The Unconventional Novel
A Year of Writing and Revising Support
with author Miranda Schmidt
A year long novel incubator for novels that break the mold and writers seeking to experiment with forms, genres, and craft techniques. Write or revise your work in a small cohort of inspiring writers.
If you’re asking if this course is for you, it probably is.
Now Accepting Applications
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Now Accepting Applications ✳︎
Write or Revise Your Unconventional Novel This Year
Beginning January 2027
Applications accepted until December 10, 2026
Part of Writing Workshop’s Indie MFA Program, education partner of Electric Literature
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Class meetings are held weekly over Zoom on Tuesdays from 8pm-10pm ET/6pm-8pm PT. There will be a total of 40 class meetings with ample breaks throughout the year for focused writing time. You’ll also have four one-on-one virtual instructor conferences about your work.
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Your novel, your way.
This year is designed to support novelists at every stage of the process, from first draft all the way through final revision. Everyone's pace, process, and goals are different and this experience is customizable to help yours along.
By the end of the year, you’ll have received extensive feedback on up to 100 pages of your novel, had your work workshopped four times, and met virtually with your instructor each season to discuss your work.
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Applications are open now through December 10.
Submit 15 pages of your novel-in-progress and answer a few questions about your work and why you want to take this course.
Applications submitted after the deadline will be reviewed as space allows.
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The Unconventional Novel is specifically designed to support writers who are experimenting with genre, form, and craft techniques. Unlike other novel courses, we won’t focus our feedback on making your work fit into traditional shapes and models. We love narratives shaped like spirals, prose that breaks into poetry, realism that turns fantastical, and work that lingers in the liminal or refusing defined boundaries.