Take Messy Action
with Our Creative Mini-Sprints
CreativeFuel for seriously rebellious writers and storytellers.
You've been carrying this novel around in your head for long enough.
You've made the notes, done the research, and told yourself you'll start when the time is right.
The time will never be right. All you have is now.
Your brain isn't broken, but nobody ever taught you how to plan in a way that works for a mind like yours.
Stop overthinking your story and start taking messy action.
Naomi’s Story
“After using these resources, I only needed three months to write a first draft — all while working a 32-hour job (who knew you didn't need 1-2 years if you plan everything? I did. I just never listened).
Not only that, but because the research and planning phase forced me to really dive deep and understand every single one of my characters, writing dialogue has become easy-peasy lemon squeezy.
And, according to a few friends who read everything I write (they’re mad, but I love them), all of my characters have distinct voices and personalities.
The community has helped me a lot. Knowing there are other people online, sweating behind their PCs like I am, makes me feel less alone.
And the one time I suddenly thought, “Why in the world am I even writing this novel? Who cares?”, the people here convinced me to keep going — while also reminding me it’s okay to step away from the project when needed.
I can’t wait to see how this project helps me in the final phase: editing (which is usually the part I hate the most).”
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning for Rebellious Writers
Perfectionism is a trap.
Productive procrastination is avoidance.
Waiting for the perfect time is an excuse.
The Messy First Draft Method gives you a complete, actionable novel plan:
✒️ Your premise
✒️ Your characters
✒️ Your world
✒️ Your story beats
By completing the Messy Action Method: Novel Planning mini-sprint, you’ll have a clean novel plan and the confidence to START bloody writing it.
If you’re serious about being an author, be rebellious and make space for your dream.
Normal price: £250
What’s Inside
-
Nail your premise, synopsis and themes, and get your head in the writing game.
-
Build dimensional characters with wants, needs and secrets your readers will obsess over.
-
Master your genre, build your world and do the research that serves your story and doesn’t send you down an infinite rabbit hole.
-
Map your story beats, complete your novel planning doc and get ready to write your messy first draft.
-
Recorded classes from Year of the Novel featuring guest experts including traditionally published authors and creative writing lecturers to give you extra support as you go.
-
Access Studio Sonder’s private writing community for 30 days free. Get support and accountability from other members to ensure you finish your mini-sprint!
(Worth £35)
Normal price: £250
Stop saving Instagram posts.
Start planning your novel.
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning is a mini-sprint that is part of Year of the Novel, our flagship application-only writing programme that runs live at £2497+.
We've distilled the entire novel planning framework into a single self-paced course, normally priced at £250.
Today? £47. Yours forever.
Plus, your exclusive Studio 30-day free trial is waiting inside.
Your novel won't write itself.
Take messy action. A serious writer would.
Normal price: £250
Rebellious Reviews
“I had finished poems, short stories, and other small projects, but I had never finished, or even fully planned, a novel.
I’d had plenty of ideas that I’d started to explore and write. I’d had plenty of half-started projects.
I’d written scenes, chapters, and even thousands of words for some.
But I’d never finished anything. Now I’m over 50,000 words into a novel, I’ve got a plan, a structure, and I’m confident I will have a finished and edited version.”
Ben G
YOTN Class of 25 & Messy Action Method Novel Planner
“I signed up on a bit of a whim after feeling frustrated with myself for not taking my writing seriously enough. I haven't looked back!
It is great to be part of a community of interesting, supportive people who truly value creative writing and the arts.
We have bounced so many ideas off each other, shared our frustrations and celebrated our wins.
I learnt so much during Term 1 (novel planning), where I had ample time and space to research, plan, and explore.
The workshops and materials were all top-notch, too.
Studio Sonder is a hidden gem!
It’s a place to connect outside of traditional, noisy social media platforms.”
Chloe D
YOTN Class of 25 & Messy Action Method Novel Planner
“Joining Studio Sonder has been an absolute game-changer for me. I’ve wanted to be a seasoned writer for years, but I never had the courage to take the first real step. Inside this community, something finally clicked. I met writers who genuinely encourage me, challenge me, and help me see storytelling from perspectives I never would’ve discovered on my own.
The resources themselves (novel planning) deserve their own spotlight!
They’re very detailed, well-structured, easy to understand, and they take you deep into the minds of your characters: what makes them tick, what shaped their wounds, and what makes them feel complex and beautifully human.
The world-building resources have me on Google Maps, researching neighbourhoods, studying culture and aesthetics on social media, and making sure my settings feel lived-in rather than surface-level and generic.
All this to say: I would not have gotten this far on my own. And the deeper I go, the more excited I become about publishing my first book and trust me… I’m not stopping there.”
Peace O
YOTN Class of 25 & Messy Action Method Novel Planner
Frequently Asked Questions
-
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning is a self-paced mini-sprint for fiction writers who are ready to stop overthinking and start writing their novel.
It guides you through building a complete, actionable novel plan:
Your premise, characters, world, and story beats.
So you can begin your messy first draft with clarity and confidence.
-
The Year of the Novel is for writers who want to commit to writing a novel over a realistic timeframe and stay with the work from idea to finished draft.
-
No. The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning mini-sprint is built for writers at any stage, including those who have never written a novel before.
The framework is designed to meet you where you are and move you forward, not overwhelm you with content you’ll never use or perfectionism.
-
By the time you complete the mini-sprint, you'll have a full novel plan including your premise, synopsis and themes, dimensional characters, a built-out world, and a mapped story beat sheet.
Everything you need to sit down and start writing. No more staring at a blank page.
-
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning mini-sprint is structured across four sections:
Section 1: Your idea, premise, synopsis, themes, and the mindset to pull it off
Section 2: Building dimensional characters with real wants, needs, and secrets
Section 3: Genre, world-building, and research that serves your story (without the rabbit holes)
Section 4: Beat mapping, your completed novel planning doc, and a clear path to your first draft
Plus a bonus: recorded expert guest masterclasses from Year of the Novel for extra support as you go.
-
Most novel planning courses keep you planning indefinitely.
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning is a focused mini-sprint with one goal: get you to the page.
It's built on the same framework as Year of the Novel (Demi's flagship application-only writing programme) distilled into a single, self-paced course you can move through at your own pace and own forever.
-
The Year of the Novel is Studio Sonder's flagship live writing programme, available by application only and priced from £2,497.
The Messy First Draft Method: Novel Planning takes the full novel planning framework from that programme and makes it accessible as a standalone self-paced course. Normally £250, currently available for £47.
-
The Messy Action Method: Novel Planning is currently available for £47.
A one-time payment, yours forever.
It normally retails at £250 and is distilled from the Year of the Novel programme (from £2,497).
No subscription or ongoing fees for the mini-sprint.
However, you can choose to join the Studio writing community membership and stay after your 30-day free trial.
The Studio membership is £35 per month. Cancel anytime.
-
When you purchase the mini-sprint, you'll unlock an exclusive bonus inside: 30 days free in Studio Sonder, Demi's online community for seriously rebellious writers.
Your fellow Creative Rebels are inside, ready to cheer you on, unstick you when you're blocked, and remind you why you started.
This offer is only available through the mini-sprint and won't be found anywhere else.
-
It's entirely self-paced. You can work through the sections at your own pace.
Once you purchase, you have lifetime access, so you can return to it whenever you need it.