The Novelry (thenovelry.com) has a 4.8 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 60 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Public & Local Services and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 94% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 100% of negative reviews; 35 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-10.
A complete scam. It's click bait. Don't submit anything. All that's going to happen is you'll receive a slew of marketing e-mails and courses and advice they want you to pay and sign up for. Don't be a sucker.
Reply from The Novelry2025-07-06
Dear Deborah,
Although you have never used our services or taken a course with us, we are going to ask Trustpilot to leave this in place as we appreciate the opportunity to reply.
As authors at The Novelry, we understand your frustration, as expressed in your emails to us, about how hard it is for writers to get published.
We have received multiple emails from you too regarding your entry to the competition. We are asking you to please be patient, we are unable to let you know if you are shortlisted or a winner until after the submission period closes on 31 July 2025.
The entries for the prize in the first rounds are read by our team of published authors. For the next round, wonderful authors like the Women's Prize for Fiction winner Tayari Jones and Booker Prize winner Yann Martel will be reading your entry, should you make it to the shortlist.
You subscribed to our emails. You are able to unsubscribe from our emails at the click of a button. (We have unsubscribed you now, further to your emails to us.)
You don’t need to take one of our courses if you don’t want to. You can write a book without a course, and other courses are available. Everyone has their way of doing things. Our way is unique to us, as we offer coaching and personal mentoring from a team of well-known authors and former Big Five editors to guide people through the writing and revising of their novels and memoirs. You can find our published success stories on our website and see their books in bookstores and online.
As writers, we try to stand up for our community, and we are seeing an increasing level of unkindness toward authors on Goodreads, for example. As you might imagine, it is upsetting to our team to see reviews like this from people who haven't experienced the way we work and how much care each and every team member brings to the writers we work with.
You can see our team here: https://www.thenovelry.com/meet-the-team
We offer a huge amount of content from our authors and the publishing professionals we work with for free for all writers via our blog at www.thenovelry.com/blog.
Once again, we appreciate you giving us the opportunity to reply and hope you will find some space and peace to enjoy your writing.
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CC · 3 reviews · Experienced 2025-06-17 ·
★★★★★
More than an online writing school
The Novelry has a comprehensive methodology which covers every step in the novel-writing process, from idea creation to drafting and editing--with a focus on meeting the current quality and commercial requirements for traditional publishing.
They have a practical approach that will teach you industry best practices as you pass through the stages of developing your novel. Their self-paced online courses are ideal for writers who want to improve the craft and get their manuscript ready for publication.
The online courses are supplemented by coaching calls, editorial feedback sessions, writing feedback, and even full manuscript assessments. The quality of their staff is amazing and well worth the investment.
Reply from The Novelry2025-06-17
Thank you so much! We really appreciate this kind feedback. Warmly, Louise
I have been so impressed with everything about The Novelry, and am so glad I chose these wonderful people over the myriad of other online writing courses I investigated. The coursework (videos and text-based) is well presented and brilliantly informative, but also somehow seems to deliver just the right 'A-ha!' moments at just the right times in the writing journey. I also did not expect such an incredibly invested supporting cast. From the writing coaches (all published authors, and successful in their own right) who seem genuinely interested in your story and success, to an online community that's equally supportive, the entire experience has been brilliant.
Reply from The Novelry2025-06-09
Thank you Trevor! It's the A-ha moments that help writers make those big leaps. We're delighted to have you with us and this is very kind of you. Here's to many more happy days to come! Louose
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Matt · 2 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2025-05-14 ·
★★★★★
A must-do: thoughtful, nurturing and rich!
Perhaps the most thoughtful, nurturing and rich creative writing course I've had the pleasure of 'attending'. It is an incredibly well thought through, and well paced course, that teaches the very basics as well as more advanced principles, know-how and tricks for how to accelerate your writing. The materials are bite-sized for people who are working a full-time job, but deep enough to excite and challenge in equal measure. The combination of written, video, aural tools, as well as professional, and community mentors means that the student is never left wondering where to go for advice. The only down-side is that, what with writing your own novel, there's so many classes, community discussions and back-cataloged videos to watch/engage with, that it's hard to squeeze it all into a year! Excellent course!
Reply from The Novelry2025-06-01
Thanks Matt! We really appreciate it, and it's a huge pleasure to have you with us. Here's to the next chapter! Louise
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Andrea Gabriel · 3 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2025-05-19 ·
★★★★★
The Novelry Delivers!
