The next Novel Boot Camp in the Jungle is on the calendar for 2019--and it's going to be better than ever!

From February 24-March 2, 2019, a group of 10 committed novelists will gather in Nosara, Costa Rica to develop and optimize the foundational elements of their stories, making breakthrough after breakthrough on their works in progress.

Here's a glimpse at just some of what we'll be doing:

• Learning and applying the difference between plot and story
• Discovering and deepening your protagonist's fatal flaw or wound
• Tracking your protagonist's growth from inciting incident to revelation
• Writing the revelation scene, in which your protagonist experiences meaningful change at THE END of your novel
• Revamping the way you think about scenes, setting, voice, theme
• Surfing, paddle boarding and riding horses on the beach
• Hanging out in paradise with other writers who get you
• Unwinding with tropical drinks and pool-side, jungle-view yoga
• Night hiking to beachfront restaurants by the glow of bioluminescent plankton...

Participants have lauded this retreat as "life changing," "an MFA in a week," "mind blowing," and "one of the best experiences of my life." 

Click here for details. 

When you consider the odds, getting a novel published seems like a long shot. Literary agents receive up to 10,000 query letters a year and reject 98 percent of them. Of the novelists who do get agents, the vast majority are denied by publishers due to flimsy premises, poor structure and bad prose.

But don’t sweat it, because publishing is not a crapshoot; it's about great storytelling. Yours has got to pass muster and when it does, you're 98 percent there. If you're ready to beat the odds, we want you at Novel Boot Camp in the Jungle. This immersive writing retreat will help you hedge your literary bets. Get ready to:
  

• Solidify your premise via deep work on your novel's theme and on your protagonist's formative story and plot arc.
• Draft core structural scenes including the inciting incident, three turning points, and the story's conclusion (yep, you heard that right).
• Experience the evolution in your prose when you know the foundational elements of your story.
• Write thousands of publication-worthy words, inspired by your new clarity and focus.
• Allow Costa Rica's awesome beaches and lush jungle to springboard your creativity.

​Breakfasts, lunches, two chef-prepared dinners and lots more are included in the retreat fee--and there are accommodation and activity options to fit every budget and preference. Details, pricing, schedules, travel information and more are available here.

And get this: For every friend you bring to Novel Boot Camp, we'll kick back five percent of the retreat fee to both of you. How's that for Pura Vida?

Live chat, message or email your questions.