Remember that moment you first knew you wanted to write a novel?
I’m guessing a story burned inside that you longed to share with the world.
Maybe, like me, the joy of losing yourself in a favorite novel made you want to create your own world, characters, and story.
Maybe you even dreamed of a career as a novelist.
Whatever the spark, it ignited in your mind a vision: holding in your hands a published book that would reach droves of readers and put you on the map.
You may have even started writing your novel. But if you’re like thousands of writers I’ve met over the decades, something discouraged you, stalled you, kept you from finishing:
- Fear that you’re not good enough, so your story (and your message) remains only in your imagination — instead of getting to those who need it
- The worry that no one would care, even if you did finish
- Your crowded calendar kept you from writing
- Procrastination became Writer’s Block, and your barely-started novel just languished
Or perhaps you actually finished a manuscript, but now you worry it’s nowhere near good enough to publish.
Believe it or not, these roadblocks — varied as they seem — are rooted in the same problem. Let me show you what I believe that problem is and how you can solve it, reignite your passion, and actually finish your novel.
But first, let me introduce myself so you can decide whether I know what I’m talking about. 
I’m Jerry Jenkins, author of more than 200 books, two-thirds of those novels — including the bestselling Left Behind series. (The Great American Read, a PBS TV series, ranked it among America’s 100 favorite novels of all time.)
But I was anything but an overnight success. The first of my 21 New York Times bestsellers was my 75th published book. And Left Behind was my 125th.
I began as almost every author does — unknown and unpublished. And I battled every obstacle I listed above and more.
All I had was a dream, but I would not be deterred. I had a wife, young kids, and a full-time job, so my only choice was to approach novel-writing the hard way — learning everything I could through voracious reading, trial and error, and heavy self-editing.
I couldn’t find the time to write; I had to make the time. Though I’m a morning person, for years I wrote from 9 p.m. to midnight.
What would I have loved back then?
A mentor.
Knowing what I know now, I’m confident I could have shaved years off my learning curve had someone experienced in the craft shown me the way.
Imagine going from unpublished to successful author as a journey. Most of the trials you’ll face could be eliminated if someone ahead of you simply pointed out the pitfalls to avoid and the shortcuts to take.
Mentors already far down the path could easily reveal to you in a matter of minutes the many obstacles they had to overcome when they started, even if that part of their journey took them five years. Imagine making massive progress like that, avoiding the pain and frustration of trying to navigate the writing journey while wondering whether you’re still even on the right road.
Good mentors answer questions you don’t even know to ask, so you don’t have to struggle alone to come up with a novel idea or polish the one you have. They help you find your writing voice, create a gripping plot, come up with memorable characters, craft dialogue and description, inject conflict and tension, and do everything else necessary to finish a novel better than you ever imagined.
A mentor not only teaches you the skills, but also trains you in the discipline to become an effective novelist. Staying motivated and confident is as critical to your success as learning the secrets of the writing trade.
That’s why I’ve created a hands-on novel-writing program — so I can be that mentor, walking you through every step and helping you finally get the results your story and message deserve.
INTRODUCING
Put simply, this is a proven, A-to-Z system for planning, writing, and finishing your novel — whether you’re starting from scratch, have tried before, or have a work-in-progress.
The goal? To get agents, publishers, and ultimately readers to say those magic words: “I couldn’t put it down.”
Let me tell you — that doesn’t just happen. No one can promise you’ll produce an award-winning novel that sells tens of millions of copies, but I’ll guarantee this: Apply my proven methods, and you’ll write the best novel you can imagine.
Your Novel Blueprint reveals my repeatable novel-writing process in its entirety.
I lay out for you every writing session step by step, so you’ll always know exactly what to do next — regardless of genre.
That’s right, Your Novel Blueprint works for novels from Crime/Detective to Fantasy to Historical, Horror, Humor, Inspirational, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, Western, you name it. You follow my process, but for your own novel.
How Does It Work?
The program consists of dozens of video lessons that walk you through every step of writing your novel. Each video includes everything I would tell you if I were sitting right next to you, mentoring you through the entire process.
We start with your story idea — help you come up with one, then help you create a structure and outline. We cover plotting, crafting an opener you’ll love, maintaining tension that keeps readers with you through what I call the Marathon of the Middle, and how to construct a compelling ending that drops the curtain with a satisfying thud.
