Courses

Absolutely! My Story Fundamentals courses are for new and emerging writers who are passionate about wanting to write a story with heart. If you don’t have story idea, you’ll be shown how to develop one, but if you want to get a head start, check out this free resource and follow the three-step process for developing a concept for a story with heart.

Firstly, congratulations on finishing a manuscript! You’ve achieved something not many people manage to accomplish. Now, the real work begins!

Now, as to whether this course will be of any benefit to you — that’s a question only you can answer. The course is designed to teach the fundamentals of storytelling and guides writers through the process of planning their novel. This can be hugely beneficial for writers who know their first draft needs a significant or complete re-write. In which case, yes, you’ll probably get a lot out of the course. Use the links above to check out the course pages and view the topics covered, as this may help you decide whether to enrol in the program.

If, however, you think you have a solid understanding of the story development process, your manuscript is in fairly good shape and you just want guidance on how to revise or feedback on whether your story works, then I have some options that may be a better fit for you. Download my free guide that walks you through the process of developmentally editing your own manuscript, or check out the options available for writers who need support as they revise their manuscript.

My Story Fundamentals courses are a culmination of my study of story structure and the romance genre over the last decade. The knowledge I’ve gained in that time has been whittled down into a sixteen-step story-planning process, which is split over the three Story Fundamentals courses.

I base my teaching of story and character development on my interpretation of Michael Hauge’s Six-Stage Story Structure, which in turn is based on the well-known 3-Act Structure and the Hero’s Journey. My program differs from these teachings in that it specifically takes into account the genre expectations of romance. We explore what each story stage and turning point looks like in a romance, with examples taken from pop culture.

The courses are scaffolded, meaning they build on the knowledge and skills you acquire in each, so they need to be completed in order. To put it into perspective, you can try to bake a cake, but unless you’ve mixed up all the ingredients in the order required, the outcome will not be palatable, nor what you expected. For those who enrol in my courses, I want the outcome to be not just palatable but downright delicious. I want the outcome to exceed your expectations. And for that reason, I provide you with all the ordered ingredients required to write a strong, structurally sound and well-paced story outline.

Each step of the program is broken down into topics that explain a particular element of story development. Once you’ve acquired the knowledge you need, you will be directed to complete the corresponding task in the workbook provided.

The Story Fundamentals courses are AUD $60 each, so you can purchase the first course to see whether it’s for you before going on to purchase the others, or you can commit to developing your writing craft right from the get-go and purchase them as a bundle for AUD $150, saving you AUD $30. It’s completely up to you. There’s also an option to purchase the whole coaching package.

How long it take to complete the courses is completely dependent on the time you dedicate to it. I know how busy life can get, so I intentionally give clients lifetime access to the content and allow them to work independently through the content. If you set aside a few hours each week to work through the modules and workbooks, you could complete the series in two or three months. If you’re able to dedicate more time, you’ll finish a lot sooner.

Upon completing the courses and all corresponding tasks, you’ll have a detailed outline to use as your roadmap when you sit down to write the first (or next) draft of your novel.

However, if you’d like to know whether you’re on the right track before you commit to writing 80,000 words, give or take, or find that you’d like more personalised guidance, you can purchase the option to submit your workbooks, one at a time, for detailed editorial feedback. Learn more about personalised feedback.