“Lewis, as always, is an amazing coach. I would watch him teach me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!”
Featured By:
“I would recommend this to anyone writing a novel.”
Curious what it’s like to work with Lewis? Here are a few of the love letters, success stories, and kind words we’ve received from past TNS students.
Featured By:
Outline Camp Alum
“This was the absolute best experience I’ve had with my writing.
I’m now completely confident I have the structure I need to finish my draft, and the flexibility my brain needs to stay creative throughout the entire writing process.”
Big Picture Editing Client
“Lewis’ feedback gave me permission to be ruthless, while keeping the heart of what worked in my novel. Now I’m staring at a draft that feels like it grew a backbone. That alone was worth the price of admission.
Thanks, Lewis. You are this author’s salvation.”
Member of the Forge
“This is the program I wish I could’ve joined when I started writing a decade ago.
Even this far into my author career, I’ve learned so much from Lewis about how to be an author without sacrificing your passion or creativity as a writer.”
Member of the Forge
“Cue me finding some of the best friends I’ve ever had, gaining real craft and marketing skills, and having access to all the resources I could possibly want to improve my stories.
Joining the Forge was one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my writing!”
“Like so many others, plotting was a nightmare for me—hard and confusing—and 9 times out of 10, useless when I sat down to write. Outline Camp met me where my brain lived, it stretched my imagination, not my patience. I seriously can’t say enough amazing things!”
— Kiki Boyett
Fantasy Writer
Leigh Carden
“Lewis, as always, is an amazing coach. I would watch him teach me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!”
Christine Wilcox
“I can’t thank Lewis enough for Outline Camp. When he said something to the effect of, “if templates aren’t working for you, you’re not alone,” I felt like I’d finally found the right door to walk through. In years of trudging through first drafts, the many things I was doing right always seemed overshadowed by things I was trying to do because “everyone does it that way.” Many of those things just didn’t fit my writer-brain.
Outline Camp gave me a constructive way to unlearn structures that never worked for me and embrace a process that could ebb and flow with what my story needed.”
Win Day
“I’ve taken courses and read craft books on plotting before, but nothing quite resonated enough that I could implement a process, because they weren’t MY process. What I like about Outline Camp is its flexibility. It offers guidelines rather than restrictions. Being able to create a timeline that spans the entire story has been huge for me. And it’s a timeline I can morph and change as I write without losing sight of the overall story!”
Richard Hartman
“I had worked on this manuscript for too long and knew I had a lot to fix, but Lewis lifted the fog and gave me a clear path forward. If you have something you love—characters, a great plot, theme—but you need a fresh, experienced set of eyes to help you sort things out, working with Lewis was the perfect option.”
Sharon C
“I’ve taken far too many writing classes for someone new to the field, and my brain became a hopeless tangle of catchy lingo and too many ideas to the point of being afraid to write.
Outline Camp stripped the confusion away and I now have waypoints to use so I won’t get lost in the writing fog again. Thanks for a wonderful class! The time flew by.”
Allie Burns
“It was clear that Lewis knew my manuscript and my characters and that his comments were tailored towards my genre too. This edit has revitalised my enthusiasm for this project, especially as I now have a clear set of steps to get there. I think the best part has been seeing the difference Lewis’ recommendations are making as I revise the manuscript. It has given me the belief that I can do this!”
A Knoop
“Before starting Camp, I felt good about the idea of my story but it was so complex that I got lost in the process. After working with Lewis and being part of a wonderful and supportive cohort, I feel like I’m finally in control rather than wandering and trying to shoehorn myself into an arbitrary story structure. And, the outlining process was so much fun!”
Tracy C
“Lewis helped me see my novel’s real possibilities, and I was finally able to write the story I wanted it to be. He was wonderful at helping me develop the core ideas I wanted.”
Dawn G
“I went into this course with two attempted first drafts (that were both filled with gaps). I had been working on my debut novel for three years, and I’d tried multiple story structures, attended summits and workshops, read books and blogs. But nothing has gotten me further along than Outline Camp.
I’ve loved diving into the assignments and coming up with ah-ha moments that have brought my novel to life. Before I started I had no idea how I was going to move my story forward, but now I have an outline that excites me and actually feels achievable!”
Alyssa Hanke
“Lewis was very insightful when it came to understanding where I wanted to go with my story. He helped me develop my ideas and gave me lots of great feedback in regards to the structure, genre, and plot of the piece. He was kind, thoughtful, and wonderful to work with.”
K Henley
“I just finished my story bible and started writing draft one!
I was itching to start writing and it’s been so helpful to have my scene cards and story bible as a guide. I tend to get lost in dialogue, but the cards rein me back in and refocus me on where the scene really needs to go.”
