Welcome to the course page for Plotting, Planning & Publishing, my four-part series that takes you from A to Z in the writing and publishing process. Watch straight through or hop around, depending on your needs! Each video is accompanied by a downloadable worksheet for your further edification.

Happy outlining, drafting, editing, and publishing!
Jessica

Unit 1: Prewriting Workbook Packet — DOWNLOAD HERE

Find the story you were born to tell, then learn some dynamic research and prewriting strategies to help you tell that story.

  1. Create a successful outline for your book, one that raises the stakes and engages the reader effectively.

  2. Learn the difference between "plotting" and "pantsing."

  3. Use a three-step thought exercise to develop a compelling outline focused on three-dimensional storytelling.

  4. Plan a writing schedule that works for you.

Unit 2: Drafting Workbook Packet — DOWNLOAD HERE

Warm up your creative mind, and get tips for a writing practice you can be proud of.

  1. Add free writing to your regular writing practice.

  2. Explore scheduling and anti-distraction resources.

  3. Discover cures for the common writer’s block.

  4. Try out Jessica's Madlib Literary Device Challenge.

  5. Review three pages of US writers’ residency listings… plus, learn about budget-friendly alternatives to them!

Unit 3: Editing Workbook Packet — DOWNLOAD HERE

Sometimes, it's hard to see the forest for the trees—especially if it's a forest you're really passionate about. This lesson is all about opening up that inner editing eye to take your completed manuscript from rough draft to polished prose.

  1. Learn which are the Top 5 editorial mistakes Jessica sees… and how to fix them.

  2. Keep your cool with management tools for your own revisionary to-do list.

  3. Download two editing checklists:

    • Questions to Help Identify Problem Areas in Your Manuscript

    • Your Individualized Plan of Attack for Revision

Unit 4: Querying & Publishing Workbook Packet — DOWNLOAD HERE

Drawing on her experience in trade publishing and the freelance sector, Ms. Hatch will discuss traditional and self-publishing options for writers that have a draft ready to shop around.

  1. Brush up on your traditional and self-publishing options.

  2. Dissect the anatomy of a query letter.

  3. Travel down a traditional publishing timeline.

  4. Crunch the numbers with a sample budgeting worksheet for self-published authors.