The Studio for Serious Novelists
An exploratory new way of writing together
Hello, Protagonists—
I originally sent this out over the weekend on my personal Substack, but in case you’re not subscribed to Spare Time with Evelyn Skye, I’m re-sending it here. 💛
A couple months ago, I wrote about how tightly the word “novelist” can hold you, about how identities can become efficient, familiar, and almost too simple, until one day they start to feel narrow.
Since then, I’ve been thinking and experimenting with different ideas about what’s next for me, and what I realized is that I’m not leaving writing behind… but that I’m curious about new ways of being inside it.
At the same time, I’ve been learning French, and one of my favorite words is atelier—a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer, where serious work happens, craft is examined, and process is shared.
I used to feel a little jealous that artists got ateliers. Chefs do, too; here in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn named her restaurant Atelier Crenn. But we writers too often work alone in the dark corners of our apartments or in loud, impersonal coffee shops.
Unless…
What if we created an atelier for novelists—a studio where a small group of serious writers could bring their pages, examine the architecture of their openings, and learn from each other in real time?
So this spring, I’m going to try a small experiment: a live studio for writers who are actively working on a novel, where I’ll read your opening pages and we’ll work on them together, live.
If you are a writer and that feels aligned with where you are in your work, I would love to invite you into this.
Atelier Skye: The Studio for Serious Novelists
Here’s what this will look like:
Twelve writers.
Six Saturdays.
Live sessions.
Direct developmental critique.
No recordings. No passive consumption. This will be our working studio.
Who This Is For
This studio is designed for writers who:
Are actively drafting a novel
Have 8–10 strong opening pages ready
Want developmental-level critique
Care about both craft and industry positioning
Take their work seriously
This is not an introductory writing class.
It is a professional room.
How It Works
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Live on Zoom
Sessions: 2 hours each
Enrollment Cap: 12 writers
Minimum Enrollment: 6 (otherwise full refund)
Each week includes:
A focused craft and industry insights session
Two rotating hot seats that include structural diagnosis and revision strategy
Every writer will receive a dedicated half-hour hot seat during the cohort
An optional, private WhatsApp group (for atelier members only, not me—this gives you space to collaborate, ask “dumb” questions, or find critique partners in between our Saturday meetings and even after the studio is over)
At the end of our six weeks:
Each writer will receive a personalized, one-on-one “next steps” mentorship call with me (1 full hour)
The Hot Seat: Direct Developmental Critique
Each writer will submit 8–10 double-spaced pages from the beginning of their novel.
During your designated week, we will spend half an hour focused entirely on your work. This is our live studio, our atelier for novelists.
I will have read your pages closely in advance, as will the other writers in the studio.
In that session, I will examine your opening at the architectural level:
Does your first line hook me? The first paragraph?
Is the narrative authority clear from the first page?
Is the protagonist actively driving the story?
Are stakes visible and escalating?
Is tension embedded in the scene, or only suggested?
Where does momentum stall?
What is the book promising to the agent/editor/reader? Is that promise compelling?
I will speak directly to what is working and what is not yet working.
This is not line editing.
It is developmental diagnosis.
You will leave with concrete, actionable direction for revision: clarity about what to strengthen, what to cut, and where the deeper structural opportunity lies.
The rest of the writers listen and learn as we dissect the work in real time. They will also have opportunity to offer their observations and suggestions.
Seeing someone else’s opening examined at this level often sharpens your own manuscript immediately, making you a better self-editor as well as a better critique partner.
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to have a New York Times bestselling novelist sit with your opening pages and tell you exactly how they’re landing—this is that room.
There are no recordings. The energy is live. And the work—your work—is taken seriously.
What We Will Cover Across the Six Weeks
Alongside the hot seats, we will focus on craft and industry insights, including:
Opening-page authority
Character as narrative engine
Scene architecture and momentum
Emotional stakes and urgency
Thematic layering and depth
Market positioning and submission optimization
How to revise an opening strategically
This is big-picture developmental work, the kind that changes a manuscript’s trajectory.
One-on-One Mentorship Call
At the end of our six-week studio, each writer will get the opportunity to schedule a personalized, one-on-one, 1 hour call with me. This is your chance to take everything you have learned during our atelier and figure out “what’s next” for you.
We will use that hour on any publishing-related topic of your choice:
feedback on a query letter,
another live critique of your revised opening pages,
agent submission plan,
career guidance,
or something else that would be helpful to you.
My attention will be solely focused on you and what you need. This is your time.
About the Studio Lead
(Most of you already know me, but in case you are not a Substack subscriber and received this post because someone forwarded it to you):
I’m Evelyn Skye, a New York Times bestselling novelist and the author of eleven books, published by major houses including Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Disney, and translated into sixteen languages worldwide.
I have also written for Netflix in a literary-film collaboration starring Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright.
My work has been featured in PEOPLE, Newsweek, The Hollywood Reporter, CBS New York, The Morning Blend on NBC, The Mirror, Woman’s World Magazine, South China Morning Post, Book Riot, PopSugar, Bustle, Psychology Today, Mochi Magazine, and more.
I’ve been a Featured Speaker and Guest of Honor around the world—at the Festival du Livre de Paris, the Danish Fantasy Festival, San Diego Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, and many other places.
I also have a Bachelor’s degree in Russian literature from Stanford University and a law degree (J.D.) from Harvard Law School.
Over the past decade, I’ve developed a deep understanding of what makes a manuscript not only compelling on the page, but viable in the marketplace.
In this studio, I bring that experience directly to your opening pages.
Tuition
Full tuition for the Studio is $2,500.
Because this is the founding cohort, tuition is $2,000 for this inaugural group.
Future cohorts will be priced at the full rate.
Enrollment is capped at 12 writers.
If fewer than 6 writers enroll by March 31, 2026, the studio will be canceled and all payments will be fully refunded.
Why I’m Doing This
Over the years, I’ve mentored writers informally, spoken at conferences, and taught behind-the-scenes of publishing sessions, but I’ve never opened a contained, small-group studio like this.
I’m interested in what happens when serious novelists gather in a focused, high-level room for a defined period of time.
This founding cohort will shape the rhythm and rigor of what Atelier Skye becomes.
Dates
We will meet on Saturdays:
April 11 - May 16, 2026
1:00pm - 3:00pm ET / 10:00am - 12:00pm PT (each meeting includes two short breaks)
Please be prepared to attend live and ready to work and learn. There will be no recordings.
Enrollment
Enrollment is first come, first served until the atelier reaches 12 writers.
I’m looking forward to building this first studio together.
This is such an amazing opportunity. I hope it continues so I can save up for a future session!