Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel

Rate this book

It's time to crush the blank page, shed your writer's angst and write the novel you were meant to write! All the magic and enthusiasm of acclaimed author Karin Adams’ in-person writing workshops—now in book form!


You've always wanted to write a novel and have been nurturing a great idea. Perhaps you’ve made a pile of notes—even written several chapters. But as you sit down alone with the blank page or your next scene, nothing happens. Or if the writing does start to flow, it soon dries up.


You’re facing that overwhelming gap between the story you’re imagining and the book you want to write. It’s enough to cause most people to throw in the towel. But that doesn’t have to be you!


In The One Week Writing Workshop, author Karin Adams helps you to overcome the overwhelm. She breaks the writing process down into a series of bite-sized, actionable tasks within a proven seven-step method. It’s the method Karin herself uses, and the one she has taught to thousands of workshop participants since 2010. This book is for you whether you’re just starting your novel, stuck in the middle, or getting back to an old draft.


While The One Week Writing Workshop emphasizes taking action now, it also circles back to story essentials as you go. If you’ve read other writing books, it will complement, reinforce and add fresh perspectives to what you’ve learned. If you’ve never studied creative writing before, The One Week Writing Workshop is the perfect book for getting yourself grounded while you get busy writing.


Structured as a seven-day workshop, each chapter is a lively session guiding you through energizing tasks that get you working on and actively growing your story. Throughout the book, you have lots of choice so that you can further tailor the experience for you and your novel.


You’ll find:


- 70+ real-world writing activities and strategies you’ll start using within minutes of opening the book

- A tried-and-tested 7-step method for starting your novel and seeing it through to the finish

- Hands-on strategies for every step of the writing process, from generating ideas to revision

- Helpful mini lessons to get (or keep) you grounded with story writing essentials

- A blend of at-your-desk and out-of-the-box actions that help to inspire your entire creative self

- Activities you can come back to again and again to bust past blocks, develop new story concepts and reconnect with the joy that got you writing in the first place

The One Week Writing Workshop is the book you need when it’s time to take action, write your novel and finally see it through to completion.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2024

36 people are currently reading
7926 people want to read

About the author

Karin Adams

6 books31 followers
Karin Adams holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Winnipeg and pursued doctoral studies at Harvard University, focusing on ancient languages and literature. After seven years as a university instructor, she returned to her first love—creative writing—and has authored five traditionally published works of fiction. Since 2010, Karin has been delivering inspiring writing workshops and classes based on her own practices to help fiction writers of all stripes succeed in their projects.

Karin’s middle grade novels include Lights! Curtains! Cows!, No TV? No Fair!, My Best Friend is a Viral Dancing Zombie, Mermaid Warrior Squad, and the acclaimed Frostbite Hotel. She is also the author of The One Week Writing Workshop (coming soon), a practical guide helping aspiring novelists to grow their ideas and complete their projects.

You can learn more about Karin at www.karinadams.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
37 (69%)
4 stars
11 (20%)
3 stars
3 (5%)
2 stars
2 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Books_the_Magical_Fruit.
915 reviews143 followers
October 13, 2024
There are a ton of good writing inspiration exercises in here! Apparently, Adam’s’ writing workshop has been quite successful, and it shows.. I found many, many suggestions that I will employ in my own writing. Anyone can find something useful and/or inspirational in these pages. I highly recommend picking this up, wherever you may be with your writing!

Thanks to NetGalley and Author In Your Corner Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

111 reviews3 followers
October 29, 2024
This book is brilliant! Every 'day' covers a different area of planning, writing, reviewing and editing, and it is such a helpful book.

Each exercise is clearly laid out, with what you need and your goal. The writing style is relaxed and chatty, and it is full of worked examples.

