one of the most universal types of story is the “Man in Hole” story: someone gets in trouble and then tries to get out of it. A close second was the “Boy Loses Girl” story: someone has something, loses it, and then tries to get it back.

In both of these examples, there is a conflict driving the story — and indeed, a novel is really just a lengthy report if there is no conflict.

The conflict is what will make your character’s path to achieving (or not achieving) their goal interesting to readers — it’s the sum total of the obstacles the protagonist encounters along the way. In novels, there are two broad categories of conflict — and for a truly compelling read, it’s a good idea to include both:

Once you’ve got the main conflicts of your novel sorted, you need to nail down the stakes: what will happen if the conflict overwhelms the character and they don’t achieve their goals? For instance, it’s all well and good that Frodo wants to destroy the ring — but why should we care? Well, because the fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance.

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7. Create an outline .

In the world of fiction writing, there’s often said to be two kinds of writers: plotters and pantsers . Plotters, as you might have guessed, plan where their novel will go before they start writing. Pantsers will usually have a general idea of how their story will unfold, but will just sit down to write without doing any initial outlining.

If your end goal is writing and publishing a novel, we’re suggesting you follow the ways of the plotter and create an outline. When you inevitably hit the writer’s block that almost all writers face, your outline will act as a “get out of jail free” card — you can use it to remember what needs to come next. In any case, it'll save you a great deal of time .

There are countless ways to outline a novel, but here are a few tried-and-true methods to consider:

For more information on creating an outline — or for help determining which technique would best suit you — head to our author’s guide to outlining.

8. Choose your story structure .

While it’s true that all stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end, you can drastically change how readers perceive your novel by altering how you structure your story.

For instance, you might use...

To see all of these structures in action, check out our story structure post which maps out three bestselling novels using the above techniques.

Good preparation will help you ward off sudden attacks of writer's block and provide you with a solid story foundation. By the time you finish the steps we've covered so far, you should be able to write the following statement:

My story is a [genre] novel about [theme] . It’s told from [perspective] and is set in [place and time period] . It follows [protagonist] , who wants [goal] because [motivation] . But [conflict] doesn’t make that easy, putting [stake] at risk.

If you can accomplish the above eight steps, you are well on your way to a completed novel. With all of that foundation laid for your story, all that’s left is to actually start writing! And the following four tips will help you do just that. (Though if you want more, you can always check out our list of 20 essential writing tips for first-time authors.)

Bestselling novelist Ben Galley will guide you from page 1 to the finish line.

9. Decide how to write your novel .

No, not like if you’re going to be a plotter or pantser, or how to work up the motivation to keep going. But literally: how are you going to write your novel? With pen and paper? On Word? With the help of a novel-writing software or formatting tool ? Gone are the days where dipping quill in to ink was the only option, so do your research and pick the best one for you. Here’s a couple to get your started:

10. Establish a writing routine .

We won’t go on about the importance of this step — we all know that to make progress on any kind of goal, working on it must become a part of our regular routine. Since we’re all on the same page here, we’ll jump straight to our tips for making that happen:

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If you’ve just finished your first draft, your next step should absolutely involve party poppers and cake — or some kind of celebratory treat, because that’s a huge accomplishment. But of course, the work is far from over.

Writing the first iteration of your manuscript is all about just getting the words down on paper. Now it’s time to start turning those words into a memorable story.

11. Consider literary devices and techniques .

Sometimes it’s hard to really pinpoint why a certain novel stays with you, there’s just something about it . You can add a certain je ne sais quoi to your own writing by employing literary devices such as Chekhov’s Gun , irony , and foreshadowing — which all serve to build tension throughout your story.

There are countless other literary devices that authors use to add creative depth to their writing. Find a list of some of our favorites here.

12. Revise your story .

Editing your own story is not a one-time deal. Each time you read your story, you will likely end up rewriting parts, which will require another read-through, which might lead to more rewrites — so on and so forth. To ensure you don’t get caught in an endless editing cycle, don’t edit everything at once. Go through your novel looking for a specific issue and only fix those. If you spot other things in the meantime, make a note of them to come back and fix later, but stay laser-focused on the task at hand. Here are a few things you might want to keep an eye out for:

To become a bonafide self-editing expert, check out our repertoire of free online courses — all about editing, written by professional editors.

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13. Work with beta readers .

A beta reader is someone who reads a manuscript before it’s published, with the sole purpose of giving the author feedback from a reader’s point of view. Typically, a beta reader is a friend, family member, or perhaps someone you met through the writing community.

Working with readers is important, because during the writing process authors can often become blind to certain issues like plot holes, lack of continuity, exposition dumps, etc. Beta readers can help you iron these things out before you publish your novel — and you get the exact same feedback, only in a negative user review on Amazon which everyone can see.

For more information on where to find beta readers and tips for getting the most out of working with them, head here . And if you're curious about sensitivity readers and what they do, go here .

14. Hire a professional editor .

One of the most important parts of getting a novel ready for publication is to: hire an editor. It might not be the cheapest investment, but when you think of the many hours you’ve spent getting your novel to this point, the cost of getting an expert to fine-tune and polish your story is likely worth it.

Here are a few types of editors you might want to consider working with:

And there you have it, 14 steps that will take you from “one day I’ll write a novel” to “today I finished writing my first novel.” The perfect title for your book may have come to you during the process.

8 responses

Sasha Winslow says:

14/05/2019 – 02:56

I started writing in February 2019. It was random, but there was an urge to the story I wanted to write. At first, I was all over the place. I knew the genre I wanted to write was Fantasy ( YA or Adult). That has been my only solid starting point the genre. From February to now, I've changed my story so many times, but I am happy to say by giving my characters names I kept them. I write this all to say is thank you for this comprehensive step by step. Definitely see where my issues are and ways to fix it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Evelyn P. Norris says:

30/10/2019 – 14:18

My number one tip is to write in order. If you have a good idea for a future scene, write down the idea for the scene, but do NOT write it ahead of time. That's a major cause of writer's block that I discovered. Write sequentially. :) If you can't help yourself, make sure you at least write it in a different document, and just ignore that scene until you actually get to that part of the novel

Allen P. Wilkinson says:

28/01/2020 – 04:51

How can we take your advice seriously when you don’t even know the difference between stationary and stationery? Makes me wonder how competent your copy editors are.

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

29/01/2020 – 15:37

Thanks for spotting the typo!

↪️ Chris Waite replied:

14/02/2020 – 13:17

IF you're referring to their use of 'stationery' under the section '1. Nail down the story idea' (it's the only reference on this page) then the fact that YOU don't know the difference between stationery and stationary and then bother to tell the author of this brilliant blog how useless they must be when it's YOU that is the thicko tells me everything I need to know about you and your use of a middle initial. Bellend springs to mind.

Sapei shimrah says:

18/03/2020 – 13:59

Thanks i will start writing now

Jeremy says:

25/03/2020 – 22:41

I’ve run the gamut between plotter and pantser, but lately I’ve settled on in-depth plotting before my novels. It’s hard for me to do focus wise, but I’m finding I’m spending less time in writer’s block. What trips me up more is finding the right voice for my characters. I’m currently working on a sci-fi YA novel and using the Save the Cat beat sheet for structure for the first time. Thank you for the article!

Nick Girdwood says:

29/04/2020 – 10:32

Can you not write a story without some huge theme?

Comments are currently closed.

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Getting started marketing your work.

