Are you joining in on the big “lock in” of 2025? The end of the year often brings holiday distractions and the days seem to fly by, but that doesn’t mean you have to save your writing goals for 2026. Instead, you can join a community of writers who are serious about their craft.

Following up the success of The Next Big Story writing contest (22,000+ submissions), The Novelry is launching The Big Write—a 90-day plan starting September 8 to help writers finish their first draft by December 16, 2025.

Writers can draft alongside 16 acclaimed authors and The Novelry’s coaching team, all working to complete their own manuscripts on the same deadline. Throughout the challenge, these authors will share candid updates, breakthroughs, and tips from their desks, creating a rare behind-the-scenes look at the writing process.

We got an opportunity to catch up with the founder of The Novelry, Louise Dean about the platform she’s built and the way writers can plug in to build the writing career of their dreams.

The Novelry has become a leading global online creative writing school. What inspired you to start it, and how has your vision evolved since its founding?

I started The Novelry to give writers what I wish I’d had—practical, proven guidance from authors who’ve been through the whole journey, from blank page to book deal. Over time, the vision has grown beyond teaching to building a home for writers worldwide—a place where creativity, craft, and community meet in real time.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for aspiring novelists, and how does The Novelry address it?

The hardest part is not starting—it’s finishing. Ideas are easy; stamina is hard. We give writers a clear plan, daily support, and professional accountability so the last page isn’t just a dream. Writers nail their novels at The Novelry!

What role does community play in the creative process for your students?

Writing’s solitary, but finishing a book happens in good company. Our members connect daily—sharing wins, tackling blocks, and reminding each other that no one’s alone and we can make great leaps of progress when we get the right support and advice at the right time. It’s the most efficient way to write as well as great fun.

Tell us about The Next Big Story contest. What sparked the idea and what has surprised you about the (extraordinary) response?

We wanted to discover stories that might otherwise stay hidden. Almost every writer says they’re nervous when it comes to writing, or even getting started writing. The idea was to reverse the usual risk/reward scenario with a low risk and a big reward! The surprise has been just how many brilliant stories were out there—more than 22,000.

What patterns or trends did you notice among the submissions, in terms of themes, genres, or narrative voices? What’s your overall take on the current publishing landscape and the kind of stories emerging or needed?

We have seen a huge volume of fantasy submissions. In terms of voice, we see a lot of suspense-type voices and pacing. We have noticed some funny trends, for example, so many fantasy entries feature the word “obsidian”. Actually, I wrote a blog piece featuring the most overused words we have seen, so writers can play “word bingo” and dodge the clichés. At the very least, trimming your work of clichés makes it stronger faster. In the industry, there’s a hunger for stories with emotional truth—whether in thrillers, romances, or literary fiction—and a move toward more diverse, global perspectives. We are seeing a sustained appetite for romantasy and a sudden rise in interest in the horror genre. Getting published is not as hard as people think, and it’s all quite possible if you read in your genre, know your market, and dodge the clichés! You’d be surprised how many people don’t crack the essentials. I always say, if only writing were about the writing! It’s not, it’s about the story. So many writers can write, but the ones who make it to publishing have a story.

In your experience, what qualities distinguish a story that stands out in a crowd of thousands of submissions

Voice first. You can fix plot; you can’t fake the charisma and personality of a story told with wit and a little bit of mischief. The best entries have an authenticity—every sentence carrying the writer’s unique way of seeing the world.

How do you think contests like The Next Big Story are shaping the future of publishing?

They’re democratising discovery. Agents and publishers are paying attention to contests now because they’re a fresh talent pipeline. What’s unique about ours, and why agents are champing at the bit to see the shortlist, is we’ve had published authors, publishing editors and industry luminaries do the triage to find exciting, fresh voices. Not only have we done the hard work to find them, but in our case, we’re a highly trusted and credible source of talent. We get writers agented every week. Literary agents love our course graduates, because unlike others, they have worked with Big 5 professional editors known to agents as the best of the best.

How do contests help writers along their journey? And at what point in a budding author’s career should they start considering entering a contest?

Contests give you a deadline, a reason to finish, and a first audience. Enter as soon as you have a polished opening and a story you believe in—you’ll learn more from the process than you expect. So many people have said that the opportunity got them writing, and they’re grateful for that whether they win or not.

How does your own writing practice inform the way you mentor and guide other writers?

I know the doubts, the distractions, and the temptation to quit. I had to take a big step up to go from loving words to telling a story, so I try to fast-track writers to that standard, the publishing standard. My own process—disciplined but flexible—shapes the way we teach: tools, not rules at The Novelry. We offer a flexible approach. No textbook, stale old formula or dogma. But a range of expert tools and insights. Writers find our courses amusing and entertaining. I like to keep it real, and there’s fun in every step of the writing journey at The Novelry where we celebrate the milestones.

What’s next for The Novelry that our audience should be looking out for?

We’re launching The Big Write from 8th September as a major drive to get writers everywhere knuckling down to deliver a finished draft by the holidays. We’ve got a team of bestselling authors cheerleading and writing alongside writers every day, with live writing sessions online daily. It’s going to be a blast. Join us!