I have recommended this to so many of my writing circle, and go back to these exercises when I come unstuck.
Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
2,986 reviews797 followers
September 21, 2024
This is a good book if you are stuck and need help moving your story along or even getting inspiration for a new story. It hits all aspects of a book you may be struggling with from the characters, to world building, and everything in between. I find it has really great suggestions on how to dive deeper and where you can look for inspiration. Some of it is a lot of work, but if you are really stuck, I think it would be worth it to try these practical exercises. This will be something I can turn to if I come to a point where I need help. Until then, I can only say that this author's practical steps make sense and I can see utilizing them in the future.
625 reviews1 follower
September 22, 2024
The format of this book is so cool. It is an actual workshop, complete with icebreakers, lists of supplies, daily warmups and “stretches”, and exercises. You only need to set aside a couple hours a day to complete this workshop, you don’t need to take off a week of work like you would for an in person workshop.

I thought this book would help me become a better book reviewer, but it uncovered an interest in me to actually attempt to write a short story. I think the “name tag” exercise at the beginning of the book ignited a spark in me I never knew was there. I now have the desire to write, thank you Karin Adam’s.
So, even though I am not an established writer by any sense of the imagination, I was able to grasp and understand the writing techniques. I had fun doing most of the daily exercises.

This is the type of book you read, complete the activities and exercises, then use as a lifelong reference. It would be the perfect gift for both the aspiring writer, as well as a seasoned writer.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lis Anna-Langston.
Author 13 books329 followers
October 17, 2024
I don't read a lot of books on writing because they all say the same thing. Admittedly I was dubious about this one in the beginning. I liked that one of the warm ups was to clean off my desk. She started in a fresh way. I loved the stretches and warm ups. One thing I really appreciated was her attention to the middle. Most books focus heavily on beginning and end and leave you to fend for yourself when it comes to the largest section of your book. There are clear exercises to keep you on track. About the only negative I could give and it isn't really a negative is that I could not do this in one week. IF YOU DO plan to do it in one week then read the book FIRST and plan. I dove in to read and do at the same time and it took longer but it was worth it. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily but just bought a paperback copy to keep.
Profile Image for Erica Baxter.
1,052 reviews7 followers
September 11, 2024
Do not be fooled by the “One Week” portion of the title. This is a full-on, high-intensity writing workshop that can easily be stretched out over the course of several weeks. Each of the seven days is not simply a single activity, but rather multiple activities centered around that day's theme. And these exercises are not the basic writing prompts that many writing craft books offer. Rather, they are vehicles which encourage writers to engage all their senses—to think outside the box and to really be in the here and now—and then translate those thoughts, observations, and feelings into words.

Unique and inspiring. There is a lot to do in this book.
Profile Image for Bloss ♡.
1,173 reviews77 followers
November 14, 2024
4.5
I had so much fun with this little workshop-in-a-book! I'm usually a faster reader/reviewer but I wanted to slow down my pace to engage fully with the book over the week-long period and 'take it out for a spin'... I'm so glad I did because this was awesome!

What stood out:
✏️ The conversational, accessible writing style was a huge boon to this workbook. I've read a few fiction-writing guides over the years and this was one of the best for using plain language, not giving heaps of 'rights' and 'wrongs' and normalizing experimentation. I loved it for this. Writing should be for everyone!
✏️ Throughout the book, there are a variety of exercises that will appeal to a diverse range of skills and mediums. While I enjoy the writing ones best, I deeply appreciated the scrapbooking, mixed media, acting, and other mediums of creativity that the book encouraged!
✏️ For writers that struggle with a dearth or ideas or idea overload, this book will help you generate or streamline your ideas into a coherent, workable thing. Many of the exercises are structured in exploration and play to see what has traction and what doesn't. I was very surprised at what sparked a meaty idea versus what didn't!
✏️ Writing doesn't need to be a punishment (where did this rhetoric even come from, that we must 'suffer' to write?) and this book encourages rest, taking breaks from writing, and allowing ideas to flow naturally instead of forcing them through punitive writing practices.
✏️ Including an example that spans the length of the book was such a great idea - watching how Adams' idea goes from a spark to a full story outline helps illustrate the exercises while also inspiring us that we don't need to over engineer our ideas right from go.
✏️ Adams is a natural accountability partner: as the book wraps up, she uses common roadblocks to redirect us back to inspiring exercises that will 'unstick' us and get us moving again. It's too easy to fall over at the first hurdle but Adams knows that and helps us out!