Solve the mystery of marketing and get your work out there in front of readers in this 4-week online class taught by Instructor Gloria Kempton.

December Courses

Accessing your writer’s voice.

Voice: What is it and how do you find yours? Instructor Gloria Kempton offers feedback on assignments in this 3-week online class.

Unscheduled Courses

These online writing classes don’t currently have a next session on our calendar, but will soon. If you see a course you’re interested in, use the “I’m Interested” button to let us know, and we’ll follow up with you when the course is on our calendar next.

Want to reach us or our instructors with questions about our online writing courses? Contact us at [email protected] , or visit the contact form .

(Live Workshop) Get Clear on Your Story and Voice

With nadia colburn.

What is your story about? What is your voice? Whether you write poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, hone your writing in this 3 hour workshop.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Lifestyle and Wellness , Live Workshop , Memoir , Novel , Personal Essay , Poetry , Short Story

(Live Workshop) Revising the Novel: Take Your First Draft to the Next Level

Ready to start revising your novel? Get rolling in this in-depth webinar.

Fiction , Live Workshop , Novel

(Live Workshop) Writing Beginnings and Endings

With sarah aronson.

How do you write a story that's compelling to start and satisfying to finish? Sarah Aronson explains in this comprehensive one-day workshop.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Live Workshop , Memoir , Novel , Personal Essay , Short Story

(Live Workshop) Writing from a Strong Sense of Place: A Generative Workshop

With jacquelyn stolos.

Develop powerful and realistic settings in this generative three-hour workshop, with Jacquelyn Stolos.

Fiction , Live Workshop , Novel , Short Story , Stage and Broadcast

*Private Class | Accessing Your Writer’s Voice

*private class | create story characters using the enneagram.

In-depth character development using an ancient personality study of human motivation--the Enneagram.

Fiction , Lifestyle and Wellness , Novel , Short Story

http://www.oshonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ennagram-31.gif

*Private Class | Discover Your Writing Niche

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Lifestyle and Wellness , Memoir , Novel , Personal Essay , Short Story , Stage and Broadcast

*Private Class | Embodied Writing: Improve Your Writing with Full-Body Creativity

With rosemary tantra bensko.

Have a grand time with specific physical exercises that honor your health, generate imaginative ideas, explore deeply and make your creative writing entertaining.

embodied writing interview | writing and the body

*Private Class | Embodied Writing: Somatic Practices to Improve Your Work

*private class | essentials of character development: how to create characters that move and breathe and can’t stop talking, *private class | getting started marketing your work, *private class | introduction to writing genre fiction.

Take the whirlwind tour! Learn the conventions of eight major fiction genres, try them out, and figure out your niche.

*Private Class | Shadow Writing

Your unconscious can drive your writing or block it. Gloria Kempton will guide you in coaxing your shadow out of hiding.

Creative Nonfiction , Memoir , Novel , Personal Essay , Short Story

*Private Class | Starting to Write

*private class | story lab: writing loglines that sell.

Your logline helps you query agents, market your book, and figure out the story itself. Hone your logline and set your book up for success in this two-part private Zoom workshop.

*Private Class | The Anti-Hero’s Journey for Storytellers

Throughout her writing career, Gloria Kempton has met many anti-heroes. In this course, you’ll receive feedback on your story antagonists.

*Private Class | The Art of Storytelling

*private class | the hero’s journey for storytellers.

Structure your story and give it meaning with Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey.

Isola dei Morti IV_(Bocklin) WikiCommons

*Private Class | The Micro-obstacles/Flow Technique

Create new work with fresh language, universal themes, sustained mystery and memorable characters. Stimulate your imagination.

*Private Class | Using Bullet Journaling to Achieve Writing Goals

With rudri patel.

Looking to keep your writing goals organized? Make it happen in our bullet journaling course. Learn the art of the BuJo with Rudri Patel!

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Lifestyle and Wellness , Memoir , Novel , Personal Essay , Poetry , Short Story , Stage and Broadcast

A Writerly Life: Develop a Writing Routine that Works for You

With shelby hinte.

What does a writer's life look like? Build a productive writing habit in this course for writers of all backgrounds.

Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Use Story and Premise Development for Writing Success

The premise line is the only reliable tool that can tell you, BEFORE you start writing, whether or not your story will “work.” In this class participants will learn how to master the process of premise line development—the essential first step in any book or screenplay’s development process.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Memoir , Novel , Stage and Broadcast

Beyond Formula: Writing Love Scenes With Spirit, Passion, Grit And Character Truth

With anya achtenberg.

Write about love beyond trite sentiment and shallow fictions. Work down to the real thing: deep, powerful, destructive, exalted, fundamental.

Block Buster: Turbocharge Your Creativity with Breakneck Writing

With gretchen clark.

Banish writer's block, unearth fresh ideas, and sharpen your storytelling ability with the practice of fast, timed writing.

Boost Your Imagination and Reap the Literary Rewards

It happens to all of us: life gets in the way and our creativity falters. Get back on track with this four-week creativity boosting class!

Character Transformation Workshop: How to Write Stories that Emotionally Resonate

Learn how to write emotionally resonant journeys that stick with the reader, using the power of character transformation.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Lifestyle and Wellness , Memoir , Novel , Short Story , Stage and Broadcast

Crafting a Story or Novel Chapter Using Forward-Moving Tension

With sandra novack.

How do writers tell stories with tension, action, and emotion? Learn how to write forward-moving tension in this 5 week fiction course.

conflict in writing forward moving tension

Crafting the Poetry Novel: Advanced Workshop

Want to make headway on your poetry novel? This workshop offers the structure and resources to get it done, with instructor Kelly Bingham.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Memoir , Novel , Poetry

Crafting the Romance Novel

With jeanne de vita.

More than happily ever after. Writing a romance novel is about more than just telling the story of how two characters meet, fall in love, and ride off into the sunset of happily ever after. A romance novel follows the same structure as powerful novels in other genres and employs the building blocks of great…

De Novo: How to Build Your Own Fantasy or Sci-Fi World

Create captivating worlds in this comprehensive worldbuilding course. You'll come away with fantastic settings that make your stories mesmerizing, believable, and real.

worldbuilding in science fiction and fantasy

Deepening and Organizing Our Stories: Memoir/Creative Nonfiction and Autobiographical Fiction

For writers of memoir, creative nonfiction and fiction, with some experience. Particularly helpful to writers in the midst of a longer work.

Henri Rousseau Le centenaire de l'indépendance (1892)

Drafty in Here: Write Your Novella in Ten Weeks

Write the entire first draft of a novella-length story, with plenty of feedback from stage to stage, and finish with a plan for revising toward a publishable manuscript.

Dread and Desire: Gothic Fiction Techniques to Lure and Horrify Your Readers

With briana una mcguckin.

This Halloween, learn how to write eerie, haunting moods in this comprehensive course on Gothic writing techniques.

dread and desire gothic writing workshop

Embodied Writing: Improve Your Writing with Full-Body Creativity

Embodied writing: somatic practices to improve your work, finding the real story: essential elements of story in fiction and memoir.

Address the larger issues of writing story through a look at the essential elements of narrative in fiction and memoir.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Memoir , Novel , Short Story

Finish Your Manuscript: Next-Level Picture Book Mentorship

During this six week program, you will work closely one-on-one with Kelly to finalize, refine, and polish your picture book into a manuscript ready to submit for publication or representation.

children's picture book manuscript workshop

Free Panel Discussion: Romance Reader to Writer

Join us for a free Zoom panel discussion with three industry experts in the field of Romance writing!