Your Novel Blueprint removes the fear factor and guesswork that may have demoralized you in the past.
Each time you settle in to work on your novel, you log into the website for a brief training video that walks you through your next step. That way you always know what to do.
Best of all? You advance at your own pace, fitting the curriculum to your own writing schedule — which I also help you design, based on your calendar and lifestyle.
Writers already using this program are making tremendous progress...
I’ve recently had offers of representation from 2 agents, due in large part to the excellent tutoring of Jerry Jenkins. I didn’t know what self-editing really meant until joining YNB and Jerry’s Guild. Many thanks, Jerry.”
- Ted Bull
“It feels like the book is just writing itself!“
- Karen Saari
“The assignments were incredibly useful. As a trying-to-reform non-outliner, I rolled my eyes at first, but once I got down to doing the work, it sparked so much information I needed! I am working on the second novel in a series, so I thought I had all the information I needed, but the characters have changed since the last time I did anything like this. New issues, new challenges, new desires. And plot points kept falling out of my pen as I wrote!“
- Julie Duffy
“I’ve published more than 75 books in the last 20 years and this is the best hands-on writing instruction I’ve ever seen. Whether you’re new or have written for years, it will help.”
- Chris Fabry
An Overview of the 4-Part Process to Help You Write Your Novel
PART I:
Laying the Foundation
In this section, I help you avoid problems typical first-time novelists face: Fear of failure, not knowing where to start, hitting a brick wall after 30 pages or so, you name it. Imagine how much more confident and motivated you’ll be after laying the proper groundwork for your story.
You’ll learn:
- How to finally create a writing schedule you can stick to (and I walk you through creating yours)
- How to find your unique writing voice within just 5 minutes
- My favorite surefire exercise for generating story and character ideas – or enhancing ones you already have
- How to create believable characters
- The story structure that changed my career decades ago (and which I used to write Left Behind)
- My outlining plan, which gives even non-outliners a ton of ideas
- Secrets to finally mastering Point of View – and avoiding the cardinal sin of head-hopping (which I explain)
- How to dovetail your Story Question (what happens) with your Deeper Question (theme) to really set apart your novel
- How to distill your story idea to one or two sentences you can use to both help sell it and keep you on target as you write
- Plus a lot more!
(And that’s all in just Part I of four parts! See how much you need to know even before you start writing, so you don’t end up feeling lost 30 pages in?)
PART II:
Beginning the Writing
Here we spend a few sessions on your first page alone — where many novelists get hung up. We’ll get yours to where you’re thrilled with it, so you’ll be motivated to keep rolling.
You’ll learn:
- My secret to quickly knocking out your title page, dedication, acknowledgments, and other preliminary pages (known as Front Matter) during your first brief work session – giving you a powerful sense of accomplishment and momentum
- Everything I know about writing an opener that hooks your reader (we spend an entire session perfecting your first sentence!)
- My little-known techniques for crafting a killer first page (failing at this is the #1 reason publishers reject manuscripts)
- How to become a ferocious self-editor using my 21 tips – you’ll see actual hands-on revision in action, the kind countless writers have told me is their favorite, most immediately applicable training I offer.
- And a lot more
PART III:
Establishing a Writing Routine
Here, I bring you through your first 100 or so pages — and I share my best secrets to help you cement the habits that will carry you through the full novel-writing process.
You’ll also learn:
- 5 powerful ways to raise the stakes and craft high-energy scenes — crucial to your entire novel
- The little-known key to triggering the theater of your reader’s mind — to so captivate him that he forgets he’s reading
- My keys to creating a powerful Inciting Incident — that pivotal early scene where everything changes for your main character (and why that’s so important)
- 15 traits of a great villain (and why your story must have one) — plus common mistakes amateurs make with bad guys
- My failsafe technique for creating powerful cliffhangers…and why they work not only at the ends of chapters
- The Author’s Golden Rule — which I advise you post where you’ll be reminded of it as you write
- And a lot more
PART IV:
Finishing Well
By the time we reach the last section of Your Novel Blueprint, you’ll have confidently written roughly the first quarter of your manuscript and reached the Marathon of the Middle. To finish well, you have to do more than just endure the middle. You must thrive there and keep things moving for the reader’s sake. I give you everything you need to complete the marathon and drive toward the finish.
