The Mindful Writer

The heart of the course

Go deep and slow with your novel

This isn't about writing fast or writing to market. It's about letting the truth of your story reveal itself.

We work through story structure, character, narrative drive, relationships, world-building, and prose. All through the lens of a mindful writing practice. All applied directly to your own novel as you go.

Character is everything

Go deep and slow with your novel

The deeper you know your characters — their wounds, their longings, the way they move through the world, where they've come from and where they're at — the more alive your story becomes.

This deep connection to character is at the heart of everything we do here, whatever genre or world your story is set in.

Stories written with love

Go deep and slow with your novel

Stories written with love

This course is for novels that explore what it means to be human — in this world or another, in this century or another — with compassion and understanding for human fallibility.

If your story is written with love for humans no matter the mistakes they make, it belongs here.

Your novel writing guide

Smiling woman with long brown hair indoors.

Amanda Saint

Amanda is the founder of The Mindful Writer, the author of three novels, an award-winning publisher, and has spent many years helping writers to develop their fiction writing craft.

She designed and ran the Novel Creator Course for nine years — a programme through which eight novels so far have found their way to publication, with more on the way. Because writing a novel is, as we all know, a beautifully slow process.

The Mindful Novel Course is the distillation of everything she has learned through her own writing, her teaching, and her mindfulness practice. At its heart is a belief she returns to again and again: know your characters deeply and truly, and your story will come alive — for you as you write it, and for every reader it reaches.

How the course works

Online course materials

Each month a new course module is released for you to work through at your own pace. Focused on getting to the heart of your story through the hearts of the characters that are living in it. Creating genuine pace and tension through the impact of what's unfolding on your protagonist and their world.

Live sessions and feedback

Once a month the group meets on Zoom on the last Wednesday at 4pm UK time for a 90-minute live feedback session. Two writers read from their work. The group responds. These sessions are intimate, generous, and genuinely transformative.

When it isn't your turn to read, you submit up to 2,000 words to the course platform for written feedback from Amanda and the group. Over the six months you'll receive feedback on 12,000 words of your novel.

Small, intimate group

The group is capped at six writers. Everyone is truly seen. Every voice is heard. The community that forms over the six months is close, supportive, and lasting.

Costs

Refund Policy — If you need to cancel your place, the following applies: For payment in full — Up to two weeks before the course start date: full refund minus a £100 administration fee. Within two weeks of the course start date: 75% refund. During the first month of the course: 50% refund. No refunds after the first month. For payment plans — From 4 weeks ahead up to the course start date: your first instalment will be retained as a non-refundable deposit. No further payments will be taken. During the first month of the course: two instalments are retained and no further payments will be taken. No refund due and no cancellation of remaining instalments after the first month.