Yes. This program will teach you how to write with immediacy, mindfulness, specificity, and integrity. You will learn how to be present as you write, how to be intimate with writing itself.

You’re going to learn how to transfer an experience to a reader—and this is important for writers working in all genres. I’m writing novels now, and I’m using all of these techniques. Beginners and experienced writers are welcome. The techniques are both straightforward and challenging enough to inspire and improve writers at all levels. That’s part of the magic.

This is not a typical online writing course: it is an über-flexible, all-inclusive digital writing experience. That means you get to make your own schedule. The online classroom and all of the video lectures, audio lessons, readings, exercises, and assignments will be available to you right away. You will be able access them anytime, anywhere. The classroom is running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Yes! Once a year, I offer the Story Intensive — this is a guided semester that takes you through the Story Course with a small group of writers. You get individual attention, deadlines, discussion, and feedback — plus master classes with guest contributors. Space is limited for this program.

The Story Course is broken into seven modules. I designed each module to approach the depth and breadth of a three-hour weekly lecture and workshop, plus an hour or two of homework each week. I wanted it to approximate an eight-week writing course (including a reading week). But this is only a rough guide.

One of the major benefits of this course is that you drive it. You set your own deadlines. You can nibble at these lessons a little at a time. You can take a month or two with each lesson. Or you might decide to block time off in your calendar for a writing retreat, download the whole thing at once, and turn the course into a one or two week writing intensive. It’s all up to you.

I would not recommend doing the whole course in less than a week, though. That would probably be too intense, and you want time to integrate what you’re learning.

Please don’t. I love this program, and I’ve done everything I can to make sure it feels right for writers who need support and inspiration. I created it using massive amounts of my heart and energy and life, and I think that’s what makes it so special. I have faith in integrity, and I trust people, so I made the Story Course accessible at this price and filled it with incredible value.

I also pay authors their copyright fee every time someone buys their work, so I ask that you don’t distribute this without paying for it.

If you experience some technical difficulties with the online classroom, the downloads, the audio files, or the video, please contact us for tech support. Because this is a self-directed program, I won’t be available for solo support when questions come up for you about your work.

However, if you’re looking for more support while you work on the Story Course, consider taking the Story Intensive. Or you and a couple of friends could purchase multiple copies of the program as a DIY writing group, and then share your writing assignments with each other each week.

The Story Course is designed to nourish your writing mind, spirit, and body. You will learn and practice the fundamentals of writing scene, dialogue, character, and plot, just like you would in a creative writing MFA or a writing program at a good college or university — but you’ll be integrating everything you learn in a deep and holistic way.

This is a non-denominational faith-based writing program: I will teach you how to take good care of your creative spirit. You will also learn how to stay present and focused, and how to write from your heart and not just your head. You’ll learn how to regulate your nervous system, in case you encounter intense scenes or triggers while writing through difficult memories or trauma. Your writing practice will begin to feel like a creative form of devotion, and this will sustain you through the long term.

I’ve taken the most powerful things I’ve learned from all of the best writing programs I’ve attended—meditation and writing with Natalie Goldberg, one-on-one mentorship at The Banff Centre for the Arts, a full creative writing MFA at the University of British Columbia—and I’ve built an experience that I sincerely hope will transcend what you would find in any writing course elsewhere.

I know. There is nothing more frustrating than fighting with technology. Despite what it might look like, I’m not a tech-loving person either. I’ve made it as simple and straightforward and intuitive as possible, for all users. I even tested it on my mom, who is “not at one with the computer” (her words), to make sure that it’s a smooth, easy process.

If you have a good high-speed connection, you’ll be set. You click on the links marked audio to listen, you click on the links that look like videos to watch. You click on the links that say download when you want to download lessons to your computer.

I also recommend printing out the lessons so you don’t have to work from your computer screen. The lessons are very pretty, even if you don’t print them in colour. And you should do all of your writing by hand, in a notebook. It all sounds easy because it really is easy! Promise.

I really think you’re going to love these lessons, and that these practice and assignments will revitalize your relationship to writing. Your commitment might even change your life. I’m serious! This is a non-refundable investment in your writing. When you make this purchase, you are promising to explore and practice. You’ll be paying for it the way you would pay for a degree, an all-inclusive retreat, a counselling session, an art show, or a ticket on an overnight train. I know that online sales expectations are distinctly pro-refund, and I understand the reason for that. I considered it for this program. But after some thought, I realized that I didn’t feel right about offering a money back guarantee on a creative experience.

Now, that is a sweet question. That person is lucky to have you. Yes, of course. Simply click the checkbox next to "This product is for someone else" in the order form and the system will guide you through the process.