{"product_id":"setting-up-the-novel-premise","title":"Setting Up the Novel Premise","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaybe you have a great premise in mind for a novel, but you're intimidated by the idea of writing it, unsure where to begin. Or maybe you've started writing and you keep stalling out, stuck in \"the middle in the middle.\" Or you're wondering if you really have enough for a whole novel and not just a long short story.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJessica Strawser is a USA Today bestselling author of six popular book club novels hailed for their irresistible premises. She’s also a Writer’s Digest Editor-at-Large with more than 20 years of experience consulting with writers on their queries, synopses, and opening pages. She can spot a marketable premise at a glance—and knows firsthand what it takes to turn a good premise into a great manuscript.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn this OnDemand webinar, you’ll learn how to use your basic story idea to set up a compelling premise and build upon it until you have all the elements of a winning novel. Through examples from the bestseller shelves, you’ll learn tips and techniques that can easily be adapted to your experience level, personal writing style, and the needs of your story. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eInstructor:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJessica Strawser\u003c\/strong\u003e is Editor-at-Large at \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.writersdigest.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWriter’s Digest\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, where she served as editorial director for nearly a decade and became known for her in-depth cover interviews with such luminaries as David Sedaris and Alice Walker. She’s the \u003cem\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of eight suspenseful book club novels, including \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/almostmissedyou\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAlmost Missed You\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, a \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/blog\/marchs-best-new-fiction\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBarnes \u0026amp; Noble Best New Fiction\u003c\/a\u003e pick; \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/not-that-i-could-tell\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNot That I Could Tell\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003c\/em\u003ea \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bookofthemonth.com\/not-that-i-could-tell-344\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBook of the Month\u003c\/a\u003e bestseller; \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/a-million-reasons-why\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Million Reasons Why\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/novels\/the-next-thing-you-know\/\"\u003eThe Next Thing You Know\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, a \u003cem\u003ePeople\u003c\/em\u003e Magazine Pick. Most recently, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/the-last-caretaker\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Last Caretaker\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (an Amazon Editors’ First Reads selection) and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/novels\/catch-you-later\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eCatch You Later\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (which received a Starred Review from ALA’s \u003cem\u003eBooklist\u003c\/em\u003e) were both instant \u003cem\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/em\u003e bestsellers, and \u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/the-quitters-club\/\"\u003eThe Quitters Club\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e (new in June 2026) was an Amazon Editor’s Pick for First Reads and cracked the Top 5 in the U.S. Kindle Bestseller charts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHonored as the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cincinnatilibrary.org\/press\/2019\/WIR2019PressRelease2_1.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e2019 Writer-in-Residence at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County\u003c\/a\u003e and with two Individual Excellence Awards (in 2024 and 2026) from the Ohio Arts Council, Strawser has written for \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times \u003c\/em\u003eModern Love, \u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e and other fine venues, and lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two children. A contributing editor for \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.careerauthors.com\/\"\u003eCareer Authors\u003c\/a\u003e and an active \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tallpoppies.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTall Poppy Writer\u003c\/a\u003e, she keynotes frequently at writing conferences, book fairs and festivals, book clubs, libraries, women’s groups, and other \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/news-events\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eevents\u003c\/a\u003e that are kind enough to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/jessicastrawser.com\/about\/contact\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003einvite her\u003c\/a\u003e. She enjoys connecting on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/jessicastrawserauthor\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFacebook\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jessicastrawserauthor\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eInstagram.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet’s stay in touch. \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/eepurl.com\/bO9vAP\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJoin my email list\u003c\/a\u003e for (very) occasional updates and hellos.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Writer's Digest Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50491888435441,"sku":"WDSSUTNP","price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0107\/4046\/5730\/files\/WDU-2024-SettingUpAGreatNovelPremise-500x500_ce3bea78-1003-499e-aa65-f7cd3f3185fb.jpg?v=1790177018","url":"https:\/\/writersdigestshop.com\/products\/setting-up-the-novel-premise","provider":"Writer's Digest Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}