So Part IV is designed to see you all the way to the end. That’s why I’ve peppered it with a truckload of guidance and encouragement to help you through some of the toughest parts of your novel.
You’ll learn:
- The advantage of keeping your outline fluid to accommodate fresh ideas during the writing
- How to intensify your main character’s predicament to keep readers riveted
- The power of a great plot twist and how to best make one work
- How to create a climax that leads to the perfect ending
- 2 simple secrets to an ending readers will remember forever
- Tips and inspiration to encourage you and remind you why you began this journey
- Guidance through your final revision before you start shopping your manuscript to agents and publishers
By the end of this course, you’ll have a novel manuscript you can’t wait to shop.
A high-quality manuscript could be your ticket...
How would it feel to have a tribe of loyal readers discussing your story online, eagerly awaiting your next book?
What would it be like to receive emotional fan letters telling how your novel changed people’s lives?
Imagine being interviewed, signing books, and becoming a favorite of your audience — while spreading a powerful message that could even outlive you.
Every year, unknown and unpublished writers get their first publishing deals and become authors. I won’t sugarcoat it — not many break through. Why? Because most manuscripts submitted to publishers are awful.
The good news is, agents and publishers are looking for quality novels. They want you to succeed.
I can’t guarantee a bestseller or a lucrative contract, but I will tell you this:
Use my proven Your Novel Blueprint system, and you’ll write your best manuscript ever. I’ll show you exactly what it takes to make it all it can be. It’s up to you to follow the steps and do the work.
Whether you land a traditional publishing contract — where they pay you rather than the other way around — or choose to self-publish, your novel will have the best chance to resonate with readers.
If that makes it worth hearing more about this program, read on…
What It's Like to Be a Member (From Current Students):
How Much Does Your Novel Blueprint Cost?
It’s not easy to put a price on the most powerful start-to-finish resource I’ve ever put together. I believe it’s on par with a Master’s of Fine Arts Degree in fiction writing. A quick web search shows MFA degrees cost upwards of $30,000.
And while those degrees come from impressive universities with celebrated faculties, I don’t apologize for offering after half a century as a writer and more than 135 novels
MFA degrees aside, even short college creative writing courses are advertised online right now for as much as $3,531 (a 5-week writing workshop at Emerson), $3,556 at Northwestern for a course that counts toward an MFA, and $2,880 for a beginner-level course (Introduction to Creative Writing) from Boston University.
Now hear me, I’m not disparaging any of these courses. No doubt they’re worth the investment.
But my Your Novel Blueprint is designed to result in a finished manuscript you’ll want to confidently pitch to agents and publishers. More than theory, it’s practical, hands-on training, based on a proven system.
So shouldn’t I charge at least as much as those college courses?
I could, but I’m not so old that I can’t remember what it was like before I was published. So I want you to be able to access this course for less than all those.
My team and I settled on a one-time investment of $1,997 — and that gets you a lifetime membership, so you can use Your Novel Blueprint again and again to write as many novels as you choose.
But because I want to make this as accessible as possible, I’ll let you start today for just $197.
My team and I have opened a plan so you can join this start-to-finish program for 12 monthly payments of $197. And if you want to save $367, you can pay in full with a one-time payment of $1997.
But because I want to make this as accessible as possible, I’ll let you start today for just $197.
We’re offering a payment plan that allows you to join this start-to-finish program for 12 monthly payments of just $197 each. And if you want to save $367, you can pay in full with a one-time payment of $1,997.
- Don’t worry — you’re protected by my 100% money-back guarantee.
I know even that bargain price requires a serious commitment from you, so I want to reward your decision with five amazing bonuses that come with your membership. But first, a promise:
100% Risk-Free Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back
If you decide for ANY reason this isn’t for you, even if you just don’t like the sound of my voice or the colors on the website, simply email my team any time within the first 30 days to say you want out, and we will issue a prompt, full refund. No guilt trip, no pressure, no questions asked. That’s my personal guarantee.
That gives you a risk-free way to discover whether Your Novel Blueprint is as good as I’m saying it is. So jump in, study the first few lessons, take a look at all the bonus material, and if for any reason you find it’s less than what I promised, cancel within 30 days for a full refund — period.
