The Zero Draft: How to Start Writing a Novel
A course by Shaunta Grimes , Writer and Teacher
Learn how to transform an initial book idea into a physical plot board filled with scenes and different versions of the entire story
Learn how to transform an initial book idea into a physical plot board filled with scenes and different versions of the entire story
There’s no better feeling than letting a story effortlessly flow onto the page from start to finish. But as every writer knows, this inspiration isn’t always easy to sustain. Luckily, as author and teacher Shaunta Grimes has discovered, writing is often more about consistency than talent or imagination. Through experience, she has come up with a series of techniques to structure her writing practice successfully, creating novels such as Center of Gravity and Rebel Nation.
In this online course, learn Shaunta’s writing method to turn your ideas into a complete novel. Discover practical exercises to overcome creative blocks, organize your ideas with key story structures, and stay persistent as you tap into the writer within.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 28 downloads
- 98% positive reviews (104)
- 4,128 students
- 14 lessons (1h 57m)
- 28 additional resources (14 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Develop your own novel by assembling a book binder with a three-act plot outline and a zero draft of your story.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Any aspiring authors who dream of writing their own novel.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is required—all you need is motivation and imagination.
As for materials, you need a notebook and pen or pencil (or a computer if you prefer to work digitally), sticky notes, a three-ring binder with paper, and access to a printer.
Reviews
A course by Shaunta Grimes
Writer and teacher Shaunta Grimes is a bestselling, indie-published author who firmly believes that a good story can change the world, and she is passionate about helping others turn their ideas into novels. Through an eclectic series of jobs, Shaunta has explored all types of writing, including journalism, blogging, legal writing, and copywriting. She unexpectedly got her start as an independent author in 2004 when she penned her first novel during NaNoWriMo, discovering that persistence and strategic thinking are the secrets to structuring a successful writing practice.
Since then, she has written a number of young-adult novels, some of which have been published by leading companies like Penguin and Macmillan. In 2015, she started an online writing school called Ninja Writers, where she shares her technique and inspiration with young writers who are as enthusiastic about stories as she is.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
About Me
-
Influences
-
-
U2
The Story Structure
-
The Inspiration
-
The Book Binder
-
The Story Structure
-
The Story Elements
-
Developing and Testing the Idea
-
-
U3
Building the Idea Into a Novel
-
The Eight Sequences
-
Developing the Scenes
-
About Flexible Plotting
-
Writing the Zero Draft
-
-
U4
What Do You Do Now?
-
Persistence Beats Talent, Every Time
-
Dealing with Self-Doubt and Other Creativity Killers
-
Accountability
-
-
FP
Final project
-
The Zero Draft: How to Start Writing a Novel
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
bluezinniastudio
I really enjoyed this class. Shaunta is a wonderful inspiring teacher and I'm feeling more excited about my novel than I have in a long while.
marub0312
Me esta gustando mucho! Ya empecé a desarrollar una idea y nunca había escrito nada antes. La profesora es muy didáctica
View translation
Hide translation
vanesakinno
hice el curso con la version Plus, me gustó tanto que tuve que comprarlo!
View translation
Hide translation
vanessahdasilvan
PlusMuy bien explicado, buen contenido, me encantó
View translation
Hide translation
adjetiva
PlusMe está gustando mucho. Desde la sencillez y la claridad, se mete de lleno en cómo armar la estructura de una historia.
View translation
Hide translation