A Curated Syllabus for Aspiring Novelists: 50+ Expert Posts to Build Your Own Masterclass on Substack
A Round-Up of Author, Editor, Book Coach & Literary Agent Guidance on Fiction Writing, Revising and The Writer's Mindset
This is the first post in a series (Maybe two? Maybe three? TBD!), which will also include a syllabus of masterclass Substack posts on querying agents and the publishing industry.
Since I launched earlier this year I’ve discovered Substack—especially the writerly/publishing community—is an incredibly generous space. I see Substack writers who freely share their experiences, expertise and insights, and Substack readers who are openly appreciative for this sharing. Yes, I realize many Substacks require payment, but it’s been my experience that the value I get far exceeds the nominal amount I pay for my subscription (not to mention the work I know that goes into them!), so I think there’s a lot of generosity in making this information accessible at such a low cost too.
A while back I started keeping a list of helpful posts to share with writing clients. And it occurred to me recently (maybe it’s all the back-to-school energy in my house?!) there is such a wealth of free expert information available on Substack that you could essentially piece together a masterclass in novel writing. And so below you will find my attempt to do so: 50+ links to Substack articles I’ve found to be incredibly valuable to writers and aspiring novelists. Much like a syllabus, I’ve tried to organize this in a logical, organized fashion, but there is overlap, of course.
Some of these posts are from authors you surely know and admire. Some are words of advice from editors, book coaches or lit agents who spend their days guiding writers. And, yes, I included a few of mine that have been helpful to writers as (I like to think!) I’m sharing valuable info here too.
I’ve chosen to include only posts that are (currently) free to read. In part, this is a practical point as I have access to only so many subscriptions. But it also makes this round-up accessible to all readers. (Note: The exception I’ve made is posts that have a paid component but the relevant info is available before the paywall.)
There are lots of fantastic posts I know could have been included—some are intentional omissions because of paywalls. Some are unintentional because I’ve missed them, so please help out your fellow Substackers by dropping your favorites in the comments below (even if they’re paywalled)!
That brings me to one last note on these posts—don’t skip the comments sections! Sometimes those comments are a goldmine of information especially if a published author, professional editor or literary agent chimes in with their own experiences and expertise.
Okay, let’s dive in!
The Writer’s Mindset
The Simplest Formula for Writing by Junot Diaz, Story Worlds with Junot Diaz
How to Become a Writer Later in Life by Michelle Richmond, The Caffeinated Writer
Is Fear Keeping Your Story Invisible? by Nicole Meier, Dear Whole Writer
Are You Still Seeking Permission to Write? by Heather Garbo (yep, that’s me!), Write Your Next Chapter
How to Restart Your Work After an Unexpected Break by KJ Dell’Antonia, #AmWriting
52 Things: Ideas for Writers Who Want to Tend to Their Writing Lives in 2024 by Brooke Warner (still applies in 2025!)
Treat Your Writing as a Business by Sarina Bowen, #AmWriting
Writing & Revision
On Getting Started:
Darwin’s 12 Tools (Not Rules) of Writing by Emma Darwin, This Itch of Writing
Three Steps to a Novel That Sells by Karin Gillespie, Pitch Your Novel
Plot, Character or Situation: Your Story’s Entry Point Determines Your Next Steps by Heather Garbo, janefriedman.com (Okay, this one’s not actually on Substack, but it’s still free!)
On POV and Narrative Distance:
POV Disorder (Part 1) by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
Me, Myself, and Aghghghgh!: Point of View (Part 2) by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
Every Story Is a Second Person Story by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
This Is Why Your Novel Feels Flat: How to Choose the Right POV by Abigail Fenton, How to Write (and Edit) a Book
Psychic Distance: What It Is and How to Use It by Emma Darwin, This Itch of Writing
On Character Development:
Creating Compelling Characters by Nephele Tempest, Tempest in a Teacup
3 Tips to Determine If Your Character Has Agency by Monica Cox, Beyond the First Draft
When a White Woman Writes a Brown Character by Leanne Phillips, Leanne By the Sea
On Setting:
Introducing a Fictional Setting Through Movement and Attention by Matt Bell, No Failure Only Practice
On Multiple Timelines:
How to Structure Multiple Storylines by Matt Bell, No Failure Only Practice
Got Questions About Dual Timelines? by Sarah Penner, The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
On Prologues:
Prologues Are Good, Actually by Eric Smith, Eric Smith’s Substack
On Interiority:
Interior(ity) Design Fails by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
Go Deep! Interiority, Part 2 by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
More Cake, More Interiority, Part 3, by Rebecca Makkai, SubMakk
Can You Write a Scene in Which a Character Just Thinks a Lot? by Eva Langston, Eva’s Newsletter for Writers
On Showing and Telling:
Show? Tell? by George Saunders, Story Club with George Saunders
The Truth About Show Don’t Tell by Junot Diaz, Story Worlds with Junot Diaz (Note: There is a sequel to this one but it is for paid subscribers only.)
