Novel Intensive
Writing a novel is hard. Finishing one is harder. Revising one into a book that agents, editors, and readers will actually care about is harder still. Whether you’re staring at a blank page, struggling through a first draft, lost in revision, or preparing to query agents, the Novel Intensive is designed to help you move your book forward with clarity, purpose, and momentum.
This is not a traditional workshop. You won’t be competing for airtime with twelve other writers. You won’t receive vague encouragement or generic feedback. Instead, you’ll work directly with me over the course of six months as we develop your manuscript, strengthen its architecture, deepen its emotional impact, and create a practical plan for bringing it into the world.
What You Get
Monthly One-on-One Meetings
A 60-minute in-person consultation if you're in the NYC area or a 60-minute Zoom consultation each month focused entirely on your work, your goals, and your manuscript.
Detailed editorial reedback
Written comments and developmental feedback on up to 50 pages per month, including discussion of:
- Structure
- Character development
- Point of view
- Scene construction
- Pacing
- Dialogue
- Voice
- Theme
- Revision strategy
Ongoing email support
Questions inevitably arise between meetings. You’ll have direct access to me via email throughout the program.
Personalized revision plan
Rather than simply identifying problems, we’ll develop a practical roadmap for solving them.
Publishing guidance for writers nearing completion, I can provide guidance on:
- Query letters
- Synopses
- Agent research
- Submission strategy
- Publishing expectations
Who This is For
- Writers beginning a novel
- Writers stuck in the middle of a draft
- Writers undertaking major revisions
- Writers preparing to seek representation
- Writers who want serious editorial guidance without enrolling in a degree program
About David Samuel Levinson:
I am the author of the novels Tell Me How This Ends Well and Antonia Lively Breaks the Silence and the story collection, Most of Us Are Here Against Our Will. My work has appeared in Modern Love in The New York Times, Hobart, Prairie Schooner, West Branch, The Brooklyn Review, and numerous other publications. I have taught creative writing at the university level, worked extensively as a developmental editor and manuscript consultant, and helped writers strengthen novels, memoirs, and short story collections at every stage of the process.
Investment:
6-Month Novel Intensive
Price: $5,000
Payment plans available.
Because this program is highly individualized, I work with only a limited number of writers at a time.
To apply, please click on the envelope below and send a brief description of your project, a short biography, and the first ten pages of your manuscript.
I also offer editorial services such as developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading, all of which I've provided professionally for 35 years. CV upon request.
I'm teaching a short story class for Downtown Writers in the fall of 2026. Stay tuned for availability and sign-up details. Spots go fast!
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David is a brilliant editor, who knows just how to pare down your writing to its essence. His cuts are genius! |
I found David's suggestions exactly what I needed to get through a book that was giving me trouble. I'd recommend him to anyone who's looking for an editorial sherpa. |
The trouble with a secret life is that it is very frequently a secret from the person who lives it and not at all a secret for the people he encounters.
— James Baldwin, Another Country
— James Baldwin, Another Country