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Live Bootcamp

Figure out what’s actually wrong with your novel, before you rewrite another word.

Welcome to Diagnose Your Draft—a 4-day bootcamp where we’ll pinpoint the real problems in your manuscript, so you can stop guessing at what your novel needs and finally start revising with a plan.

Live September 14th–18th, 2026

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You've read this manuscript so many times you just can't see it anymore.

You know something isn’t working. You’ve known for a while. But every time you sit down to face the problem, you’re left with a different answer. Maybe it’s your protagonist? Maybe it’s the middle of the story? Or maybe the middle is actually fine and the problem is your finale doesn’t have enough stakes…

You genuinely can’t tell anymore.

The most frustrating part? Once upon a time, you trusted yourself. But then you stepped into your second draft. A messy first draft is fine, but this is the version readers will actually read, and that means every decision is now make-or-break. Which is why, when someone asks you how editing is going, you say “I’m getting there,” because “I can’t even tell if I’m making this better” doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Meanwhile, your revision to-do list is always growing. Every piece of feedback and craft book you read adds more confusion, and truthfully—you’re no closer to “the end” than you were a year ago.

Morgan Kelly, developmental editing client with Lewis

“I was struggling from an avalanche of information and no great way to figure out how all of it worked together—but most importantly, what information was designed for single use and what was going to be useful ongoing. None of my longer work ever really made it to polished status.”

— Morgan Bell Kelly

Dark Fantasy Writer

So you do what everyone does.

You start fixing things.

You cut that subplot that never quite worked. Rewrite your opening. Tighten the dialog in chapter four. Then add that subplot back, because chapter nine doesn’t make sense without it (whoops). You’re writing a lot of new words, but you’re no closer to “done” than when you started.

The problem is you’re only treating symptoms.

Think of it like going to the doctor. A fever, sore throat, and cough are rarely three separate problems with three separate solutions. Instead, they’re one illness showing up in multiple places. Novels work the same way. The heroine who won’t take charge, the finale that lands with a dull thud, and the bland midpoint you keep fighting with, all point to one core problem wearing many different faces.

Which is actually good news! Because once you learn to see past those surface-level symptoms, suddenly your 50+ item revision list turns into just two or three real problems.

Lewis Jorstad holding a book, beside an open notebook with crumpled paper

Welcome to

Diagnose Your Draft 🩺

A 4-day bootcamp for figuring out what your story needs, and how to start transforming it into the novel you want it to be. 

Every day, we’ll meet for a live workshop where I’ll walk you through one step of my diagnostic process, before sending you off to apply it to your own manuscript! We’ll examine your story, identify its weak points, and put together a roadmap to guide you on your revision journey.

Diagnose Your Draft revision bootcamp, showing workbook pages, a laptop with workshop, and a coaching call screenshot

By the end of the week, you’ll walk away with:

  • 📚 Your Universal Story: What your novel is really about, summed up on a single page. This is your guiding star, and ensures every edit you make moves your story closer to what you truly want
  • 🪴 Your Story Checkup: All the nagging feelings you’ve had about this draft, translated into concrete symptoms you can start working with.
  • 📑 Your Symptom Map: Those symptoms mapped onto the core problems that are actually derailing your story beneath the surface.
  • ✍️ Your Draft Diagnosis: Your roadmap for revising your novel—what to work on and in what order, so each edit sets up the next one (instead of undoing all your hard work).
Join the Bootcamp →

Here's Our Schedule for DYD

Each day of the bootcamp, I’ll be going live at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT. Expect about 30-60 minutes of homework as you implement everything you’re learning in your draft!

🎉

Mon, Sept 14th

Kickoff: Welcome to the Bootcamp!

If you’ve ever joined a challenge before, it’s easy to watch Day One and then fall off halfway through. And it’s not your fault—that’s easy to do when you’re not even sure what you’re working on!

That’s why we’re kicking things off with a “Day Zero” of sorts! In this session, we’ll cover exactly what you’ll be doing throughout the week, and how to arrive on Day One ready to untangle your story.

🩺

Tues, Sept 15th

Day One: Where Editing Goes Wrong

If you’re like most writers, you’re stuck staring at an ever-growing list of 50+ things to “fix” in your story, all screaming for your attention. Except, there’s a problem. That list is probably lying to you.

In this workshop, we’ll look at where you’re going wrong with revisions, and start the bootcamp by defining what your novel is actually about—so you can stop editing in the dark.

