See ideas in action. Explore across genres.
The Novelists Book Club
A discussion group for fiction writers on the 3rd Monday of each month at 12:00pm MT.
Meet with other writers to talk about the craft and creativity of storytelling.
Come and gain:
New skill sets from published examples.
New ideas from inside and outside your favorite genres.
New connections with peers.
New appreciation for what makes novels beloved—and sometimes bestsellers (besides hype and algorithms).
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.
Discussion questions will be emailed before the meeting to those who register.
A Few Notes from Erin:
The Novelists Book Club covers a wide variety of titles and genres that demonstrate certain aspects of craft. Typically choices are from within the past five years, to reflect current strategies and trends.
Erin often selects titles with a measure of popularity, because audience responsiveness says something about creative effectiveness.
Not all selected books will suit everyone. Please vet each choice for yourself and determine whether it’s right for you.
We’ll extend professional respect to our colleagues even if we’re occasionally critical of their work.
We’ll try to keep the conversation focused on craft—but we’ll also go with the flow if interests lead elsewhere.
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.
FAQ:
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Nope! Attend for free (and for fun).
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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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Nope! If you’re a novelist or aspiring novelist, you can come. (Let your friends know.)
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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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As wide a variety as possible.
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