Building Your Novel From The Ground Up

Course Overview

Do you have a story idea but no clue where to start? Started writing but stalled after chapter three? Not sure what your characters are doing? Stuck in the sagging middle and don’t know how to finish your story? Join an award-winning fiction author as we build and shape your story from the ground up, hone and fine tune your ideas and go from Chapter One to The End using an individual story plotting board. Bring your current work-in-progress and be prepared to write!

Learn from Award-winning Australian fiction author, Paula Roe:

Paula Roe is a regular Borders Books bestseller and one of only five Australian authors who write for Harlequin Desire, a line published by Harlequin Enterprises, the biggest romance publisher in the world. Harlequin books go out to over 28 countries and are translated into 28 languages in 114 international markets on six continents. Before publication, Paula’s writing won and placed in various contests, including Wisconsin Romance Writers Fabulous Five Silver Quill, Magnolia State Dixie First Chapter, Romance Writers of Australia’s Emerald Award and the Valerie Parv Award.

Macquarie Community College operates from a range of venues across Northern and Western Sydney. We have campuses in Blacktown, Carlingford, Chatswood, Epping, Mt Druitt, Richmond, and Ryde. Enrol now!

Learn more about this course

What you will learn

Course outline

In this course you will learn:

  • Introduction
    • What is your story about and why do you need a plot?
    • Who are your characters and what are their roles?
    • Goal/motivation/conflict
    • Class discussion
  • What is a plot?
    • Cause and effect/The Three Act Structure/The hero’s journey
    • Class discussion
  • Turning points
    • Practical development of your story plot board
    • Hands-on writing
  • Where to from here
    • Resources and industry information
    • Question time/revisit sessions/class discussion

Course outcome

By the end of the course you will:

  • How to define a plot, structure and story
  • The value of theme, cause and effect
  • What are turning points
  • Various methods of plotting
  • How to develop their own story plot board
  • Have an understanding of plotting methods
  • Have a complete basic storyline of their novel plotted on a take-away A3 storyboard

What you need to know

Entry requirements

The ability to read and write in English at an intermediate level or higher.

What you need to provide

Please bring a:

  • All course material is provided and inclusive with course fees
  • Notepad and pen

Other information

Comprehensive course notes are provided.

Class details

Start Date05 April 2025
End Date05 April 2025
Sessions1
DaysSat
Time10:00am - 4:00pm
TutorPaula Roe

$150

Delivery Mode

To meet the needs of our students Macquarie Community College balances delivery and engagement across permanent, regular and temporary delivery sites and offer face-to-face, remote zoom classes and self-paced learning options.

Ways to Study

  • On campus

Our college campus locations are:

    • Blacktown
    • Chatswood
    • Carlingford
    • Epping
    • Ryde
    • Mt Druitt
  • Virtual classroom
  • Complete workplace training
  • Combine ways to study

FAQ

How you got questions? Please see our comprehensive FAQ page for everything you need to know about Macquarie Community College, our policies, student support, application and enrolment procedures.

How to Enrol

Step 1 - Choose Your Course

  • Select the non-accredited short course you are interested in.
  • Find a day and time that suits your schedule.

Note: Enrolment is open to anyone 18 years or older.

Step 2 - Enrol and Verify

  • Click ‘Enrol Now’ after selecting your course and schedule.
  • Enter your details on the enrolment page.
  • Verify your email through a secure link sent to your email address.
  • Complete the secure checkout and payment process.

Ensure you read the Terms and Conditions available at: Macquarie Community College Terms and Conditions. For assistance, call customer service at 1300 845 888.

Step 3 - Receive Your Enrolment Details

  • You will receive an immediate enrolment confirmation email upon successful enrolment. Check and read the attached Terms and Conditions.
  • The payer of the enrolment will receive a tax invoice immediately after processing.
  • You will receive a course reminder email a day before your class begins.
  • For Online Zoom classes, a Zoom link and password will be emailed the day before class. Use the same link and password for subsequent sessions if applicable.