If you're searching for writing inspiration, want to play around with some ideas you're holding, or simply want to give writing a chance, this book is packed with exercises, helpful tips, examples, and a tailorable approach to get you loving what you write and writing what you love!

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Author In Your Corner/Indigo Rose. ✨
Profile Image for Reader Views.
4,528 reviews312 followers
October 22, 2024
There are hundreds – if not thousands – of books on the art of writing. Not all, however, offer a clear and constructive path to getting your first novel on the page. Karin Adams’ “The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel” provides an interesting method of building a story from scratch and the guidance is helpful for both beginners and experienced writers.

I fall into the latter category. I’ve been writing fiction for over thirty years, but I found Adams’ advice to be incredibly beneficial. She takes the time to explain the process and the tools you’ll need, and she breaks the steps down into an easy-to-follow format. As someone who has written dozens of pieces of fiction, following the path laid out in “The One Week Writing Workshop” gave me new insight into my writing process.

Adams breaks her method down into several small exercises that the participant performs each day, eventually culminating in a draft. She begins with formulating ideas for a story, then works on creating characters, developing settings and plot, and then drafting on the fifth day. By day seven, the participant is starting the revision process.

Obviously, one won’t be finishing a complete novel by the end of the process, but it gives them the tools to get the work started. I also found that this process will work just as well for novellas and short stories because it starts with a foundation and builds the pieces of the story organically.

And you don’t have to worry about getting in over your head with Adams’ writing workshop. Each exercise is simple and, for the most part, fun to do. However, I suggest you read through the book before beginning the first exercise. Many of the steps require things to help you, such as books, note cards, pens and paper, and other items. Also, you will need to mark off a few hours each day to allow yourself time to complete each step.

I feel that “The One Week Writing Workshop” by Karin Adams is a great tool for anyone who has been dreaming of writing their first novel (or even short story). It provides a simple, organic process that allows you to develop all the bits and pieces needed, and then shows you how they work together to become the story you envision in your imagination. Even seasoned writers will take away useful tips and tricks.
Profile Image for Faye Anne.
600 reviews18 followers
August 30, 2024
The One Week Writing Workshop by Karin Adams is a practical guide designed to help aspiring novelists overcome the challenges of turning their ideas into a finished manuscript. The book breaks down the writing process into manageable, actionable tasks through a proven seven-step method.

As context for my review, I recently started outlining the plot of a novel. When I saw the ARC of The One Week Writing Workshop available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to gain more knowledge of the writing process while I'm still in the planning stage. I knew it would also give me an opportunity just to practice my writing and find my style before getting into the really hard work of actually writing a novel!

The book provides a few approaches for following the content, based on how many of the activities you complete per chapter and how long you want to spend working through the content every day. I did intend to do one chapter/step per day, however Day 1's activities generated a random idea that really got me inspired and I ended up completing the first three days' activities in one go! As the lessons build up, they really flesh out the new ideas and provide a lot of great writing practice.

The chapters focus on ideas, characters, setting, plot and planning, drafting, rest and revision. I found that this 7 step process really worked for me. I really enjoyed the exercises and I went from day 1's idea-generating exercises to a fully fleshed out story by the end of day 7, in a completely different genre to the one I was actively planning before starting this ARC! Rather than this being a diversion or distraction, this actually gave me confidence in my ideas/creativity and I had a lot of fun working through the exercises and just writing something I found fun and interesting.