I’ve removed all your risk from this decision because I’m confident that you will make so much progress on your novel in the first 30 days that you’ll be happy to stick with us.
Now, your free bonuses:
Free Bonus #1
An Award-Winning Author (I have Hand-Selected) Will Critique the First 10 Pages of Your Manuscript
If you’ve ever wished for a thorough evaluation of your writing from someone in the business who knows what publishers want, this course makes that wish come true.
You get to submit your first 10 pages to one proven expert from my stable of handpicked veteran novelists I’ve worked with for years.
One such author already waiting in the wings is DiAnn Mills, an award-winning novelist and writing coach. So your thorough critique will come from a veteran in the business who knows exactly how to get where you want to go.
Your critique will show you:
- What’s working
- What needs improvement
- The specific changes you need to make
- How to keep readers turning the pages till the end
- And much, much more!
Free Bonus #2
Personal Feedback (Via Video) on Your Story Idea
Once you’ve settled on your book concept in an early lesson, you can submit it for a personal video evaluation from a published author, one of several I’ve worked with over the years and whom I handpick to give you this feedback.
They’ll tell you how they believe agents and acquisition editors would respond — and suggest ways to make it the best it can be. Our goal is to give you confidence that the foundation of your book is rock solid before you spend months writing the rest of your manuscript.
Free Bonus #3
Access to the Members-Only Your Novel Blueprint Facebook Community
Here you can interact directly with me and ask questions about any aspect of the course or your novel. You’ll also form bonds with fellow students, share your experience, and share tips with each other as you all work toward the same common goal.
Already, members have developed valuable friendships, formed small groups based on genre, traded reading and critiquing each other’s work, and even found accountability partners.
I love dropping in at least once a day to interact or just see them encourage each other.
Examples:
Free Bonus #4
The Query Letter and Proposal Package
Once you finish your novel, I want you fully prepared to pitch it to publishers. So I’ve included this special package with your membership so you can see exactly what I’d do if I were pitching your book to agents or publishers.
What you get:
- My tips sheet, How to Impress Agents and Editors
This short guide is designed to help you connect confidently with agents and publishers. It tells you what each decision maker is looking for and how to make your work stand out. I also show you 28 revealing tweets from industry insiders to give you a look at what they actually want — and what annoys them!
- Access to two novel proposals you can use as templates
These proposals were prepared for manuscripts that went on to become New York Times bestselling novels. Feel free to appropriate their many great ideas and apply them to your own proposal.
- My 90-minute seminar, How to Write Winning Queries & Proposals
Writing winning queries and proposals before you write your novel can save you hours of wasted effort.
This training is based on everything I’ve learned over several decades in the business — for which authors have paid thousands at writers conferences. If you’re serious about getting published, you’ll find this invaluable.
By the end of it you’ll know:
- The difference between a query letter and a cover letter and when to send which
- How to write a captivating proposal
- The structure of my most effective book proposals
- How to create a pitch that’ll have agents and editors asking to see your manuscript
- And more!
Free Bonus #5
An Exclusive Invitation to Join Me and Your Fellow Graduates for a Daylong In-Person Mastermind Session
When you’ve finished the program, you deserve something special.
So you’ll be invited to a FREE day of group coaching and discussion about your writing — an entire daylong Mastermind session. I can hardly wait!
- Don’t worry — you’re protected by my 100% money-back guarantee.
More Praise from Current Students:
“My confidence is soaring. My idea was good, but now I feel this course will help my story be great.”
—Jill Smith
“These modules have been fantastic. I can see now why my first novel didn’t work. Every mistake Jerry Jenkins talks about in these lessons, I made it. Feeling grateful!”
—Ted Atchley
This program is for you if…
- …you’ve never been able to complete a novel. Maybe you’ve even bought other courses or taken other classes, but nothing has worked. I believe my approach is different from anything you’ve tried. I offer a proven plan that helps you smash through procrastination, and finally finish your manuscript.
- …you’re thinking, “Even if I DO finish my novel, it won’t be any good.” If you’re one who believes a person is either born with writing talent or isn’t, you’ll be pleased to know how important learned skills can be to your success as a novelist. Be careful not to overrate natural talent and underestimate the writing craft. In this course, I teach you everything I know — and help you master skills that will improve your writing.