Get That Novel Finished! Tools and Inspiration to Complete Your First Draft

Finishing a novel requires guts, dedication, and stamina. When you find yourself struggling, our 10-week course with Donna Levin will help!

Get Your Book Done Intensive! 4 Weeks to Measurable Progress

The summer is the best time to get the ball rolling on your book. Join us if you really want to get your book into the world.

Graphic Novel Writing Bootcamp

With cristian aluas.

Put pen to graphing paper in this workshop on crafting the graphic novel. By the end of the Zoom call, you'll have an 8 page graphic short story that's ready to illustrate.

How to Firm Up the “Mushy Middle” of Any Story

Ensure a strong middle throughline for any story. Say goodbye to the "mushy middle," and hello to stories that work.

How to Write Character-Driven Stories

With lisa c. taylor.

Characters don't just drive the story, they are the story. Learn how to craft character-centered fiction and give life to the people on your page.

How to Write Great Stories

Learn how to combine character, setting, plot, and other elements of fiction to write powerful, compelling stories.

Humor Is The New Black!

Ready to add a splash of fun to your writing life? Join us for a four-week humor writing class. We’ll read. We’ll laugh. We’ll write. We’ll experiment.

I’ve Drunk Your Poisoned Nectar: Writing with the Goddess

With shankar narayan.

Dig deep into the rich mythology of South Asian goddesses to find new inspiration for your work in this generative, open-genre writing class.

In Your Own Words: Transforming Life Into Memoir and Fiction

With margo perin.

Learn how to draw inspiration and material from your life experiences or those of people you know, or want to know, to craft compelling, publishable memoirs, personal essays, autobiographical novels and short stories, and/or narrative poetry.

Creative Nonfiction , Fiction , Live Workshop , Memoir , Novel

So now that you have your opening novel pages, what next? Get detailed, constructive feedback on your work-in-progress, wherever you're at in writing it.

Online novel writing class: Fifty Pages of the Novel

On March 9th at 10 AM, Writers.com instructor Nicole Hardy will lead a workshop on writing cross genre at independent publisher Chin Music Press. Using Chin Music Press’s title, A Commonplace Book Of Pie by Kate Lebo, Nicole will demonstrate how poets can write nonfiction, novelists can tackle screenplays, graphic novelist can compose short stories, or any combination of writing in a…

Founded in 2015, MasterClass is a platform which encompasses online courses in a wide range of fields, from writing to culinary arts. These courses are available at any given time for every person who wants to learn using this method. As the MasterClass community is inclusive, they invite all individuals with disabilities to reach them, so that they can figure out ways of accommodating them better.

In terms of writing, MasterClass provides courses taught by several public figures – for instance, if you’re a fan of The Handmaid’s Tales, you can apply for Margaret Atwood’s online series of creative writing lessons. Point of View Case Studies and Structuring your Novel: Layered Narratives and Other Variations are just two of the titles you will find in her list of videos. At the same time, you can opt for writing courses from Dan Brown, Neil Gaiman, or even Joyce Carol Oates.

Two passes with access to all classes cost $208. To find out more, you can contact them here .

2. Write a Bestselling Novel in 15 Steps (Writing Mastery)

This course is taught by Jessica Brody, an award-winning writing instructor and a bestselling author who has published her novels in more than 23 countries. Furthermore, she has collaborated several times with Disney Press in order to develop and write novels based on well-known Disney properties.

In short, this course will allow you to learn how to plot a novel in 15 steps, to understand what makes a novel successful, to determine the weak points of your manuscript, to discover the secret storytelling code present in every great story, and to obtain a deeper understanding of story and plot structure, among others.

The full price is €99.99, but it may change during periods when discounts are applied – for instance, it is now available for €18.99. It includes 3 hours and a half of on-demand videos, 2 articles, 6 downloadable resources, unlimited access for life, and a few more. There is no date displayed, so it’s safe to assume that you can take this course whenever you want to on the Udemy platform. You can learn more here .

3. Novel Writing Workshop

Taught by Steve Alcorn, this Novel Writing Workshop is also available on Udemy. If you choose to complete it, you will learn how to turn your idea into a novel, to create a successful premise, to construct your novel in three acts, to explore viewpoint, voice, and tense, and to discover dramatic elements, among many others.

It doesn’t matter if you’re only an aspiring writer or if you’re already experienced in the field – as long as you want to improve your skills, this workshop is for you. It will cover a broad range of topics, which includes character building, setting, conflict, mystery, suspense, and dialogue.

With 10 hours of on-demand videos, 48 downloadable resources, and a few other others, this course has a full price of €194.99. However, if you hurry, you may still be able to purchase it at €19.99. To learn more, click here .

4. Write a Novel Outline from Scratch (Novel Writing Success)

This course will be led by Andrew Butcher, a writer whose books have often been ranked as #1 on both Amazon and other online eBook stores. Also available on Udemy, the workshop already has more than 5750 enrolled students so far.

In terms of benefits, it will help you learn how to weave plot lines, to create complex characters, to write an entire novel from scratch, to create vivid story locations, and to write your draft faster, among many others. Your level of experience in the writing field is irrelevant, as this course is meant to improve your skills regardless.

The full price is €19.99, and you have a 30-day guarantee that you will get your money back if it doesn’t satisfy you. If you choose to enroll, you will get 2 hours and a half of on-demand videos, 1 hour and a half of on-demand audio, 37 downloadable resources, and a few more. To learn more, you can search for information here .

5. The Complete Novel

Brought to you by The Novelry, this course is led by Louise Dean, an award-winning and Booker Prize longlisted author of four novels. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she will teach you everything you need to know in order to manage writing a successful novel.

Her lessons are provided via text and video, and they will help you learn about essential writing habits, about constructing strong characters, and about ways to unleash your imagination, to name a few. Lastly, you will also receive feedback regarding your first draft from the other writers, as you will become a part of a community which provides online support 24/7.

You can start this course anytime for the price of $499/£399 – this involves downloads, plotting spreadsheets, texts, materials, and more. For an extra £14.99 you can also obtain membership, and for £75/45 minutes you can speak directly with Louise. If you have any questions, you can further inquire here .

6. 6-Week Online Novel Workshop: A Path to Publishing

This 6-week course is taught online by Jana Casale, a writer who has a BFA in Fiction from Emerson College, as well as an MSt in Creative Writing from Oxford. The classes are programmed during May 5 – June 9, and they’re going to be held every Tuesday, between 8-10 p.m. ET/5-7 p.m. PT. Each class involves 8 students at most.

The main focus of the course will be writing, and each participant will have to bring two beginning chapters of their novel, so that they can receive feedback from their colleagues. In terms of advantages, you will leave this course with an understanding of both the process of selling a novel and of the concept of a long narrative, with strong first pages (or even chapters), and with a 10% discount on all future Catapult classes, among others.

The price required is $395. To ask any questions, click here .

7. The Online Novel Generator: Twelve Weeks to a Full Draft

Also provided through the Catapult online platform, this course’s instructor is Jennifer Close, a bestselling author and a graduate of Boston College. Even more, Jennifer also has an MFA in Fiction Writing from the New School, and has gained 8 years of experience in teaching Creative Writing at George Washington University.

Her sessions will take place every Wednesday between May 6 – July 22, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. ET/from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. PT. It will involve the understanding of the mechanics which are used to write a novel, as well as single writer workshops. If you want to sign up, you can only do so as long as you already have a few pages of work-in-progress available for submission (genres and writing styles don’t matter).