There's advice on how to reuse the 7 step process as an ongoing resource after finishing the book, and I will definitely use this method again.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Belinda (Belle) Witzenhausen.
249 reviews
October 17, 2024
I received a complimentary ARC copy of The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel by Karin Adams from Net Galley and Indigo Rose | Author In Your Corner in order to read and give an honest review.

… If you’re a writer looking for inspiration, motivation, and practical tools, I highly recommend The One Week Writing Workshop…

I’ve always been a writer at heart, but often find myself feeling stuck and uninspired. The One Week Writing Workshop was definitely a breath of fresh air. This book not only provides practical tools and exercises, but it also renewed my love for the written word.

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the author’s down to earth tone. The author’s approachable style made complex writing concepts easy to understand. It felt like I was having a chat with a friend who just happened to be an incredibly talented writer.

The workshop format was perfect for me, the exercises were challenging but not overwhelming, and they helped me to explore new ideas and perspectives. The book’s format, with, daily warmups, and exercises, makes it accessible and flexible. It not only improves writing skills but also ignites a passion for writing. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from this book was the importance of consistency and natural flow. Through the exercises she helps you grow ideas one step at a time showing me that even the most seemingly simple ideas can be developed into something truly special.

If you’re a writer looking for inspiration, motivation, and practical tools, I highly recommend The One Week Writing Workshop. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page. Whether you’re an aspiring or seasoned writer, this book is a valuable resource for lifelong learning and inspiration.
51 reviews1 follower
October 10, 2024
I decided to read this book on a bit of a whim… a precontemplation stage, or as Adams might have me classify it as a "dream." I loved writing stories as a child and somewhere along the line I was probably either told they weren't good enough or that something else was more important and I stopped. Adams has made me feel like I can pick up this part of myself and create… her exercises help to channel inspiration and add order to the chaos in my brain as far as stories are concerned. I had thought about writing in the past but shut it down quickly when I became overwhelmed with thoughts that I had to have characters and plotlines thoroughly created to be able to do anything with it. Adams has given me a roadmap and I believe it will work for many others too. When I realized how great this book was going to be, I wished that I had a hardcopy to put bookmarks and notes throughout, but I still appreciate the electronic format! The hyperlinks for quick access to previous exercises is helpful in its own right!

I recommend this incredible resource to anyone in any stage of contemplation related to writing as a guide to exploring what you are capable of when things get broken down and translated into manageable steps. Also for anyone wishing to revisit how much fun writing and playing with words can be! I can't wait to flip through again.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
6 reviews
October 16, 2024
The One Week Writing Workshop is a transformative experience for writers at any stage of their journey, from fledgling authors to seasoned wordsmiths seeking a fresh burst of inspiration. Having recently completed the workshop, I can confidently say that it was an enriching blend of structure and creativity, designed to nurture both technical skills and the imaginative spirit of participants.

Structure and Format:

The workshop is organized into a series of focused sessions, each thoughtfully crafted to tackle different aspects of writing. Over the course of a week, participants engage in a mix of lectures, hands-on exercises, peer reviews, and one-on-one feedback. The compact timeframe creates an immersive environment that encourages productivity and concentration.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Joann.
11 reviews3 followers
June 12, 2025
If you dream of having a writing life but don't know how to get started, get this book. Each chapter/day is packed with activities that engage the mind, body, and soul, sparking creativity that leads to a finished project. I have attended workshops and conferences, inspired to write, but rarely get the tools needed to keep up the discipline that this book offers. In one week, the writing exercises and the practical tips, led me down a rewarding path to actual writing. You will need to dedicate one week without too many distractions to get the full impact; actually dig in and do the work. Thank you Ms. Adams for the book and to Goodreads for the Giveaway.
257 reviews55 followers
April 6, 2025
This was a solid guide to writing or continuing to write your story. I found the advice helpful if a bit common sense. I will try this with my own writing.
Profile Image for S.
385 reviews4 followers
July 13, 2025
Great process

