Live 60-Minute Class with Q&A (Includes Full Video Replay)
Stop Writing "Mustache-Twirling" Villains & Flat Settings.
The power structures in our stories—whether a massive sci-fi empire, a subtle dark academia faculty, a historical monarchy, or a dystopian regime, for example—work best when they aren’t completely evil. Real, imperfect systems are far more terrifying, and subverting them creates much richer, more complex narrative choices for your protagonist.
If your fictional world doesn’t clearly show how power is held, used, and realistically resisted by your characters, your protagonist lacks agency, your setting is just a stage prop, your antagonist defaults to a caricature, and your plot stalls in the middle.
In this focused, high-impact craft class, Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach Margaret McNellis (MA in English & creative writing and MFA in fiction, author of four historical fiction novels) breaks down the hidden architecture of power and how to plant systemic tension directly into your story’s soil.
What We’ll Cover:
The Architecture of Oppression: How to build realistic, flawed institutions so your protagonist faces genuine external friction instead of easy, convenient obstacles.
Protagonist Agency vs. Systemic Weight: How to align your main character’s internal arc with their rebellion so their choices feel earned, high-stakes, and deeply personal.
Avoiding the "Lecture" Trap: How to tell a deep, subversive truth through compelling narrative mechanics—without sounding preachy or turning your novel into a manifesto.
Eliminating Logic Leaks: How to spot where your world's logic fails before you waste time penning tens of thousands of words you'll just have to cut later.
This session includes:
Learn the Craft: Direct, actionable craft strategy on setting power dynamics, protagonist agency, and story mechanics as explored through Margaret’s Subversive Novel Mini Blueprint.
Live Q&A: Ask your burning questions about your story’s premise, setting, or character friction live in the chat.
Full Replay Included: Can’t make the live time slot? No problem! Every registered writer will receive a link to the complete video recording within 24 hours of the live session.
This does not include hot-seat coaching. It also does not include a sales pitch. Just come and learn!
Reserve your spot today to unlock the hidden mechanics behind airtight, unforgettable fiction.
Format: Intimate Transformative Workshop + 1:1 Hot-Seat Critique (Strictly Capped at 4 Seats)
Time Commitment: 90 Minutes
Investment: $240 (100% credited toward 1:1 Coaching or Manuscript Evaluation if booked within 30 days following the workshop)
Stop Wondering If Your Novel’s Foundation Is Solid. Let’s Look Together at Your Story Mechanics Live.
You have a compelling premise and a story idea that won't leave you alone. But before you dive into writing tens of thousands of words—or getting lost in an endless cycle of revisions—you need to know: Does your narrative actually work?
In this high-touch, exclusive intensive workshop, you won't just sit back and watch slides. You will get direct, master’s-level editorial analysis on your actual story premise from Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach Margaret McNellis (MA in English and creative writing and MFA in fiction, author of 4 historical fiction novels).
Together, we’ll examine your Subversive Novel Mini-Blueprint so you can step into your story with absolute clarity, deep protagonist agency, and airtight structural momentum.
How the Intensive Workshop Works:
Step 1: Onboard & Submit (Before the Lab)
A month before the workshop, you’ll gain access to your private workshop portal, where you’ll complete your Mini-Blueprint (covering your core premise, protagonist misbelief, external friction, and power structures) and submit it for pre-event review.
Step 2: The Live 90-Minute Session
We gather in an intimate, 4-person virtual container. Following a brief opening craft lesson developed from the group’s Mini-Blueprints, each writer gets dedicated 1:1 hot-seat coaching time based on your individual Mini-Blueprint, in real time.
Step 3: Actionable Next Steps & Full Replay
You’ll walk away with clear, targeted direction on what to fix before you outline, draft, or revise—plus lifetime access to the live recording so you can rewatch your custom feedback anytime.
Deliverables:
Custom Story Surgery: Direct feedback on your protagonist's internal arc, theme, and systemic world friction. I’ll provide in-line feedback on your Mini-Blueprint + the live coaching during the 90-minute session.
Logic Leak Elimination: Clear identification of plot holes, passive character traps, or weak narrative stakes before they cost you months of writing time.
Collective Insight: Learn exponentially by observing three other serious fiction writers receive live structural critiques.
A Risk-Free Upgrade: 100% of your $240 registration fee applies directly toward Plan Your Rebellion (1-Month Blueprint) or a Manuscript Evaluation booked within 30 days following the live workshop.
Strictly Limited to 4 Writers
Because every attendee receives dedicated 1:1 hot-seat coaching and pre-event submission review, this workshop is strictly capped at 4 seats per cohort to preserve an intimate, high-impact environment.
Reserve your seat today to lock in direct editorial eyes on your novel’s foundation.