The price for this course is $1,199 – to find out more, try to reach the Catapult team here .

8. Novel First Draft | Level II

A 10-week class provided by the Gotham Writers, Part 1 of Novel First Draft is held through Zoom conference on April 15, as well as online on April 22 and May 13. As of the latter, the instructor will be Katherine Taylor, the author of two novels and the holder of a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

The aim of the workshop is that of powering through the first draft of your novel by learning about successful techniques of novel writing. Even more, you will also gain information about how to market your work.

The full price for the online class is $409 ($379 for returning students). The registration fee is $25, and you have to pay it once per term. If you have any questions, you can further inquire here .

9. Writing a Novel (Online)

Provided by Faber Academy, Writing a Novel is an advanced course of fiction which is going to take place between September 23, 2020 and April 29, 2021.

It is divided into 13 sessions which require 5-7 hours of weekly study in order to be able to complete the tasks and to make progress on your novel. Some of the topics you will discuss are voice, viewpoint, structure, character, description, using scenes, revising, editing , and the publishing process. The tutor will provide each participant with one-on-one feedback, audio notes, recordable Zoom tutorials, and more.

Since the deadline for applications is on 19 August at midnight, you still have plenty of time to make a decision. The full price of the course is £2,500. To learn more, you can contact the team here .

10. Advanced Novel Writing

Advanced Novel Writing is a workshop provided by Writer’s Digest University. It includes five three-week sessions, and for each of them you will have to submit 10,000 words for review – the first ones are due 10 days after the class begins. Your instructor will be either Mark Spencer or Terri Valentine, depending on the period you choose.

Mainly, you will learn how to write 200 pages of your novel, to properly make the revisions needed before publication, and you will find out useful tips on writing and improving your work. Even more, your writings will be critiqued and you will receive valuable feedback from the instructor as well.

This course is ideal for people who have already started working on their projects, whether they’re novelists, writers who wish to make progress towards publication, or students. There are three different periods for which you can enroll: the first one starts on April 23, the second one starts on May 21, and the third one, on June 18. The full price is $799.99 – to learn more, you can contact them using the information displayed here .

11. Build Your Novel Scene by Scene

Led by Mark Spencer, this workshop is also provided by the Writer’s Digest University. It consists of twelve sessions which will unfold between April 30 and July 24, between May 28 and August 21, or between June 25 and September 18, depending on which period you prefer.

To name a few examples, the second session will involve the fundamentals of scene writing, determining your novel’s perspective, and developing your characters, while session nine will consist of the importance and function of the climax scene, raising the stakes for your protagonist, and of tips and tricks for writing your climax scene. You will learn how to develop and improve your ideas, as well as useful techniques for outlining your novel, among others. Therefore, this course is appropriate for people who want to write a novel, but who aren’t prepared to do it yet.

In terms of costs, you will have to pay $599.99 to enroll. To find out more, you can contact the team here .

12. Starting to Write Your Novel

Held between May 14 and June 25, Starting to Write Your Novel is an online workshop provided by Curtis Brown Creative and conducted by Anna Davis, the author of five successful novels, as well as a former teacher of Creative Writing at the University of Manchester.

If you want to start writing a novel, but you’re not sure how to do it yet, this course will allow you to gain practical support with the basics. In short, it involves weekly teaching modules, resources and notes, dedicated teaching videos, writing tasks, and a student forum where you can receive feedback from both your peers and an expert CBC editor.

The full price for the course is £225, but you can also pay an extra £125 for a 500-word report on the quality of your work. If the description doesn’t include information you would like to know, you can ask them about it here .

13. Write Your Book: Start Strong and Get It Done

Taught by Jennie Nash, this course is provided through the CreativeLive platform to writers who either can’t manage to start their novel, or who can’t find a proper end for it.

As the founder of Author Accelerator, which is a strategic book coaching service, she is able to help you make use of your creativity in a way that will allow you to create a strong framework. In short, you will learn how to define your narrator’s voice, to design your characters, plot, and story structure, to decide on your perspective regarding human nature, and a few more. With 21 video lessons in HD, over 5 hours of class content, exclusive bonus content, and lifetime access, you will gain both the skills and the confidence to finish your novel successfully.

The full price is $99, but, if you hurry, you may be able to get it for $59. To find out more, contact the CreativeLive team here .

I am a content writer from Romania. My projects involve non-fiction writing, academic writing, product reviews, as well as technical writing. Although I have a personal preference for articles regarding social issues and human rights, I can provide content on any other topic.

Your story matters

Write your novel now., what is nanowrimo.

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create!

Our Young Writers Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in our flagship event each November, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round.

Only you can tell your story.

Set your word-count goal for the month and draft your novel right on our site. We'll help you track your progress. Plus, get support from published authors and an international community of fellow novelists.

Unleash your students’ creative potential.

Start a virtual classroom to read student novels and track progress. Keep your kids motivated with free classroom kits, workbooks, and Common Core-aligned K–12 lesson plans.

“The Young Writers Program has given me the freedom to write on any subject and has improved my writing and grammar skills. It has made a huge impact in my English classes.” 7th Grader Virginia, USA

“The first year I joined NaNoWriMo, I was inspired to actually finish a project. The Young Writers Program motivated me to continue on in my novel even when I didn’t want to.” 7th Grader California, USA

“The Young Writers Program showed me that I could do whatever I want if I put my mind to it. I never thought I could write a novel. And YWP proved me wrong.” 7th Grader Illinois, USA

“I am constantly thinking of story ideas for the next NaNoWriMo. The Young Writers Program has inspired me to let my imagination run wild, and I find myself more motivated after writing.” 6th Grader California, USA

“I loved how you could just write. In most other programs, there was always a worksheet, or months and months of planning. I just loved writing my novel and was so inspired, I made a novel-writing club for my school!” 5th Grader Indiana, USA

“We had over 500 students doing this project together. Students knew that there were other people who were having the same fears, going through the same struggles, and feeling the same sense of pride in their work.” Daniel Stone Educator, South Carolina

“I watched all my students grow and develop as writers, thinkers, and creators over the month of November. They’re excited to do it again this year and engage further in developing their own stories about their world.” Celia Emmelhainz Educator, Kazakhstan

“From November on, I see new depth in their reading journal entries as they begin to read like writers, contemplating and evaluating what published authors have done in their work.” Melody Sutton Educator, California

“Even if they only have 15-20 minutes to write, the room goes silent except for the sound of words making their way onto the page. Students leave my room and enter the world of their novels.” Noriko Nakada Educator, California

Press Coverage

A PROGRAM OF NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH, A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT THAT BELIEVES YOUR STORY MATTERS.

Novel Writing Classes

UPCOMING NOVEL WRITING CLASSES

Advanced Novel Writing Class

Intermediate novel writing class, introduction to novel writing class.

You are about to embark on an exciting, rewarding and challenging adventure. Everyone says that they want to write a novel, but only a tiny fraction of folks have the drive, talent and discipline to accomplish it. You’ll take an important step in that direction by enrolling in this sequence of novel writing classes, which will teach you essential fiction writing skills as well as helping you get your book finished.

In this novel writing class, you’ll learn the forms of realistic fiction and how to adapt them to a novel. You’ll explore techniques like dramatic scene, character sketches, dialogue and scene by scene construction–the building blocks of all novels. The goal of the novel writing class is to introduce these techniques and get you started on your novel in the process. The great adventure is about to begin!