You can tell that there was much effort put into this book, not just by sections and an order in which to work most of the time but also in those little stuck moments. Well written and beautifully executed.
Profile Image for Suzi.
Author 19 books10 followers
October 11, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed this book. I like reading books about writing craft and often find at least one thing I can learn from the author. I loved the sticky note chapter board thing. That is a brilliant idea and I will definitely be using it going forward.
Profile Image for Andrew McAllan.
41 reviews1 follower
September 22, 2024
Karin Adams included in The One Week Writing Workshop a series of self-guided writing activities that truly get you to improve your writing. At the time of this review, I haven't tried them all. But they all seem sound and helpful to improve the quality of my writing.

The book starts with icebreakers that focus on increasing the level of confidence of the reader for becoming a writer. I like the idea of visualisation and aligning oneself to vision that they should believe in to make it a reality. So, it resonated well with me.
Profile Image for Diane Scurr.
8 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2024
This book is a brilliant resource for anyone interested in writing. The tone is supportive and friendly, the layout is clear and the activities are engaging and helpful. It’s like having a wise friend cheering you on… if you dream of being an author yourself, this is the book to help you get there.
Profile Image for Mads Finster.
10 reviews
April 11, 2025
I would like to thank our Goodreads team for this wonderful giveaway as always.
If you’re like me and need something, a bit more refreshing and involved to get your mind going then this is definitely the book workshop for you ! I really appreciate how there were icebreakers and warm-ups so I didn’t feel as if though I was reading a bland how to manual and this author did really well keeping me intrigued and involved in the advice.
I would definitely recommend picking this up and taking a week out of your time for this workshop, especially if you’re in a sludge or writing slump like I’ve been and don’t know where to go from there or exactly how to finesse the material that you’ve already put down.
Profile Image for Marz Hare.
108 reviews4 followers
September 6, 2024
This book was absolutely fantastic!!! Particularly for writers like myself, who like to plan a little, but also discover our stories as we go. I hope it makes it to Waterstones so I can get a physical copy

I have completed my one week of writing (using my work in progress for the exercises), mostly focusing on the core exercises since I have been quite busy, so I will briefly mention what I got from each of those (but there are also fun warmups and "stretches" to do before and after the core exercises, and there are some that I really want to try out!)

* Day 1 (ideas): got to understand the things that drive me and had a fun time particularly dissecting the life stories that made me who I am today
* Day 2 (characters): felt closer to my two main characters after doing the exercise for each of them. It was a nice icebreaker to start coming up with more vivid details about them, and much easier to get into than, say, a character sheet
* Day 3 (setting): worldbuilding is hard, but this exercise made it simpler and tied it to the characters, which made the setting come alive. My writing has felt much more vivid since I did this.
* Day 4 (plot and planning): i was a bit hesitant about the mini-storyboard since planning has always worked poorly for me, but this was the right amount of planning, and can also be adapted and expanded if you're more of a plotter
* Day 5 (drafting): this was based on the previous work I did on character and setting, pulling from the mini-storyboard, and I could really feel the difference. I ended up writing way more than the suggested number of words!
* Day 6 (rest): loved that the workshop included this! It is very important to let a draft breathe before revising
* Day 7 (revision): for some reason this was what frightened me the most, and it took me longer than any of the other exercises. I need to get better at revision! I ended up changing a lot of what I wrote on Day 5, but the essence was still there (and it's always easier to write when you don't have a blank page staring at you)

All in all, I would say this is the best writing book I have ever come across, and there have been quite a few. I had never been able to complete a writing workshop! Most of the writing books I have read are very plotter-oriented and leave me stuck in "endless planning, no actual writing" mode, but this is more applied, feels simple enough that I found it easy to start, and then the results kept me coming back for more.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC!
Profile Image for Nicci.
38 reviews3 followers
November 15, 2024
As a writer, I absolutely loved this book! Not only does the author break through the barriers we place in our own minds about what makes us writers, but she assists with moments where we would otherwise stare at the page, hoping for a moment of inspiration.