All the structure, education, coaching, and encouragement that I needed to get a novel done. They follow through on the promise: you really DO get coaching sessions with successful authors. I am completing the course with a novel I am proud of, ready to submit to agents. I will likely continue my membership, because—as anyone who has ever written a novel can tell you—the learning is never over.
Welcoming community, fabulous courses, industry editors and experienced mentors. The Novelry offers so much!
The Novelry offers fabulous courses, workshops, 1-2-1s with supportive and experienced writing mentors, as well as the opportunity to work with industry editors. There’s such a lovely community of writers. It feels like a safe and welcoming place to write, edit, and improve as a writer. Thank you, Louise, for creating such a wonderful place for writers at every stage of our journey! X
Reply from The Novelry2025-05-14
Ah Fraer! This is so, so lovely of you. We're lucky to have you with us. Thank you! x
The courses and coaching sessions are incredibly helpful from an experienced team that fully understands the publishing industry. Also, the response on customer service questions is fast and friendly.
Reply from The Novelry2025-05-14
Hi Larry - thank you so much! At least you didn't say "fast and furious"! We love having you with us and working with writers like yourself is a pleasure and a privilege. Louise
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andrea · 1 review · Verified · Experienced 2025-04-11 ·
★★★★★
The Novelry provides just the right…
The Novelry provides just the right amount of structure, lessons and prompts to get me going and keep me moving forward.
Reply from The Novelry2025-04-26
Thank you so much Andrea! We love having you with us! Here's to you and your story! Louise x
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Cassie and Megan · 1 review · Experienced 2025-04-15 ·
★★★★★
The Novelry gives writers the confidence to pursue their dreams
Joining the Novelry has been by far one of the best decisions we ever could have made for our writing career. We did an Ultimate Manuscript Assessment with Simran and she has given us so much incredible feedback that our book has completely transformed since we started working with her. We can not recommend working with the Novelry (and with Simran) enough!
Reply from The Novelry2025-04-16
Hello Cassie and Megan! Thank you so much for this lovely review. It's our huge pleasure to work with wonderful writers like you! Louise x
The Novelry approach to creative writing is a refreshing new window into learning the intricacies of fiction writing.
It was a valuable eye-opener into the world of fiction writing. The transformation of an idea into a captivating story that others find interesting is far more involved than I initially imagined. Regardless of whether my work has commercial potential, it is far superior to what I started with. This educational methodology is a welcome evolution of the traditional creative writing class.
Reply from The Novelry2025-03-27
Thank you so much Dorian! Much appreciated! We're so glad to have you with us. Louise.
Writing a novel can be a lonely and discouraging process. The Novelry provides superb expertise, encouragement, and community through structured lessons, one-to-one coaching, a plethora of workshops, and lively communication threads with peer writers. Incredibly useful—and great fun, too.
Reply from The Novelry2025-03-14
Thank you so much, Wendy! We aim to bring the fun to writing fiction and we're so happy to have you with us!
Since joining Novelry, I've gone from a few thousand words with no clear direction to a psychologically nuanced story where every character decision matters. The coaches provided honest, constructive feedback in a supportive environment that helped me grow as a writer, making the initial investment invaluable. Louise has created more than a writing course—it's a community where writers can rediscover their creative courage. A year later, I couldn't be happier with my decision to join.
Reply from The Novelry2025-03-03
Thank you so much Nikolett! We love having you with us. Here's to exciting and happy times ahead! Louise x
The Novelry is like a warm hug for aspiring novelists. I started The Classic course with an idea for a novel but no idea how to write the thing, and throughout the course I was guided to tease, warp and play with my idea until it had legs to stand on. I was introduced to theories and frameworks that I never knew existed!
There is so much extra value in The Novelry's approach too - with endless workshops, webinars and author talks. And it's wonderful to have access to a community of other writers going through the same process.
I am so excited to get started on the 90-Day Novel course now to actually bring this novel to life!
