8 Weeks to Writing a Commercially Successful Novel

Hear what previous students say about this course:

“Out of the many writing courses I've taken, this is one of the two best. And I learned as much in these 8 weeks as I learned in 2 years in the other course.” —Richard Thomas Lane

“This course skyrocketed my writing to the next level! I learned so much from Susanne about using sensory detail, microtension and deep POV that I feel much more confident in my craft! Well worth the time and money to take this class!” —Lisa Burchett

“Susanne’s course teaches how to write a scene by breaking down into its elements–– High Moment, Character Change, Micro tension, Deep POV, Sensory Detail, to name a few, and then discusses and analyses them using excerpts from published writers. She has sharpened my understanding of scene construction. Before attending her course, I didn’t notice these elements when reading other writers’ work or that all are necessary, though in varying quantity depending on genre. I highly recommend this course for any fiction writer who wants to write as powerfully as possible.” —Christine Dreier

“This course has been tremendously helpful for my development as a writer. I am now equipped with several tools that I can use as I revise my current novel-in-progress. I am working on my first novel attempt and now have far more confidence in my writing and the future of this project!” —Olivia Bedford

“Susanne is an expert and it shows in her lectures, resources and teaching style. The course covers so much in-depth structural advice I could never have discovered myself. I was floundering with my manuscript but now feel I have a guide to assist me with every aspect of the writing. It will take me a while to go through all the components covered by the course, but the way Susanne has organized the content makes it easier to apply. I can now see what’s needed for a more commercial book and am more hopeful of publication sometime!” —Jean Healey

“Susanne Lakin is extremely knowledgeable of industry trends, effective pacing and structure protocols for creating successful commercial novels in today's environment, and devotes her time, energy and support to her students. I would recommend her course to both beginning and experienced novelists.” —Kendrick Smith

“Wow, what a great class! Susanne is a terrific teacher. And this content is so valuable to me. I am a new writer and a member of an Authors Lab mentoring program. In that program, we work on plot and character and structure all the time, but never these concepts. I suppose it’s assumed that I should know how to write, but writing doesn’t necessarily come naturally to me, and my scenes often feel flat because I’ve never learned how to craft purposeful prose like you are teaching. Thank you for offering this class so I can learn how to do it.” —Joan Ruark

“Before this class, my scenes were plot driven, but lacked character emotional detail and tension. Susanne presents information that transcends most craft classes. She encapsulates elements in scene development that focuses on the character, her actions and her perceptions. Taking this class elevated my writing from bland to interesting and engaging.” —Aimee Kluck

“I completed the first draft of my novel before taking this course with Susanne. In eight weeks, I have learned more than I've learned in any other writing class about techniques to create a better novel. She has given me a new perspective on what's involved in producing a commercially successful novel.” —Maureen Duffy

“I was hesitant about taking this course, because I was unsure if there would be anything new that I hadn't received from another course or a book. I signed up and it was one of the best decisions I've made in my new writing career. Susanne has a unique viewpoint on writing that I haven't encountered anywhere else, and my writing improved drastically after listening to her first insights in week one of the eight-week course. There is so much depth and nuance that I will be revisiting her lessons to continue to work on these skills. She is an amazing teacher and uses numerous examples to help her students understand the concepts she teaches so they can apply them to their own work. Don't hesitate. She is worth her weight in gold!” —Lauren Gesslein