The title, The One-Week Writing Workshop, doesn't necessarily share quite how much this book has to offer. It's not only a set of tasks but a guide that helps us through the limits and frustrations of trying to write and the cruel beliefs that can take over during vulnerable times.

Working through the tasks is an absolute delight, and I had a fun time completing them. From creating a person based on the contents of her handbag to writing to music and imagining scenes playing out in market photos, Karin Adams brings joy back into writing, something that can get lost in moments of self-doubt and the critical lense we learn to apply to ourselves.

I’ve taken longer than a week with the book, but during the time I have worked with it, I’ve remembered why I loved writing, brought up memories of visiting perfume counters, and remembered moments spent camping in the mountains at night, with firelight, stars, and a stewpot filled with beans.

This is an incredible book, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to write fiction. I would also recommend it to any writer who wants to remember the joy of crafting stories and for people who feel as though the edges have dulled within their lives, who feel exhausted or stressed, and who want to write joy back into existence.

This book is thoughtful, well organized, and kind, and it's perfect for those with a dream of creating a novel and for those, like me, who would like to add zest to storytelling. We all write, in one form or another, but Karin Adams shows us how to write with joy and imagination, and this has completely transformed my writing. She also shows us how to notice and wonder about the magic of everyday life and to recognize how amazing it actually is. This is a book to cherish and hoard greedily while also recommending it to your friends.
Profile Image for J Kromrie.
2,469 reviews46 followers
October 7, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel by Karin Adams is an invaluable resource for writers at any stage of their journey. Whether you’re just starting out, stuck in the middle of a draft, or looking to breathe new life into an old manuscript, Adams’ book offers a structured, practical approach to overcoming common writing hurdles.

One of the standout features of The One Week Writing Workshop is its accessibility. Adams’ writing is clear and encouraging, making complex concepts easy to understand and implement. Each chapter is packed with tips and exercises that are both practical and inspiring, helping writers to stay motivated and focused.

Adams’ approach is refreshingly down-to-earth. She acknowledges the challenges and doubts that writers often face and offers realistic solutions to overcome them. Her advice is grounded in her own experiences as a writer and teacher, adding a personal touch that makes the book feel like a supportive guide rather than a prescriptive manual.

The book’s structure is another of its strengths. Dividing the writing process into a seven-day plan makes it feel less overwhelming and more achievable. Each day focuses on a specific aspect of writing, allowing readers to build their skills progressively. This step-by-step approach helps to demystify the writing process and provides a clear roadmap for completing a novel.

The One Week Writing Workshop: 7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel is a must-read for anyone looking to enhance their writing practice. Karin Adams has created a comprehensive, user-friendly guide that is both practical and inspiring. Whether you’re a novice writer or a seasoned author, this book offers valuable insights and strategies to help you achieve your writing goals. With its actionable advice and supportive tone, The One Week Writing Workshop is sure to become a go-to resource for writers everywhere.
66 reviews2 followers
September 4, 2024
A solid 7-day (+) workshop, especially for beginning novelists

I need to preface this by saying that I am already somewhat experienced as a writer, so the contents of this book were not new to me. That means that for advanced writers, I would recommend to only pick this up if you are looking for writing exercises and fresh approaches to your resting projects, not if you genuinely want to learn how to write a book - you already know that.

That being said, for novice writers of people coming back to writing after a hiatus, this book is fantastic.
Karin Adams leads you (gently but firmly) through a seven-day writing workshop, in which you can choose your own exercise regime out of the options she provides. The workshop delves into the usual topics of inspiration, character, setting, plot and drafting, as well as touching on revision. While Adams doesn't claim to give a proper how-to-write-a-novel course, this book will provide you with enough basic information to pick up the rest where you recognise deficits along the way.

