Third Draft - Novel & Script - Part 1 - Crafting the Writing

You have done all the hard work in the first and second draft courses and made your story work dramatically and logically from beginning to end. You are now ready for the payoff – seeing your writing come alive on the page.

Learn the fundamentals of the art and craft of writing so that you turn your novel or screenplay into a manuscript that other people want to read.

Your tutor will critique your writing, help refine your structure and guide and support you in writing forward. The practical tools and techniques, the process you follow and the power of critical feedback will make all the difference to your writing.

Course Information

This course has payment options, please click the ‘Enrol Now’ link to view the payment options.

Prerequisite: Second Draft Writing course.

“For me, this course is where it’s really at. Getting at last to the coalface, the actual word-by-word writing of the thing has allowed me to connect with the character and the story in a way that I had found difficult to this point. I think I have learned to trust the narrative thread and not feel the need to control it constantly.”

Elizabeth Farrelly, Author and Senior Journalist

How the Third Draft Writing Course Works

While you will refine your structure in this course, the focus is very much on the craft of writing, re-writing and editing and making each scene as good as it can be.

The Third Draft is the most challenging yet exciting part of the writing process.

The course has two key components.

Part 1 – Working on the craft

This is where you use the tools, course materials and feedback from your tutor to write your chapters in a way that will engage your readers and keep them turning the page, wanting to know what happens next.

You learn how to create compelling drama and micro-tension on each page so the tension builds organically and logically.

You submit writing every month and will receive detailed feedback from your tutor.

The process will transform your writing.

Part 2 – Writing ahead

You will write ahead without going back and revising. This keeps the story alive in your imagination and creates a satisfying body of work to re-write and edit down the track.

We recommend you write at least one to three chapters ahead each month using the templates provided. You will receive structural guidance from your tutor to make sure your story is on track.

"This has been my favourite course. I have loved focusing on the writing and the detail. I have learnt so much about the actual craft of writing in this course. The first lesson was about point of view and it has stuck with me ever since. That and other tools such as having a clear dramatic question have made a huge difference to my writing. And I felt that everyone in the class, after applying the tools and techniques, had a strong story worthy of being published."

Kylie Keogh – journalist and media manager

On Learning the Craft of Re-writing and Editing

“The art of writing is the art of re-writing. Success depends on attitude and patience as you take it one step at a time. So much of writing is about re-writing, I never get it right the first few times. I’m of the school that it’s in the re-writes that the story is born. It’s a refiner’s craft. As territorial as we are, it is important to be challenged.”
Tina Howe, Nominated twice for Pulitzer Prize for Drama

“Most writers spend too much time looking at the big picture and not enough time down in the mines doing the nitty-gritty of the scene work. If you can master this skill of the scene you will be well ahead of the game.” Matt Bird – The Secrets of Story

“Re-writing is king. Whether you make it or don’t make it is in the re-write.” Michael Connelly

"I have emerged from being a dreamer to being a writer. This course has made that possible because it has given me the tools and the courage to give it a go. This has been an incredibly valuable (and sometimes confronting) experience. I think we all discovered what an almighty process this is."

Penny Robinson, author and executive producer of RPA

How the Course Works

During the course you will:

Follow a process to explore, clarify and focus the spine of each chapter before re-writing and editing. To have your writing work on the page for your reader, you need to first be clear about your characters’ motivation and have a sound structure.
Learn how to shape your writing in a way that connects your readers emotionally with your characters and story.
Receive detailed, critical feedback on your writing and do extensive re-writing and editing to make every scene as good as it can be. Having fresh eyes review and critique your work, is critical to your progress as a writer.
Speak with your tutor once a month to discuss your story and writing.
Have your writing flowing logically and dramatically so everything makes sense and your story feels authentic.
Write forward in rough-draft form without revising to set you up for future re-writing and editing.

If you work through the process one step at a time, you will be amazed at how much your writing improves as you master the course’s tools and techniques and take on the feedback from your tutor.