SUMMER WRITING PROGRAM

Kickstarting Your Novel with Hannah V Sawyerr

Where? Online

When? July 7 - 24, Tuesday & Fridays 2-5pm

Who Can Enroll? Any writer age 18+ looking for a crash course in crafting & publishing a novel. No prior experience or degree required.

Is Course Credit Available? Yes, 3 Graduate Course Credits are offered toward LIU's Creative Writing and Publishing MFA.

Do I Need To Be A Graduate Student To Enroll? No, all writers age 18+ are welcome!

Workshop Cost? $850

For Existing LIU Students

Register for WRI 518O Brooklyn Campus Summer Session by searching Course Code 2369. Interested undergraduates please email bswf@liu.edu to obtain a permission code.


For Visiting Students

Questions? Email bswf@liu.edu

Class Description

For writers who want to kickstart a commercial career, this creative writing workshop will be taught online by National Book Award Finalist Hannah V. Sawyer. Enter with a great novel idea or first draft, and leave a few weeks later with vetted sample chapters, a plot outline, and a query pitch letter. Students will engage in peer review of their writing and will hear from guest speakers in the publishing industry, covering everything from drafting, to editing, to agent and editor relationships, to book production and promotion. Students can also expect class visits from experienced agents and editors. All fiction genres welcome, no prerequisites required.

Questions about enrollment commitment? Click Here

Questions about admissions? bswf@liu.edu

Visiting Professor

Hannah V. Sawyerr

Author

Hannah V. Sawyerr's sophomore novel in verse Truth Is was a 2025 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature. Her debut novel in verse All the Fighting Parts was a finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, a Rise Feminist Book Project Top Ten Title, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, and an ABA Indies Introduce/Indie Next Pick. Sawyerr holds a BA in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS FOR THE KICKSTARTING YOUR NOVEL WORKSHOP


The workshop was excellent, and I really appreciated that our professor was able to get a publisher and agent to come in as guest speakers for the class. They were able to answer some of our questions and even gave us some insight regarding the publishing experience.

— Alexander

Our professor was such an inspiration. She was generous with her time and incredibly open about her experience, the highs and lows of writing, editing, publishing, and even marketing. No question was too small or too complicated; she answered everything with honesty, patience, and real insight. It made the entire workshop feel both welcoming and deeply valuable.

— Kasondra

The workshop did just what I wanted it to do. I have a body of work that was sitting in files, as I made daily promises to myself to work on them. The workshop got me to do just that.

— Bruce

In one word, "extraordinary." Frankly, this class made 2025 one of the best summer experiences of my life.

— Michelle

This was such a great experience in building community and honing craft. I loved that I got to meet weekly with people passionate about writing from across all genres. I'm so grateful for the experience and looking forward to staying in touch with everyone.

— Diana

This course was even more than I expected. We heard from an agent, bestselling author, and editor. The Q&A during these sessions gave us a great deal of insight. I look forward to continuing to connect with this community of writers.

— Michelle

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