The book is heavy on the pre-writing things, such as gathering ideas, drafting characters and starting outlines, explaining most of the elements briefly. There is a lot of note-taking and object-gathering involved, but from experience I can say that this helps illuminate the craft elements and gets the brain going on the things you will need to keep in mind as you draft and go through revisions.

Personally, I appreciated her flexible approach, being able to pick and choose my writing exercises. The best piece was her advice to not consider writing the talent or gift to aspire to but instead to appreciate the desire to write as a driving motivator for aspiring and accomplished novelists.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
3 reviews
September 14, 2024
The one week writing workshop: 7 days to spar, boos or revive your novel by Karin Adams (2024). The book provides a step-by-step approach to character development. It gives you a layout using character web, character portrait and action shot. The author shows steps and action one may take in building a well-rounded character using physical description, enriched with character’s personality, habit, tendencies, hobbies, friends and personality/attitude, philosophy, challenges and problems, goals and aspirations, strengths and vulnerability. The author, in his action filled words and concrete examples, guides and pushes you to create a believable character and a setting that challenges and allows the character to engage in her/his pursuits and in the process become transformed.
The author provides plenty of practical exercises, plenty of examples to work up, to describe different and contrasting settings to motivate the reader to engage in these exercises. This book reads as if the author holds your hand and walks you through the writing process, a GPS and a map to get to your destination. Reading this book empowers, and motivates you to participate in the exercise, to complete the exercises and in the process sharpen your storyboard, your character development. For a beginner who intends to write or experiment with a novel, this is worth a try.
Though I am neither a fiction writer nor interested to become one, I picked this book to review it to see if it could give me an insight into the creative nonfiction story I have been grappling with. I was not disappointed. I have read some craft books. I liked this e-book because of its easy accessibility, and the rich examples it provides on essential building blocks of story.
Profile Image for Sarita.
6 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2024
The One-Week Writing Workshop by Karin Adams is a challenging yet easy-to-digest guide for creative writers. It focuses on the process of writing and teaches Adams' seven-step writing method through small, impactful exercises.

As a nonfiction writer, I have never studied novel writing or taken many creative writing classes, so I wasn't sure how interesting or relevant this book would be. By Day Two: Character, I was sold. The exercises were simple but very impactful. Adams walks you through not only character creation, but also backstory, secondary characters, and more. I found myself thinking I could actually write fiction after this!

An important aspect of this book is the author's explanation at the outset that the method can be learned and practiced without doing every single activity listed. She even lays out different approaches and schedules based on how much time the reader has to complete the program. Other manuals on creativity have left me feeling bogged down and overwhelmed when I couldn't complete everything. In contrast, The One-Week Writing Workshop is refreshingly user-friendly!

Section III, From Writing Workshop to Writing Your Novel, suggests ways to expand the book's activities when working on a full-length manuscript. I love that Adams spelled this out instead of leaving the reader to make those connections on their own. It's evident that this author speaks from extensive experience, both as a novel writer and as a workshop facilitator.

I was unsure about this book when I first picked it up, but now I can't wait to go back through it to expand on some of my favorite exercises and try out a few that I skipped the first time.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for L.J. Lee.
11 reviews2 followers
October 16, 2024
I got an advance copy of the book to leave an honest review, and to make it as honest and helpful as possible I did the whole one-week workshop, choosing the "middle ground" option of doing one Warmup, the Core Activity, and one Stretch activity each day. I even took the rest day on Day 6, and also did the Icebreakers and post-workshop reflections.

Having gone through a first pass of the book I can join many others in saying this one is a treat, and will be a valuable addition to the shelf of any writer who wants to generate and work on ideas. I come from having some years of writing experience under my belt and a long novel-in-progress that I've written the first draft for.

Though I did not develop ideas from my in-progress novel, setting it aside for the workshop at the author's suggestion, I had a lot of fun learning the workshop methods while coming up with new ideas in a completely different setting. The mini storyboard was hands-down my favorite activity, taking the stress out of story structure, and the other methods like the character and sensory web not only helped me develop ideas but also warmed up the creative muscles.