Showing and Telling by Emma Darwin, This Itch of Writing
On Dialogue:
Enlivening Dialogue with Telling by Matt Bell, No Failure Only Practice
5 Mistakes You Make When Writing Dialogue by Julie Artz, Your Story Matters
Nobody Talks Like That by Abigail Fenton, How to Write (and Edit) a Book
The 5 Rules of Great Dialogue by Erin Niumata, Erin’s Third Act
On Novel and Chapter Openings:
First Impressions Matter: Seven Ways to Goof-Proof Your Opening Pages by Karin Gillespie, Pitch Your Novel
Opening Sentences by Nephele Tempest, Tempest in a Teacup
I Would Stop Reading Your Book on Page One by Abigail Fenton, How to Write (and Edit) a Book
Chapter Beginnings (and Transitions) by Matt Bell, No Failure Only Practice
On Experimenting:
Try This On: Phone It In by Chuck Palahniuk, Chuck Palahniuk’s Plot Spoiler
From “What If” to #1 Hot New Release, by Stuart Wakefield, The Book Coach
On Common Writing Missteps:
The 10 Structural Edits I Most Often Suggest by Emma Darwin, This Itch of Writing
6 Common Manuscript Mistakes and Strategies I Use with Writers to Avoid Them by Heather Garbo, Write Your Next Chapter
On First Drafts:
How Bad Can a Good First Draft Be? by KJ Dell’Antonia, #AmWriting
On Genres and Genre-Specific Conventions:
My Literary Fiction Is More Literary Than Yours by Devon Halliday (Added after post publication)
The Upmarket Fiction Formula: Why This Category Is Always in Demand by Karin Gillespie, Pitch Your Novel
Crush the Slush Pile with a High Concept Premise by Karin Gillespie, Pitch Your Novel
What Does High Concept Even Mean? by Eric Smith, Eric Smith’s Substack
What’s Hot: Book Club Fiction by Hattie Grünewald, The Not-So-Secret Agents
Should You Stop Pitching Your Manuscript as Women’s Fiction? by Heather Garbo, Write Your Next Chapter
Are You Missing These 3 Key Ingredients to On-the-Page Romantic Chemistry? by Heather Garbo, Write Your Next Chapter
10 Things That Go Wrong with Historical Fiction by Emma Darwin, This Itch of Writing
The Form Is the Twist by Leigh Stein, Attention Economy
On Revising:
Five Tips for Writers, from an Editor by Jennifer Silva Redmond, Honeymoon at Sea
This is What’s Wrong with Your Novel by Abigail Fenton, How to Write (and Edit) a Book
How to Use a Blueprint for Revision by Jennie Nash, #AmWriting
3 Little Words That Will Unlock Your Revision by Monica Cox, Beyond the First Draft
A Simple Trick to Detect If Your Manuscript Is Actually a Hot Mess by Heather Garbo, Write Your Next Chapter
On Editorial Feedback:
Who Should You Actually Trust with Your Manuscript? by Nicole Meier, Dear Whole Writer
5 Steps to Effectively Process and Accept Editorial Feedback by Heather Garbo, Write Your Next Chapter
Writing Group—Pros and One or Two Pitfalls by Christine Sneed, Bookish
Read Part II here: A Curated Syllabus for Querying Authors: 35+ Expert Posts on Pitching Literary Agents, Writing Query Letters and Synopses, Researching Comp Titles and Handling Rejection.
Your turn! What are your favorite posts on writing or favorite Substackers to follow for craft guidance (paid or unpaid)? Please share in the comments so we can check them out too!
Looking for more expert advice? Check out Are You Following These Literary Agents on Substack? and What 7 Book Coaches Actually Tell Their Writers.
Thanks for including me and WOW! Definitely sharing in notes and newsletter. This is amazing.
This is brilliant. I have also saved it to work through, and I’ll check previous posts I’ve saved to see if there’s anything to add.