In addition to focusing on these techniques, we will discuss larger, structural issues, how to put all of these elements together into a dramatic and compelling chapter. It’s a bit like building a cathedral; you don’t start by piling up bricks. First you learn to fashion stone. You learn how it fit it together. You study the principles of constructing arches, whether Gothic, Romanesque or another. You choose the arch that best suits your design. You integrate all of these elements into the final edifice. Only after you have learned to do all of these things will you be able to proceed further.

In the same way, it makes little sense to start writing a novel without first mastering the underlying forms of fiction. Start with the simple ones first, then move to the longer and more complex. By proceeding in this way, the novel writing class will help you envision the larger arc of your story. Structure usually proves the most difficult aspect of novel writing for most students. Fitting these individual elements into the grand architecture of a novel is the primary focus of this sequence of novel writing classes.

Finally, we’ll talk about publishing, and how you can get your finished novel into the hands of an appropriate editor. I’ll also give you some suggestions about where to go after you’ve finished the novel writing class.

Instructor: Jana Harris

NCERT Books for Class 7 are available on our website for the convenience of students. The NCERT Books can be accessed with just a click of a button as we provide all material in PDF. NCERT Books for CBSE Class 7 are highly recommended by educational experts and teachers to help students prepare for examinations. NCERT books are mainly used by students studying in CBSE schools.

These NCERT books help students with easy-to-understand language along with graphic illustrations, which helps them understand all the concepts from the books easily. The complexity of the book is kept to a minimum, helping students also prepare for their final exams easily. These NCERT Books are an excellent reference resource for CBSE Class 7 students, and they can gain a comprehensive idea about all the concepts and topics of various disciplines/subjects from them.

Access NCERT Solutions here.

NCERT Class 7 Maths Book Chapter-wise in English and Hindi

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The NCERT Class 7 Books provide students with the best study resource for exam preparations, and they can score good marks in the annual examinations by referring to them. Moreover, these NCERT books can be used for a thorough understanding of topics and concepts which are covered under the syllabus of CBSE.

We, at BYJU’S, provide NCERT Books for CBSE Class 7 for all subjects. The whole book can be downloaded, while some individual chapters can also be read on BYJU’S website or using BYJU’S – The Learning App. In addition, students will be able to benefit a lot from the model question papers and sample papers that come as part of NCERT Solutions .

Frequently Asked Questions on NCERT Class 7 Books

Why should i opt for ncert class 7 books, write the key benefits of ncert class 7 books., is ncert class 7 books difficult to learn, leave a comment cancel reply.

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How to Write a Novel

Take your novel from concept to completion with this series of non-credit online courses created by UBC Creative Writing professors Annabel Lyon and Nancy Lee.

Hosted on Harvard and MIT’s innovative edX learning platform , these three courses are open to anyone. They’re not writing workshops – instead they are focused, craft-based courses aimed at giving you the tools to take your novel from an idea to a finished book.

Course Length: Six weeks each. Cost: $400 CDN (approx) / $295 USD. Schedule: Courses held twice a year in spring and fall, with the exception of “Edit & Revise” which is currently held each January.

Course 1: Structure & Outline

Learn the fundamentals of story structure complete a detailed, scene-by-scene outline of your novel idea..

Outlining is a crucial step in the novel writing process, one that fuels creativity and prepares the writer to stay on track and avoid common pitfalls.

Through hands-on weekly exercises with a focus on craft and process, as well as insights from the real-world practices of accomplished authors, this course explores the core elements of fiction writing necessary to build an outline. You will learn the fundamentals of character development, world-building and the basics of storytelling architecture. You’ll work intensively on your own creative project and hone your outline through targeted assignments and discussion with fellow writers.

This course was entirely successful in getting me to develop my ideas into a full scene-by-scene outline which I am now using to write the first draft of a novel. I am particularly thankful for the instruction on structure, detailing of major turning points in a classic three-act plot, and advice on creating and sticking to a writing plan.

Course 2: writing the draft, move from outline to draft writing with crucial craft lessons on scene design, dialogue, character development and plot..

The essential fiction craft toolbox for writers struggling with the common hurdles of first drafts.

Through writing exercises aimed at developing new skills, concrete examples from published novels, discussion with fellow writers and opportunities to identify and strengthen weaknesses in their own projects, learners will broaden their knowledge of fiction craft as they explore creating memorable characters, the art of scene design, tactics for managing unwieldy plots and steps for writing layered and meaningful dialogue.

Whether you’re beginning your novel draft or nearing the end, this course is a unique opportunity to learn the essentials of strong fiction writing from award-winning authors sharing their proven methods and approaches.

My writing has been jump-started by this course. I was worried about being able to bring my story to fruition, and now I know why! With the tools provided, and Nancy and Annabel’s gentle exploration of various pitfalls, together with humor and insight, I now have the means to finish my novel.

Course 3: edit & revise, discover story analysis strategies and rewriting tools, develop a concrete plan for creating a more accomplished draft and explore what it takes to attract agents, editors and readers..

Experienced writers understand that novels improve incrementally with each draft. This course teaches the skills of revision and the attention to detail it takes to make a good story great.

Explore the editorial process from macro to micro. From a far-reaching analysis of the three journeys every novel must take–internal, external, aesthetic–to a tight focus on the rigorous choices associated with prose style, learners will hone critical skills and develop a rewriting plan tailored to the needs of their individual projects.

Through self-evaluation and discussion with fellow writers, learners will build an autonomous writing practice and discover a community of peers familiar with the challenges and aspirations of novel writing.

Before doing the course I had a manuscript that I had worked on for years, it had no structure and I had paid to have it edited, yet it was going nowhere. It was a disaster and an expensive one at that! After the three courses I found myself with a decent manuscript that was well edited and elicited a publishing offer.

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We have added an AI writing indicator to the Similarity Report. It shows an overall percentage of the document that AI writing tools, such as ChatGPT, may have generated. The indicator further links to a report which highlights the text segments that our model predicts were written by AI. Please note, only instructors and administrators are able to see the indicator.

While Turnitin has confidence in its model, Turnitin does not make a determination of misconduct, rather it provides data for the educators to make an informed decision based on their academic and institutional policies. Hence, we must emphasize that the percentage on the AI writing indicator should not be used as the sole basis for action or a definitive grading measure by instructors.

2. How does it work? 

When a paper is submitted to Turnitin, the submission is first broken into segments of text that are roughly a few hundred words (about five to ten sentences). Those segments are then overlapped with each other to capture each sentence in context.

The segments are run against our AI detection model and we give each sentence a score between 0 and 1 to determine whether it is written by a human or by AI. If our model determines that a sentence was not generated by AI, it will receive a score of 0. If it determines the entirety of the sentence was generated by AI it will receive a score of 1.

Using the average scores of all the segments within the document, the model then generates an overall prediction of how much text in the submission we believe has been generated by AI.

Currently, Turnitin’s AI writing detection model is trained to detect content from the GPT-3 and GPT-3.5 language models, which includes ChatGPT. Because the writing characteristics of GPT-4 are consistent with earlier model versions, our detector is able to detect content from GPT-4 (ChatGPT Plus) most of the time. We are actively working on expanding our model to enable us to better detect content from other AI language models.