- …you’re stuck part-way through your novel and feel lost. The steps I walk you through at the start of this program will help you break free. You’ll learn an outlining process proven to unlock a vault overflowing with new ideas for your story. I’m confident that, by the end, you’ll have all the ideas and momentum you need to finish that novel.
- …you’ve always dreamt of being a novelist. Even if you haven’t tried writing fiction, my system shows you exactly what to do, every step of the way.
- …you’ve finished a novel, but you know it needs work. This course will help revitalize it.
This program is NOT for you if…
- …you can’t commit to at least 6 hours of writing time per week. You won’t find the time. You’ll have to make it. But we all make time for what we really want to do. What are you willing to give up to make your dream a reality? An hour of TV here? A party or concert there? If you’re not willing to sacrifice something to make time to pursue your writing dream, don’t buy.
- …you expect this to be easy. I owe it to you to be honest — your novel won’t write itself, even with all I teach you. You have to do the writing. If you follow the process I lay out, you’ll finish the best novel you can imagine. I make it simple, but not easy. If you want easy, don’t take this course.
- Don’t worry — you’re protected by my 100% money-back guarantee.
FAQ
This novel-writing blueprint is to the Guild as a microscope is to a wide-angle lens. The Guild is a community of nearly 2,000 writers of all genres who get live and recorded training every month. Many Guild members have taken advantage of this special offer, because Your Novel Blueprint is a laser-focused, deep dive into fiction, designed solely to help you write a novel from start to finish. It even has its own dedicated website and Facebook page.
Another difference is that the Guild carries a monthly or annual membership fee, while the one-time tuition investment gives you lifetime access to Your Novel Blueprint. Even when we update or enhance it, you never pay another dime.
My aim is not to have you knock out a novel as fast as humanly possible. While you should be able to do this in six to nine months, as long as you commit to at least 6 work hours each week, my aim is to help you write the best novel you can imagine. Beware hucksters who emphasize speed above all else. Speed is not the point. Quality is the point.
The more time you carve out to write each week, the sooner you’ll finish — but the goal is a manuscript you’ll be proud of and eager to shop to agents and publishers.
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows you plenty of time to try several lessons, interact with fellow writers in the private Facebook community, and make progress on your novel.
I know that means someone could go through a large chunk of the course, planning to get all their money back on Day 29. But I’m more interested in rewarding honest authors than in cracking down on those who would take advantage.
I’ve removed all your risk from this decision because I’m confident that if you engage with the lessons you will make so much progress on your novel in the first 30 days that you’ll be happy to stick with us.
But if you find Your Novel Blueprint is not for you and let us know within the first 30 days, my team will immediately issue you a full refund — no pressure, no questions asked.
We welcome writers of all types of fiction, except children’s picture books. What I teach applies to the entire spectrum of fiction from Middle Grade to Adult.
I’m here to make you better. Let me teach you the skills, and your talent will grow. As with any craft, your ability will increase in direct proportion to the amount of time you spend building your writing muscles and honing your skill.
You can always improve, regardless how talented (or not) you think you are now.
I believe you’ll see a huge difference in just months — shaving years off even the trained writer’s learning curve.
- Don’t worry — you’re protected by my 100% money-back guarantee.
Where Will You Be a Year from Now?
I know what it’s like to be where you are right now.
You long to improve. Long to finish your book. Long to be published. Long to get your message out.
You don’t lack desire or passion. You just want to know, How do I actually do this?
I’ve designed Your Novel Blueprint as the bridge from where you are now to where you want to be.
That’s why I’ll give you 30 days just to see if it feels right. Give it a shot and if you don’t feel you’re making progress, I’ll give you a full refund.
Just think...
Where might you be a year from now with 24/7 access to this proven, step-by-step plan?
How confidently could you write with support and feedback from this type of community?
How would it feel to hold in your hands a finished manuscript, knowing it’s the absolute best you’ve ever created?
Better yet, how will it feel to hold in your hands your published book, with your name on the cover?
Join Your Novel Blueprint before this short enrollment period ends on Friday, May 17 at 11:59 p.m. Central, and let me be your consultant on the greatest building you’ve ever constructed.
Sincerely,
Jerry B. Jenkins
- Don’t worry — you’re protected by my 100% money-back guarantee.