When was the last time you did something for yourself? When was the last time you listened to your own stories?  Gave yourself time to consider the weight and dignity of your thoughts?

That's exactly what you'll do if you find yourself in A Novel Jumpstart, a one-day novel-writing workshop with novelist Kristen House.

On the heels of an incredibly successful month-long novel-writing program for young people, Kristen has developed A Novel Jumpstart for ADULTS who have always wanted to write a novel, but let life get in the way.  “I want adults to feel the empowerment that my teenage students have felt this month,” she says, “and the exhilaration of giving themselves permission to attempt a big project that they’ve been insisting they’re too busy to tackle.  Being a writer means giving yourself permission to write every day.  And while that discipline is something that writers will ultimately have to learn for themselves, this class gives them a toolbox to tackle their big creative construction job in a space where they feel supported and welcomed by other writers.”

 A Novel Idea's teenage novelists started off tentatively, and are now happily writing more than 2,000 words per day (and many of them write quite a lot more).  Kristen insists this volume of work is within anyone’s reach.  “We all have stories to tell, and we all have an inherent desire to connect with other people.  Writing the story of your own life is not only fun, it validates those defining moments that you’ve always thought were better than fiction.”

ANI’s courses are truly novel: they’re the first novel-writing curricula offered outside of a University system in the United States.  ANI’s Jumpstart  class gives writers the slam-bam rules of novel writing, a ton of inspiration, advice, and support, and a bevy of resources all crammed into a one-day workshop.  And it's catered.  Yum.

Classes are filling quickly with writers of all stripes from across the country who have been waiting for an excuse to do something nice for themselves.  Email Kristen House, A Novel Idea’s Chief Executive Muse, for more information, or visit the website at www.anovelideanashville.com.

Note there's a workshop in Nashville, Saturday July 23, and more in the fall plus this unique opportunity is has wheels to come to a city near you. Will you take the plunge? I'm posing….

ANI is making the news.  The photo above, by Daniel Potter, is courtesy of WPLN.org, Nashville Public Radio, is just a taste of the media splash the innovative House is making, including interviews with US News & World Report, which premieres today and The Tennessean. Amazing the power of being clearly on target to execute a vision! (Go Kristen!) ANI was featured on this blog earlier here.