3. What parameters or flags does Turnitin’s model take into account when detecting AI writing? 

GPT-3 and ChatGPT are trained on the text of the entire internet, and they are essentially taking that large amount of text and generating sequences of words based on picking the next highly probable words. This means that GPT-3 and ChatGPT tend to generate the next word in a sequence of words in a consistent and highly probable fashion. Human writing, on the other hand, tends to be inconsistent and idiosyncratic, resulting in a low probability of picking the next word the human will use in the sequence.

Our classifiers are trained to detect these differences in word probability and are adept to the particular word probability sequences of human writers.

4. How was Turnitin’s model trained? 

Our model is trained on a representative sample of data that includes both AI-generated and authentic academic writing. While creating our sample dataset, we took into account statistically under-represented groups like second-language learners, English users from non-English speaking countries, students at colleges and universities with diverse enrollments, and less common subject areas such as anthropology, geology, sociology, and others.

5. Can I check past submitted assignments for AI writing? 

Yes. Previously submitted assignments can be checked for AI writing detection if they’re re-submitted to Turnitin. Only assignments that are submitted after the launch of our capability (4th April 2023) are automatically checked for AI writing detection.

6. What languages are supported? 

English. For the first iteration of Turnitin’s AI writing detection capabilities, we are able to detect AI writing for documents submitted in long-form English only.

7. What will happen if a non-English paper is submitted? 

If a non-English paper is submitted, the detector will not process the submission. The indicator will show an empty/error state with ‘in-app’ guidance that will tell users that this capability only works for English submissions at this time. No report will be generated if the submitted content is not in English.

8. Can my institution get access to AI detection to be able to trial this new capability? 

Yes, admins can set-up test accounts and allow instructors to use and assess the feature. If you’re an existing TFS customer, your admin will be able to create a sub-account and enable AI writing for only that account for testing purposes.

If you’re an Originality, Similarity or Simcheck customer, you can request test accounts by contacting your account manager or CSM.

New customers should speak to a Turnitin representative about getting a test account.

9. Can I or my admin suppress the new indicator and report if we do not want to see it? 

Yes, admins have the option to enable/disable the AI writing feature from their admin settings page. Disabling the feature will remove the AI writing indicator & report from the Similarity report and it won’t be visible to instructors and admins until they enable it again.

10. Will the addition of Turnitin’s AI detection functionality to the Similarity report change my workflow or the way I use the Similarity report? 

No. This additional functionality does not change the way you use the Similarity report or your existing workflows. Our AI detection capabilities have been added to the Similarity report to provide a seamless experience for our customers.

11. Will the AI detection capabilities be available via LMSs such as Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas, etc? 

Yes, users will be able to see the indicator and the report via the LMS they’re using. We have made AI writing detection available via the Similarity report. There is no AI writing indicator or score embedded directly in the LMS user interface and users will need to go into the report to see the AI score.

12. Does the MS Teams integration support the AI writing detection feature? 

AI writing detection is only available to instructors using the new Turnitin Feedback Studio integration . Since the MS Teams Assignment Similarity integration does not offer an instructor view due to Turnitin not receiving user metadata, AI writing detection is unavailable.

If an instructor using the Similarity integration has a concern that a report may have been written with an AI writing tool, they can request that their administrator use the paper lookup tool to view a full report.

13. How is authorship detection within Originality different from AI writing detection? 

Turnitin’s AI writing detection technology is different from the technology used within Authorship (Originality). Our AI writing detection model calculates the overall percentage of text in the submitted document that was likely generated by an AI writing tool. Authorship, on the other hand, uses metadata as well as forensic language analysis to detect if the submitted assignment was written by someone other than the student. It will not be able to indicate if it was AI written; only that the content is not the student’s own work.

AI detection results & interpretation

1. what does the percentage in the ai writing detection indicator mean .

The percentage indicates the amount of qualifying text within the submission that Turnitin’s AI writing detection model determines was generated by AI. This qualifying text includes only prose sentences, meaning that we only analyze blocks of text that are written in standard grammatical sentences and do not include other types of writing such as lists, bullet points, or other non-sentence structures.

This percentage is not necessarily the percentage of the entire submission. If text within the submission is not considered long-form prose text, it will not be included.

2. What is the accuracy of Turnitin’s AI writing indicator? 

We strive to maximize the effectiveness of our detector while keeping our false positive rate - incorrectly identifying fully human-written text as AI-generated - under 1% for documents with over 20% of AI writing. In other words, we might flag a human-written document as AI-written for one out of every 100 fully-human written documents.

To bolster our testing framework and diagnose statistical trends of false positives, in April 2023 we performed additional tests on 800,000 additional academic papers that were written before the release of ChatGPT to further validate our less than 1% false positive rate.

In order to maintain this low rate of 1% for false positives, there is a chance that we might miss 15% of AI written text in a document. We’re comfortable with that since we do not want to incorrectly highlight human-written text as AI-written. For example, if we identify that 50% of a document is likely written by an AI tool, it could contain as much as 65% AI writing.

We’re committed to safeguarding the interests of students while helping institutions maintain high standards of academic integrity. We will continue to adapt and optimize our model based on our learnings from real-world document submissions, and as large language models evolve to ensure we maintain this less than 1% false positive rate.

3. How does Turnitin ensure that the false positive rate for a document remains less than 1%? 

Since the launch of our solution in April, we tested 800,000 academic papers that were written before the release of ChatGPT. Based on the results of these tests, we made the below updates to our model in May to ensure we hold steadfast on our objective of keeping our false positive rate below 1% for a document.

4. The percentage shown sometimes doesn’t match the amount of text highlighted. Why is that? 

This means that a document containing several different writing types would result in a disparity between the percentage and the highlights.

5. What do the different indicators mean? 

Upon opening the Similarity Report, after a short period of processing, the AI writing detection indicator will show one of the following:

6. What can I do if I feel that the AI indicator is incorrect? How does Turnitin’s indicator address false positives? 

If you find AI written documents that we've missed, or notice authentic student work that we've predicted as AI-generated, please let us know! Your feedback is crucial in enabling us to improve our technology further. You can provide feedback via the ‘feedback’ button found in the AI writing report.

Sometimes false positives (incorrectly flagging human-written text as AI-generated), can include lists without a lot of structural variation, text that literally repeats itself, or text that has been paraphrased without developing new ideas. If our indicator shows a higher amount of AI writing in such text, we advise you to take that into consideration when looking at the percentage indicated.

In a longer document with a mix of authentic writing and AI generated text, it can be difficult to exactly determine where the AI writing begins and original writing ends, but our model should give you a reliable guide to start conversations with the submitting student.

In shorter documents where there are only a few hundred words, the prediction will be mostly "all or nothing" because we're predicting on a single segment without the opportunity to overlap. This means that some text that is a mix of AI-generated and original content could be flagged as entirely AI-generated.

Please consider these points as you are reviewing the data and following up with students or others.

7. Will students be able to see the results? 

The AI writing detection indicator and report are not visible to students.

8. Does the AI Indicator automatically feed a student’s paper into a repository? 

No, it does not. There is no separate repository for AI writing detection. Our AI writing detection capabilities are part of our existing similarity report workflow. When we receive submissions, they are compared and evaluated via our proprietary algorithms for both similarity text matching and the likelihood of being AI writing (generated by LLMs). Customers retain the ability to choose whether to add their student papers into the repository or not.

When AI writing detection is run on a submission, the results are shared on the similarity report - unless suppressed – and results regarding the percentage AI writing identified by the detector, along with the segments identified highly likely written by AI – are retained as part of the similarity report.

