Free 7-day challenge

Turn your idea into a novel plan in 7 days

Daily, structured steps to help you build a workable novel roadmap without overwhelm or guesswork.

Your week at a glance

One focused task per day. By day 7, you'll have a draftable outline.

1
Core Premise
Define your story's central question and stakes
2
Cast & Conflict
Map characters and their competing desires
3
World & Rules
Establish the setting constraints that shape your plot
4
Scene Seeds
Identify key moments and turning points
5
Act Structure
Sequence scenes into a beginning, middle, end
6
Story Spine
Build a one-page structural outline
7
Draft Plan
Your complete chapter-ready roadmap
WEEK
preview

What you’ll learn

  • How to define your core premise with clarity and stakes

  • How to design targeted scene outlines, not just titles

  • How to structure your cast and conflicts across acts

  • How to build a layerable story spine you can actually draft from

What you’ll create

By the end of the week, you’ll have:

  • A one‑page structural outline of your novel

  • Rough scene-level sketches or post‑its for each act

  • Material ready to write or revise from day one with direction

Why it works

This is the daily structure I teach:

  • Small, manageable steps

  • Concrete outcomes

  • Structural thinking that’s scene‑based

  • Tested on hundreds of writers as a real story‑building tool

Who it’s for

Writers who:

  • Have a story idea but no clear path forward

  • Feel stuck in planning or blocked by blank outlines

  • Want structure before prose

  • Need a low-pressure yet directional jumpstart

Inbox
M
Matt Cricchio via NotMFA
to me
Day 1: Find Your Core Premise
Monday 9:00 AM
Hey there,
Welcome to the 7-Day Novel Kickstart Challenge. Every novel starts with one question your story is trying to answer. Today, we're going to find yours.
1
Day 1 of 7
Define your core premise
Today's Task
Write one sentence that captures the central question or tension of your novel. Don't worry about making it perfect. Good enough to build on is the goal.
  • What does your main character want more than anything?
  • What stands in their way?
  • Why does this story need to be told now?
Spend 15-20 minutes on this. Write it down somewhere you'll see it all week. This sentence becomes the foundation for everything we build in Days 2 through 7.
Craft Tip
The best premises contain a built-in contradiction. "A pacifist inherits a weapons empire." "A woman who can't lie becomes a diplomat." Tension in the premise means tension on every page.
Tomorrow we'll take your premise and start building the cast of characters who will bring it to life.
Download the Day 1 Worksheet
Talk soon,
Matt
You're receiving this because you signed up for the 7-Day Novel Kickstart Challenge at NotMFA.com. You'll get one email per day for the next 7 days, plus occasional craft essays after that. Unsubscribe anytime. 
DAy 1
preview

Here's what Day 1 looks like

NotMFA
now
Day 1: Find Your Core Premise
Every novel starts with one question your story is trying to answer. Today, we're going to find yours...

NotMFA
now
Day 2: What's your cast and conflict?
It's the thing that keeps people interested in your novel, and consistently overlooked...

NotMFA
now
Day 3: Building your world & the rules around it
Now, it's time to dive into the scenes and environment your characters live in...
Sign up today

Start your 7-day challenge.

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    Want to go deeper?

    This challenge builds you a draftable outline. If you want feedback, revision guidance, and in‑depth structural coaching, mentorship is the next level.

    Explore Personal Novel Mentorship