I can see how these methods will be useful for developing my current work-in-progress and other ideas, and am excited to adapt them and work on existing and future projects--and just to rejuvenate creative energies and have fun, really.

Though I have gone through the book once, I look forward to using the book for a long while throughout my creative life and am grateful to have come across such a useful companion in my writing journey. Highly recommended.
502 reviews14 followers
October 17, 2024
The One Week Writing Workshop by Karin Adams sounds like a practical and motivating guide for aspiring novelists who are struggling to transform their ideas into a finished manuscript. With its seven-day structured approach, it aims to take the overwhelm out of the writing process by breaking it down into manageable, bite-sized tasks. Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey, stuck in the middle, or revisiting an old project, the book provides actionable strategies to get words on the page and keep the momentum going.

Key aspects include:

• Hands-On Writing Activities: With over 70 real-world exercises, readers are encouraged to immediately put pen to paper, focusing on generating ideas, overcoming blocks, and completing scenes.
• Seven-Step Method: The book introduces a proven method that guides writers from the spark of an idea through to revision, ensuring they not only start but finish their novel.
• Mini Lessons on Story Essentials: For those who need a refresher or are entirely new to creative writing, the book offers quick lessons on key storytelling principles, allowing readers to stay grounded in the fundamentals.
• Flexible Structure: While it’s laid out as a one-week program, the book offers plenty of flexibility for tailoring the experience to individual needs, whether you want to work at a slower pace or revisit activities to reignite inspiration.

Adams’ experience teaching this workshop to thousands of participants since 2010 shows that she understands the hurdles writers face and has developed strategies to push through them. This resource appears ideal for writers who are eager to stop thinking about their book and start writing it.
Profile Image for Ana MC Budeanu.
5 reviews
September 28, 2025
It's As Good As an Actual Workshop

The One Week Writing Workshop by Karin Adams is a non-fiction book on how to write novel and its structure is similar to that of a week-long workshop where as an attendant you get a daily class on a particular topic as in how to begin writing a novel and it goes to the end, by offering full written support to carry you as a beginner writer.

The book is well-written and very well-organized and the author has 5 books of its own published and has extensive education in literature. As someone who has read extensively all sorts of literary genres and who has been thinking of writing my own book, I can definitely say that this book provides an immense written help to those in need an I think it might of help even to those writers who have already written a book, but may find themselves in a slump.

Also, in professional activities, I have attended many week-long or weekend-long workshop and I can say that this is the format, the materials and this is the way and actual workshop would work, the difference would be that you, as an attendee, would be forced to write down and it would be difficult to mull over and return to the main information. Some workshops give you materials, some don’t. So, I think this is very much a win-win situation for a writer at the beginning of their career.

In conclusion, I would give this book a 5 out 5 recommendation, considering it a must for all beginner writers given the background of the author, the information provided, the style and organization and the book’s ability to act in place of an actual workshop.
Profile Image for Vicky.
Author 26 books59 followers
March 28, 2025
THOUGHTS: How would you like to have a top-level writing workshop for less than twenty bucks? You’ll get that in this book. You’ll find activities to help you consolidate ideas, create characters, develop settings, and come up with a plot as well as write and revise your novel. No, you will not write a full novel in seven days, but you will find strategies to help unblock you, if needed, or get going on that novel. The author gives you advice in a clear, concise manner that you can come back to again and again. It is useful for both the beginner and experienced writer.

The book has warm-up exercises like “take a writing walk” or clip photos of people or settings and write about them. Use visual or auditory tricks, and other activities. I especially liked the section on giving yourself permission to step away if needed, for a week and do something absolutely *not* related to writing. Then come back to it. The book Is broken down into seven days, but you can take as many days as you need. You might want to even read the whole book first, then come back and go through the exercises.

Definitely recommended.

Disclaimer:
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.