🧐

Wed, Sept 16th

Day Two: Your Story Checkup

By now, you know something isn’t quite right in your story. Your gut tells you every time you open the draft! The hard part is figuring out what that “feeling” actually means, and what to do about it.

Today, I’ll teach you how to translate those gut feelings into concrete, nameable symptoms you can actually work with. And I’ll diagnose a few live, so you can see this process in action.

📔

Thurs, Sept 17th

Day Three: Mapping Your Symptoms

Now that you have a list of symptoms, the obvious next step is fixing them one at a time. But those symptoms likely aren’t the root of your novel’s problems. So, it’s time to put on our editor hats!

In this workshop, I’ll show you how to take that list of surface-level symptoms (that have been nagging you for months) and find the deeper cause. That way, tomorrow, we can make a plan to fix them!

✍️

Fri, Sept 18th

Day Four: The Revision Pyramid

Knowing what’s wrong in your story is the easy part—actually revising your manuscript is where things get hard. It’s so tempting to freeze up here, or default back to tinkering with random chapters. So, we need to make a plan.

In this final workshop, we’ll build your Draft Diagnosis and put each of your core problems into a clear editing roadmap, so you know what needs fixing and when.

💬

Wed, Sept 23rd

BONUS: Community
Q&A Day

By this point, you’ve been revising your novel with your new Draft Diagnosis for a few days, and you’ve probably got questions!

In this bonus Q&A session, I’ll be going live for a full hour to help troubleshoot your diagnosis and talk through your next steps for editing your manuscript. No new lesson today! Just a chance to ask your questions from the bootcamp.

Want even more support as you diagnose your draft?

Joining DYD will help you build the skills to see what’s working and not in your manuscript—but if you’re facing a particularly tricky revision (or just want more time to work with Lewis) you can also upgrade to our VIP ticket!

VIP gets you access to the full bootcamp and bonus Q&A, along with VIP-exclusive coaching calls September 15th–18th. These small group calls will happen one hour after each day’s workshop, and give us space to dig further into your draft and tackle your toughest questions. You can upgrade to VIP at checkout.

Meet Your Mentor

Hey there! I’m Lewis 👋

I’m an editor and book coach, and over the last eight years I’ve read almost three hundred manuscripts at every stage of writing—first drafts, eleventh drafts, and everything in between. Here’s what all those manuscripts taught me…

You’re not stuck because you’re “bad” at writing. You’re just focusing on the wrong things.

You’re rewriting chapter three for the ninth time, while your protagonist stubbornly refuses to get involved in your plot. You’re tinkering with your dialog in Act One, while your midpoint is still a tangled mess. And that makes sense! Because most craft advice explains what good stories already do well, not how to diagnose a novel that isn’t working.

The good news? Your draft isn’t as broken as it feels. You just need a process to help you cut through the fog. That’s why, in this bootcamp, I’ll be handing you the exact questions I use to figure out what’s really going on beneath the surface of the stories I edit.

By the time we’re done, you won’t be guessing at what your novel needs anymore—you’ll know exactly where to start.

Collage with author photo, Lewis Jorstad holding books, and fiction writers on Zoom

As Seen On:

Diagnose Your Draft revision bootcamp, showing workbook pages, a laptop with workshop, and a coaching call screenshot

Ready to Diagnose Your Draft?

The bootcamp kicks off on September 14th, 2026, and we’d love to have you join us! When you reserve your seat, you’ll get:

  • The full 4-day bootcamp experience, with daily live writing workshops led by Lewis
  • Daily resources and templates, to help you organize your edits and implement what you’re learning
  • Six months of access to the bootcamp workshop recordings, so you can return to what you’ve learned as you work on editing
  • Access to our private pop-up community hub full of like-minded writers on their own revision journey
  • And an invite to our BONUS Q&A day, where you can get extra support on all of your editing questions
Join the Bootcamp for $37 →

And in Case You’re Sitting on the Fence…

If you join Diagnose Your Draft, show up to the first day of the bootcamp, and don’t feel like Day One’s workshop was worth what you paid, I want to hear about it. Send me an email at support@thenovelsmithy.com by 11:00am ET on September 16th, tell me what didn’t work for you, and I’ll refund you in full—no hard feelings.

Your answer won’t change anything about your refund, by the way. It’ll just help me make this bootcamp better for next time.

Is Diagnose Your Draft Right for You?