9. What is the difference between the Similarity score and the AI writing detection percentage? Are the two completely separate or do they influence each other? 

The AI writing detection percentage, on the other hand, shows the overall percentage of text in a submission that Turnitin’s AI writing detection model predicts was generated by AI writing tools.

10. Why do I see the AI Writing score and the corresponding report on the similarity report prior to April 4? 

Our AI writing detection capabilities are part of our existing similarity report workflow to detect unoriginal writing. While we released AI writing detection capabilities on April 4, 2023, prior to launch, we were preparing for the release and running our AI writing detector on a sampling of papers as part of our QA testing. This allowed us to confirm our readiness for release on April 4. As a result, you may see the AI writing score along with the corresponding report on some similarity reports submitted between March 8, 2023 and April 4, 2023.

11. Does the Turnitin model take into account that AI writing detection technology might be biased against particular subject-areas or second-language writers? 

Yes, it does. One of the guiding principles of our company and of our AI team has been to minimize the risk of harm to students, especially those disadvantaged or disenfranchised by the history and structure of our society. Hence, while creating our sample dataset, we took into account statistically under-represented groups like second-language learners, English users from non-English speaking countries, students at colleges and universities with diverse enrollments and less common subject areas such as anthropology, geology, sociology, and others.

12. How can I use the AI indicator percentage in the classroom with students? 

Turnitin’s AI detection indicator shows the percentage of text that has likely been generated by an AI writing tool while the report highlights the exact segments that seem to be AI-written. The final decision on whether any misconduct has occurred rests with the reviewer/instructor. Turnitin does not make a determination of misconduct, rather it provides data for the educators to make an informed decision based on their academic and institutional policies.

13. Can I download the AI report like the Similarity report? 

No. At this time the functionality to download the AI report is not available. However, we are actively working on developing this capability, and we should be able to add it as a functionality in the near-term.

Scope of detection

1. which ai writing models can turnitin’s technology detect .

The first iteration of Turnitin’s AI writing detection capabilities have been trained to detect models including GPT-3, GPT-3.5, and variants. Our technology can also detect other AI writing tools that are based on these models such as ChatGPT. We’ve completed our testing of GPT-4 (ChatGPT Plus), and the result is that our solution will detect text generated by GPT-4 most of the time. We plan to expand our detection capabilities to other models in the future.

2. Which model is Turnitin’s AI detection model based on? 

Our model is based on an open-source foundation model from the Huggingface company. We undertook multiple rounds of carefully calibrated retraining, evaluation and fine-tuning. What we must emphasize really is that the unique power of our model arises from the carefully curated data we've used to train the model, leveraging our 20+ years of expertise in authentic student writing, along with the technology developed by us to extract the maximum predictive power from the model trained on that data. In training our model, we focused on minimizing false positives while maximizing accuracy for the latest generation of LLMs ensuring that we help educators uphold academic integrity while protecting the interests of students.

3. Is your current model able to detect GPT-4 generated text? 

Yes it does, most of the time. Our AI team has conducted tests on GPT-4 using our released detector to compare its performance and understand the differences between GPT-3.5 (on which our model is trained), and GPT-4. The result is that our detector will detect text generated by GPT-4 most of the time, but we don’t have further, consistent guidance to share at this time. The free version of ChatGPT is still operating on GPT-3.5, while the paid version, ChatCPT Plus, is operating on GPT-4.

4. How will Turnitin be future-proofing for advanced versions of GPT and other large language models yet to emerge? 

We recognize that Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly expanding and evolving, and we are already hard at work building detection systems for additional LLMs. Our focus initially has been on building and releasing an effective and reliable AI writing detector for GPT-3 and GPT-3.5, and other writing tools based on these models such as ChatGPT. Recently, we conducted tests on GPT-4, the model on which ChatGPT Plus is based, and found that our detection capabilities detected AI-generated text in most cases.

5. Will the AI percentage change over time as the detector and the models it is detecting evolve? 

Yes, as we iterate and develop our model further, it is likely that our detection capabilities will also change, affecting the AI percentage. However, for a submitted document, the AI percentage will change only if it's re-submitted again to be processed.

6. Can Turnitin detect if text generated by an AI writing tool (ChatGPT, etc.) is further paraphrased using a paraphrasing tool? Will it flag the content as AI-generated even in this instance? 

Our detector is trained on the outputs of GPT-3, GPT-3.5 and ChatGPT, and modifying text generated by these systems will have an impact on our detectors’ abilities to identify AI written text. In our AI Innovation Lab, we have conducted tests using open sourced paraphrasing tools (including different LLMs) and in most cases, our detector has retained its effectiveness and is able to identify text as AI-generated even when a paraphrasing tool has been used to change the AI output.

7. Does Turnitin have plans to build a solution to detect when students paraphrase content either themselves or through tools such as Quillbot, etc.,? 

Turnitin has been working on building paraphrase detection capabilities – ability to detect when students have paraphrased content either with the help of paraphrasing tools or re-written it themselves – for some time now, and the technology is already producing the desired results in our AI Innovation Lab. In the instance when the student is using a word spinner or an online paraphrasing tool, the student is just running content through a word spinner which uses AI to intentionally subvert similarity detection, not using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to create content.

We have plans for a beta release in 2023, and we will be making paraphrase detection available to instructors at institutions that are using TFS with Originality and Originality for an additional cost. It will be released first in our TFS with Originality product.

Access & licensing

1. who will get access to this solution will we need to pay more for this capability .

The first iteration of our AI writing detection indicator and report are available to our academic writing integrity customers as part of their existing licenses, so that they’re able to test the solution and see how it works. This includes customers with a license for Turnitin Feedback Studio (TFS), TFS with Originality, Turnitin Originality, Turnitin Similarity, Simcheck, Originality Check, and Originality Check+. It is available for customers using these platforms via an integration with an LMS or with Turnitin’s Core API. Please note, only instructors and administrators will be able to see the indicator and report.

Beginning January 1, 2024, only customers licensing Originality or TFS with Originality will have access to the full AI writing detection experience.

2. When can customers get access to this solution? 

Turnitin’s AI writing detection capabilities are available now and have been added to the Similarity Report. Customers licensing any of the above Turnitin products should be able to see the indicator and access the AI report.

3. Is Turnitin’s AI writing detection a standalone solution or is it part of another product? 

The first iteration of Turnitin’s AI writing detection capabilities is a separate feature of the Similarity Report and is available across these products: Turnitin Feedback Studio (TFS), TFS with Originality, Turnitin Originality, Turnitin Similarity, Simcheck, Originality Check, and Originality Check+. The indicator links to a report which shows the exact segments that are predicted as AI-written within the submitted content.

4. Why is AI detection not being added to other Turnitin products like Gradescope and iThenticate? 

We focused our resources on, what we view, as the biggest, most acute problem and that is higher education and K12 long-form writing. We are currently investigating how we can bring AI writing detection to iThenticate customers. We do not currently have plans to add these capabilities to Gradescope, since the primary use case for Gradescope is handwritten text while for AI detection we’re focusing on typed text. However, we are happy to learn more about customer needs for AI writing detection within this product. In addition, we are not pursuing ChatGPT code detection at this time.

5. Where can I find more information about this new solution? 

You can find information about Turnitin’s AI writing detection capabilities on this page .

6. I’m offended that Turnitin is making the AI writing detection free for instructors then charging for it later. It feels like Turnitin is advertising to faculty. 

