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“Build Your Book” is an intense, twelve-week deep dive into breaking out your novel or work of creative nonfiction into chapters and scenes and is designed to get you ready to write actual manuscript pages in record time. This is a class that will guide and inform full chapter development along with the key scenes needed to make each chapter solid. First, we assess your overall development and shore up any missing or weak pieces. Then we dive into actual chapter work and build out the key scenes you need for each chapter. There will be weekly writing assignments based on a worksheet model (no actual manuscript pages will be written) along with written instructor feedback on each assignment.
In addition, there will be numerous live, one-on-one coaching sessions to work through individual story problems and challenges as they arise. Everyone gets feedback; everyone gets FaceTime with the instructor. Regardless of how many or few chapters or scenes you complete, you will learn a repeatable, proven process for building chapters and scenes that will help you move forward on any future book you write. After twelve weeks, you will have the core chapters and scenes needed to begin writing actual manuscript pages with full confidence your book is going to work for agents, editors, or lit managers—not to mention readers. “Build Your Book” is the next step you need to make your book a reality for you and your audience.
Suggested Reading:
Most work weeks will include written lectures for you to read, along with suggested additional reading of various resource documents that will be attached to each work week for download. All of my books are suggested reading, but folks probably won’t want to go out and buy 15 books. So, minimally, try to do the suggested weekly reading as you can.

Hi All
Below is a calendar link to schedule your 1:1. You’ll see my general availability (which may change week to week). Just click the link and follow instructions. The actual link for our Zoom IS NOT the one used for class. The Zoom link is in the calendar notification. Just cut and paste that one into your browser.
Link: https://calendly.com/storygeeks/recurring-coaching-session
Just make sure you don’t schedule more than one in any given week.
You may be competing for space with other students from other classes if I have other classes going. If you can’t find a time/day because things are filled up, just email me directly at jeff@storygeeks.com and we’ll figure it out.
Thanks
Jeff
Hi All
Class has officially started, but it will take a few days for you to acclimate to the system. It’s new for me too, so if you have any questions along the way this week, please email me right away.
Best
Jeff
Hi All
I guess I wasn’t clear about the worksheets. When you do a worksheet/checklist please re-upload that worksheet back to the discussion area under the worksheet. I want to see them all … including the first one this week. I want to see your assessment of where you think you are with development.
Sorry for any confusion. This is what we will do every week. I’ll explain more on Monday in class.
Hi All
Our first class Zoom is tomorrow at 11am PST. Here is the link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6860597002
It will be recorded if you miss it.
See you soon
Jeff
Hoping I have converted the time properly and it’s 4 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Savings?
Sorry we missed you… no the time would be 11amPST/2pmEST
Watch your email … I sent the recording of the class you can download.
J 🙂
Hi All
There will not be a class on Aug 3rd. I will try to make it up another day that week, but I don’t know if I can yet. I have jury duty and don’t know how long it will be.
Sorry… nothing I can do about it. As I said in another email… there will be no 1:1s that week as well.
Jeff