The Novelists Book Club
Register Here
Meet with other writers to talk about the craft, creativity, and consequences that are the bedrock of storytelling. Gain:
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New skill sets from published examples.
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New ideas from inside and outside your favorite genres.
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New connections with peers.
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New appreciation for what makes novels beloved—and sometimes bestsellers (besides hype and algorithms).
Join Erin and others on the third Monday of every month from 12:00 to 1:00 Mountain Time for the best online book club you’ve ever attended.
Coming up:
FEBRUARY 16: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (stranger in a small town) 2023. Discussion: This self-published debut novel took two years to hit the New York Times bestseller list and be picked up by a Big Five publisher. What is it about the story, rather than the promotional efforts, that helped the book gain popularity? We’ll look at the book’s appeal.
MARCH 16: The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar (parallel biblical historical) 2024. Discussion: When it comes to novels, there's rare overlap between bestseller lists and award winners. Afshar's novels about women who lived in Queen Esther's court are appearing in both areas. In an extension of our February discussion, we'll talk about different expectations of editors, award judges, and readers.
APRIL 20: On the Edge of the Sea of Darkness by Andrew Petersen (middle-grade fantasy, book 1 of the Wingfeather Saga), 2008. Discussion: What world-building for young readers can teach us about world-building in adult novels, even when we're not writing fantasy.
FAQ
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"Is there a fee?" Nope! Attend for free (and for fun).
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“Do I have to read the book?” Nope! I’ll provide the context you need for the conversation to make sense. (But if you read the book, you’ll get more out of the meeting.)
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“Is this book club only for clients?” Nope! If you’re a novelist or aspiring novelist, you can come. (Let your friends know.)
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“Am I going to have to talk?” Nope! But I’ll encourage chats and invite participants to share their views. (Who wants to listen to me drone for an hour?)
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“What genres and authors are you going to cover?” As wide a variety as possible.
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“How do I join?” Register here.
A Few Requests from Erin
The Novelists’ Book Club will cover a wide variety of titles and genres that demonstrate certain aspects of craft. Typically choices will be from within the past five years, to reflect current strategies and trends. Often I’ll select titles with a measure of popularity, because audience responsiveness says something about creative effectiveness. When you attend, please keep these guidelines in mind:
Honor Your Needs
Not all selected books will suit everyone. Readers bring important preferences, worldviews, values, sensitivities, and experiences to their reading selections. Please vet each choice for yourself and determine whether it’s right for you. If not, please join us next time. If you detect a pattern that routinely makes you feel excluded, I would like to hear from you to see if that could be prevented. Please reach out to me privately at wweditorial@msn.com.
Respect the Authors
One’s opinion of an author can cast long shadows across the work. But I have zero tolerance for disparaging remarks against any human being. We’ll extend professional respect to our colleagues even if we’re occasionally critical of their work.
Focus on Craft
For those who like a heads up, I’ll send out discussion questions a week before each meeting in an effort to direct our attention to the central topics. But live discussions sometimes take on their own life. Come and see what happens!
Expect Spoilers
It’s hard to discuss the effectiveness of a story if we can’t talk about the whole thing. So don’t be upset when the beans spill. All plot points will be on the table.