This bootcamp was designed with a certain writer in mind. They have a draft, but something still isn’t adding up about their story, and they don’t know how to find what’s actually wrong with it.

If that sounds familiar, there are just three things to check before grabbing your ticket:

✍️ Do you have a finished draft? Messy is fine, but make sure your draft is at least 90% done before joining the bootcamp.

✍️ Do you have about an hour per day to spare? That’ll give you time to attend our workshops and do the homework.

✍️ Are you willing to look at your book honestly, even if you’re not sure you’ll love what you find? I’ve never met a draft that couldn’t work, but that doesn’t mean revisions will always be a walk in the park.

If you said yes to all three, then you’ll feel right at home here!

Woman holding a corkboard with her outline of her novel
Allie Burns, book coaching client with Lewis Jorstad

Allie Burns

Women's Fiction Author

“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!”

Ember Wade, writing student at The Novel Smithy

Ember Wade

Fantasy Writer

“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.”

Morgan Kelly, developmental editing client with Lewis

Morgan Kelly

Dark Fantasy Writer

“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!”

Sallyann Halstead, Outline Camp student

Sallyann Halstead

Historical Romance Writer

“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, writing student at The Novel Smithy

JenClaire Patterson

Mystery Writer

“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.”

Leeza Steindorf, writing student at The Novel Smithy

Leeza Steindorf

Women's Fiction Author

“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.”

While this is our first time running Diagnose Your Draft, it’s not the first time I’ve coached or supported writers through editing their novels! These are a few kind words from past students.

What's On Your Mind?

Frequently Asked Questions

My draft is a hot mess. Can this still work for me?

Absolutely! The whole point of this week is figuring out what’s going on underneath that mess, so bring what you have, even if half of Act Four is still [TK figure this out later].

How much time will this take each day?

I recommend planning for an average of 90 minutes each day. Each workshop runs around 45 minutes, plus another 30-60 minutes of homework on your own manuscript. VIP adds another hour for the coaching calls, but those are optional.

What time are the workshops? Will they be recorded?

Each of our workshops will happens live on Zoom at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT, and the recordings will be posted later that same day in our student hub. You’ll have six months to watch (or rewatch) the replays as many times as you need before they expire, so there’s no need to worry if you have to miss a day.

Why is this only $37?

Because it’s how we meet! I’d rather you try me out on a $37 bootcamp than jump into something bigger and find out my teaching style isn’t for you. Some writers go on to work with me more deeply. Others grab their Draft Diagnosis and have everything they need to revise their novel, which is an equally good outcome. Either way, $37 gets you the full bootcamp.

What if I haven’t finished my draft yet?

Then Diagnose Your Draft probably isn’t for you, at least not yet. It’s hard to diagnose an empty page, so if you’re still drafting, I recommend coming back for our next round. In the meantime, keep writing!

Will I get feedback on my actual pages?

Not on your pages themselves. I’ll be diagnosing a few drafts live during the workshops, and our VIP upgrade includes small group calls where you can bring additional questions, if you’d like deeper support. But it’ll up to you to apply the lessons to your own draft.

What happens if I upgrade to VIP?

General admission gets you every workshop, our daily resources, the bonus Q&A day, the replays, and our pop-up community. VIP adds four small group coaching calls (one after each day’s workshop) where we can dig into your specific story and troubleshoot your draft. It’s a great option if you know your novel is particularly tricky.

I have another question!

If you have a question I didn’t answer here, send me an email! You can reach me at hello@thenovelsmithy.com.

Lewis Jorstad holding a copy of Mastering Character Arcs

Before you go

One Last Thing...

If you’re still here, I’m sure you’ve been carrying this novel for a long time. Long enough that “how’s the book going?” has become a question you’d rather avoid.

But the fact that you’re stuck right now isn’t some divine sign that you’ve failed this novel. It’s what happens to every writer who cares enough to keep going, even when their draft is a hot mess. You haven’t lost your spark—it’s just buried under a pile of feedback, craft rules, and second-guessing that’s making it impossible to see the way forward.

Four days won’t finish your novel, but it can give you a clear-eyed look at your own manuscript, and the two or three things that truly need your attention. After that, you get to stop guessing, open your draft on Monday morning, and know exactly where to focus next!

Doors close Sunday, Sept 13th, and we won’t be running this again until 2027.

I’d love to have you join us. 👋

— Lewis

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