Reply from The Novelry2025-02-11
Thank you, Harriet. This is so lovely! We aim to be a warm, happy and safe place for writers like you and we can't wait to see this story happen! Louise
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ian · 2 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2025-02-04 ·
★★★★★
From idea to novel
A novel. A story I need to write. But i had no idea how to write a story this long. And with guidance from classes, coaches, peers I'm finding my way. Thanks be to God :)
Reply from The Novelry2025-02-11
Thank you, Ian! We're so happy to be helping you write this great story! Louise
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Amy · 11 reviews · Experienced 2025-01-29 ·
★★★★★
I'm so glad I chose The Novelry and I've persevered
I signed up to the Novel Kickstarter in January 2024, choosing it over offers onto selective courses for Curtis Brown and Faber & Faber because I loved the way The Novelry teaches and the flexibility. I’m a published non-fiction writer learning to write fiction.
All was going well for a couple of months, until my mum was diagnosed with cancer and sadly died 5 weeks later. My dad was given a terminal diagnosis at the same time. I started to lose my way and didn't even know what my story was. I dropped Louise an email to ask if she had any advice and she emailed me back within minutes - she was so compassionate and scheduled a call with me that week. I finally completed the first part of the course in December 2024. Slower than expected but anything was something after my year. I submitted the idea to my agent and she said it is the closest I've come to nailing a story. That's what The Novelry has done for me. Taught me how to write story. The content is so original with so many author perspectives, I just don't know how Louise and her team have curated it all. Louise is very well read!
On New Year's Eve, my father died but already a few lessons into The 90 Day Novel course and determined to keep the manageable daily Golden Hour practice going, I've showed up every day, only taking 3 days off around his funeral. I'm now a third of the way through the course, with 10,000 words under my belt that I don't hate! In this land of grief, The Novelry gives me a little bit of purpose each day and some relief as I inhabit my characters' worlds. And the lessons are delivered so warmly, they make me feel less alone.
Reply from The Novelry2025-01-29
Hello dear Amy! Thank you so much for your lovely review. (I am so proud of you!) Louise x
I will admit I was hesitant and honestly did not know what to do with all these five star reviews on TrustPilot.
I'm about six months in and I could not possibly be happier or feel more well suited for where I'm at.
This program (in which I am still engaged) is the most supportive, thoughtful and real program I've ever been a part of. No traditional academic program, no writing group, no previous coaching experience compares.
Honestly, this is as if someone takes you by the hand, shows you absolutely everything, gives you absolutely every possible leg up you could utilize and then guides you to see all of it as "tools, not rules". Believe me you'll work hard, but the combination of the self paced well thought out courses and the membership interaction and the ridiculously amazing live seminars with the writing coaches, editors AND well known guest authors combine to create an atmosphere where you absolutely can get where you want to go.
Regardless of whether you wish to prepare for one of the big publishing houses or self-publishing or just to get to the end, the coaches and, most of all, the very present founder of the program is there to help keep you afloat. Some seminars help you keep going, there are seminars when you don't even know what question to ask, there are seminars to help you show up and there are seminars just to feel a part of something big. Worth absolutely every penny.
Reply from The Novelry2025-01-01
Thank you Rosie! We love having you with us! Louise x
I’ll be honest, when I read that the Novelry was the world’s most well loved school for writers… I rolled my eyes a bit. I thought this must’ve been a marketing spin. But then I joined, and no. No. The Novelry is AMAZING.
I just finished the 90 Day Novel course and I’m very much looking forward to moving on to the Big Edit. In the Novelry, I’ve been sucked into this community of writers — people who are genuinely there for each other and the love of the craft. The lessons have this uncanny ability to show up at EXACTLY the right moment, and there is a plethora of support around every corner. What’s even better, the Novelry doesn’t train their writers to pipe out the same body of work using the same techniques over and over. They teach you the tools to develop your OWN voice and your own practise, with coaches from every genre you can imagine.
Words cannot describe how happy I am to have joined this community. If you’re unsure, take this as a sign. They are worth every penny they charge and more. Even if I never get published, the experience that I’ve had writing my book as a part of this community is something that has been absolutely special, and I’ll never forget it.
Reply from The Novelry2024-11-29
This is so lovely, Brayden! Thank you so much. We're so happy to have you with us. Enjoy every moment. Louise x
Excellent course with information and support from published writers
Excellent content in the course lessons. The sequence of information was spot on. It leads you through the process step by step with thought provoking and stimulating content. i liked that there was information about the writing process as a writer as well as the actual writing. The course far exceeds anything I’ve done at university or elsewhere in its comprehensiveness. I absolutely love the recorded workshops too! I also liked Louise’s in-car conversation videos.
Reply from The Novelry2024-11-28
Thanks Cath! We love having you with us. Here's to you and your gripping story! Louise x