We made the decision to provide free access to our detection capabilities during this preview phase to support educators during this unprecedented time of rapid change. We received a significant amount of positive feedback from customers, and we acted on that feedback.

Our goal has always been to work closely with our customers to create an optimal solution for educators. We need as many educators as possible to use our AI writing detection feature quickly to gather feedback and address any gaps.

We understand that you may be apprehensive about instructors using a tool or feature that the institution may not wish to purchase in the future. However, we have invested heavily in developing and improving our AI writing detection technology over the past two years. We believe that this technology provides significant value to our customers by providing data and insights on when AI-generated content is submitted by students. This enables educators to uphold academic integrity while advancing students' learning. Nonetheless, maintaining and improving our technology requires ongoing investment as AI writing tools evolve and improve at a rapid pace over time.

The decision to move to a paid licensing structure beginning January 2024 was made to ensure that we can continue to provide high-quality AI writing detection features to our customers. This enables us to invest in further research and development and improve our infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

7. If I opt-out of AI detection, does it mean that my students’ submissions will not be assessed by the detection tool and data retained by Turnitin? 

Customers come to Turnitin to provide services that detect unoriginal writing, which, with the development of AI writing, now includes both unoriginal writing by humans and non-humans (LLMs). Our AI writing detection capabilities are part of our existing similarity report workflow. When we receive submissions, they are compared and evaluated via our proprietary algorithms for both similarity text matching and the likelihood of being AI writing (generated by LLMs). As such, suppressing the appearance of the AI writing indicator does not stop the assessment for AI writing. When AI writing detection is run on a submission, the result is shared on the similarity report, unless suppressed. When the AI writing detection is suppressed, it is simply suppressing the indicator showing the predicted percentage of AI writing; thus, the indicator will not be displayed on the similarity report, and the linking AI writing report showing the segments identified as written by AI will not be showing either. However, they are retained as part of the similarity report. Therefore when the feature is re-enabled, the AI writing score will appear on the similarity report.

This process is separate and apart from your designation of whether or not submissions can be stored in the ‘repository.’

Martin Amis was Mick Jagger in literary form, I was besotted with his electrifying prose

Amis transformed vernacular English into screamingly funny voice-powered novels in the 80s and 90s, but he was even better in his later collections of journalism – showing how style was intrinsic to perception

Martin Amis, era-defining British novelist, dies aged 73

I suspect it’s difficult for anyone under the age of … what? 30? 40? – to comprehend the thrall Martin Amis exerted on writers now in their 50s or above. One might have to insert a qualifying “male” here. Or go the other way, stop generalizing and say how thoroughly he had me in his thrall throughout the 1980s and 90s. There were writers I admired more but he was more fun to read than all of them put together. I sat there aghast at his transformative impact on language. In Money he imported an American form – the voice-powered monologue – and mixed it in with vernacular English ingredients that were traditional and of the moment. The next big novel was called London Fields but this phase of extended dominance can be likened to an earlier titular declaration from 1979: London Calling . But just as this was a New York-inflected London, so the daylight yobbery of register was always being yanked (in both senses) into a subtly different gear by a mix of inheritance (Kingsley), institution (first-class English degree from Oxford) and indebtedness to American favourites: Saul Bellow, pre-eminently). An ironic consequence of all this was that Amis’s contemporaneity made Bellow seem old-worldy (while Martin enjoyed the dubious distinction of being referred to as an enfant terrible well into his sixties).

But what was this this ? Or, More exactly where was it? In Money, obviously, but the truth is that with the exception of Time’s Arrow Amis’s other major novels were all overlong. I tired of them even in the midst of relishing them. London Fields sagged fatally – then sprang back into life. The Information was unable to sustain the weight and momentum of its opening. What this meant was that he was at his consistent best in the collections of journalism such as The Moronic Inferno and The War Against Cliche . His signature strength as a writer – the electrifying prose – was also a component of his shortcoming as a novelist. In some ways, an unflashy writer such as Tessa Hadley seems to get closer to the permanent mystery of great fiction than he ever did. But style is not just a varnish; it is, as he pointed out, intrinsic to perception. Every page of his writing – in any form – was steeped in his consciousness and I was besotted by that consciousness in all its forms. I think that’s why there was such a personality cult around Amis in a way that there could never be a cult of Julian Barnes or AS Byatt. Amis was Mick Jagger in literary form.

I will never forget the first time I met him. At a party in London in the early 2000s. We chatted for a few minutes. I knew a lot of writers and had met quite a few famous people by then, but after this very brief encounter my wife asked if I’d been taking coke. I hadn’t but when we were back home she asked again because I was so wired. I hadn’t been taking coke but I sort of had. I was still kite-high from the intoxication – the simple fact – of having met Martin Amis . This extraordinary – and perfectly normal – reaction was consistent with the way that I, like many other people, often expressed my admiration for Amis in tones of competitive disparagement. The more you loved Amis the more cleverly – ideally, Amisianly – you tried to take him down. And then, today, in a cafe in Santa Monica, when I received a text about his death, I found myself crying.

after newsletter promotion

In a way it seems horribly appropriate that, in an age of sensitivity readers (insensitive readers, really), and a pervasively internalized terror of causing offence (relax, I’m joking!) he’s no longer around. In the foreword to The War Against Cliche he deplored the way that the reviewer reads a book, “and then sees which way it rubs him up. The right way or the wrong way.” That was in 2001, before this kind of rubbing had really started to chafe. So although I confidently assigned the book to a class of grad students in California I only suggested, with all manner of protective warning, that they might also want to take a quick look at Money. In anticipation of that class I read bits of Money again, for the fourth or fifth time. What joy, what bliss it was! And screamingly funny, obviously. Even its shortcomings are the result of a wild overabundance. But what would the grads make of it? One of the students – a radical feminist, stripper and sex worker – could hardly wait to pounce … by declaring how utterly she had loved the book. It so happens that, like the novel’s dedicatee, she is called Antonia. Her end-of-semester paper was a wonderfully crazed – and reasoned – account of her conviction that Martin had somehow written the book for her.

Martin Amis

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These free novel writing courses are collected from MOOCs and online education providers such as Udemy, Coursera, Edx, Skillshare, Udacity, Bitdegree, Eduonix, QuickStart, YouTube and more. Find the free novel writing tutorials courses and get free training and practical knowledge of novel writing. Get started with novel writing for free and ...
Which Course?
The complete writer career path from start to finish. Create, write and finish a novel to publishing standards for our submission to literary agents. The Classic Course, The Ninety Day Novel Course, The Big Edit, The Ultimate Manuscript Assessment, Coaching, Membership. $3349 / £2750 ($299 / £239 monthly) Learn more.
Creative Writing Courses
Enjoy inspiring step-by-step lessons to guide and pace writing your book all the way to the end. Created by a Booker-listed award-winning author to fast-track writing fiction, this is the new way to write a novel. Here ' s your chance to work with a published author. Our writing coaches are based in the USA, Canada and the UK and are all ...
AI Writing Detection Frequently Asked Questions
Which AI writing models can Turnitin's technology detect? 2. Which model is Turnitin's AI detection model based on? 3. Is your current model able to detect GPT-4 generated text? 4. How will Turnitin be future-proofing for advanced versions of GPT and other large language models yet to emerge? 5.
Martin Amis was Mick Jagger in literary form, I was besotted with his
The next big novel was called London Fields but this phase of extended dominance can be likened to an earlier titular declaration from 1979: London Calling. But just as this was a New York ...