Claudia Gotthardt
“Until I joined the Outline Camp, my story was a heap of too many ideas, old snippets, and a lot of frustration. Lewis’s gently-structured process has helped me to sort through it all and define a solid foundation I’m excited to work with. And the lovely group sessions helped my squirrel brain to focus on only one story for six weeks, which is a big feat!
This was a true lifeline for anyone who is adrift in their story and drowning in their own ideas.”
Barbara Denz
“I created my world 30 years ago for an anthology. I liked it so much that I built the world into reams of paper (electronically speaking). The weeks with this course created a book that is so much stronger for the work we accomplished in six weeks. I cannot thank Lewis enough.”
Leeza Steindorf
“I had thought I only needed help with the opening of my novel. But Lewis’s clear, concrete guidance ended up giving me a keen insight into how I can cultivate a story that really satisfies my readers.”
Morgan Kelly
“Over the last few months, I’ve gotten my novel through the editing stage! I’d completed some 50k NaNo novel starts, and I’d even done a 75k one, but none of my longer work ever really made it to polished status. I would tell any writer curious about the Forge to come jump on in!”
Caitlin Satterlie
“The Big Picture Edit and Lewis’s expertise was exactly what my novel needed. Lewis organized my edit letter in a way that was clear and manageable without being overwhelming. He pinpointed my draft’s weaknesses and had so many recommendations on how I could address them. I had so many lightbulb moments, I couldn’t wait to apply his advice to my next draft.
His sharp eye for detail makes him a dream editor. You will not regret working with Lewis!”
DZ Thorne
“I started writing this story on my birthday this year, with the intention of finishing it by my next birthday as a gift to myself and my teenagers who inspire me to write. And thanks to working with Lewis, I feel this goal is easily within my reach!”
Katie Yamamoto
“Before Outline Camp, I had a lot of random ideas of character interactions and snippets of action scenes, but no idea how to tame them into a cohesive story. I had taken as many free courses as I had time for, but I was really craving a step-by-step process and direct feedback from a coach. Outline Camp provided both of those things, and I cannot say enough about Lewis’ knowledge of craft and the fun, welcoming environment he creates.
The best part of Outline Camp for me was the confidence I now have in creating a story that works.”
Tove Sama
“Before Outline Camp I had some bits and pieces of my story, like interesting characters and a couple of scenes. Now I have a complete outline!”
Ember Wade
“The people are what make this truly great. I knew after I attended my first live call that it was going to be my writer home. The community is so positive and genuinely supportive, and Lewis’s skill with helping with story tangles is uncanny.”
Kathryn McAulay
“I finished the first draft of my novel a couple of years ago, then had critique partners read it, then beta readers, but while I received nice comments, I still felt it wasn’t quite right.
Lewis came along and pointed out a number of things I hadn’t seen because I was too close to it. Everything he gave back to me made perfect sense, and I would absolutely recommend getting a Big Picture Edit from Lewis. It was invaluable. I’m planning to get him to read all of my novels in the future!”
Sallyann Halstead
“Without a doubt, the best part of this experience has been working with Lewis, whose wisdom, patience and good humor never faltered. It makes such a difference being able to talk through your ideas with someone who really listens to you.”
JenClaire Patterson
“This was EXACTLY what I was looking for. The editorial letter was perfect. I walked away with clear ideas of what to work on, and most importantly, the motivation to do them (it wasn’t so many suggestions I dreaded tackling it, quite the opposite). Lewis’ suggestions were so helpful and easy to apply. I haven’t been this excited about working on this novel in a long time.”
J.C. Fairchild
“Joining The Forge was the turning point of my writing career. Before I joined, I hadn’t been able to finish a single draft. Today, I’m a published author of two sweet romance series.
The guidance during office hours and the deep dives in our workshops provided the craft help I desperately needed. Beyond the resources, the other members are just so incredibly supportive—it’s a warm, encouraging space where writers at every stage feel empowered to keep going. I can’t recommend it enough!”
Jenni Meade
“Lewis encouraged me to embrace the heart of my voice while girding it with structural sense. I’ve been published by four literary magazines since our work together!”
Judi Wildfeuer
“I’ve learned there’s no way to avoid putting in the hard prep work, that even pantsers like me need an outline, and that outlining is easier than I thought! I think the coaching calls were the best part of this experience. Lewis was a very encouraging, nonjudgmental teacher.”
Angela Bublitz
“Lewis’ outlining method (especially the waypoint scenes—those are gold!) really resonated with me, and gave me the flexibility to be creative while providing enough structure to keep me from freezing up in panic at literally ALL THE POSSIBILITIES. I’m proud to say I’m neither Pantser nor Plotter… I’m a Puzzler!”