Here’s a scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel.
From 3x HarperCollins novelist and The Book Incubator™ founder Mary Adkins, a revolutionary approach to novel writing that keeps the words flowing.
The Problem We Face As Novelists
You sit down to write. You have a notebook and pen. Or your laptop. And then… what comes next?
You got a great premise, you want this…badly, but deciding what to write in each session—what kind of scene should come next to drive the narrative forward?—stumps even the most experienced writers.
And so I created the 52 Prompts.
Last fall, despite having published 3 novels with HarperCollins, I found myself stuck.
I had an exciting novel idea, but the thought of waking up each day and deciding "What scene should I write today?" was enough to make me actually do laundry.
I'm not an outliner—no thank you to writing-by-spreadsheet.
But then, sitting in the Ninja Turtles movie with my kid, it hit me: What if there was a deck of writing prompts that would guide me through a first novel draft? A good one?
Goodbye, decision fatigue.
Goodbye, wasted time staring at the screen.
Thirty minutes of writing just became way more productive.
Now, for the first time, I’m making the 52 prompts available outside my award-writing program The Book Incubator™.
For less than one therapy session about your writer’s block, you get instant access to:
A video walkthrough on how to use the prompts
A downloadable PDF of the 52 prompts with examples
One-time payment: $99 $49
After testing this system with hundreds of writers in The Book Incubator™, I've refined these prompts into a powerful framework that takes the guesswork out of novel writing.
Here's how it works:
52 carefully crafted scene prompts build a complete story arc without tethering you to a formula
Each scene averages 1,300 words (though yours can be longer or shorter)
When you're done, you'll have a 65,000-70,000 word first draft (or more)
Suitable for all genres, including upmarket and literary fiction (lit fic with an actual plot! ;)
Designed to create the kind of books that catch publishers' and agents’ attention
Flexible enough to adapt to your unique story and process
Important note:
This isn’t a prescription.
It’s freedom.
As a published novelist, I know that creativity can't be forced into a rigid structure. These prompts aren't rules—they're creative springboards. Skip around. Combine prompts. Use what inspires you and leave the rest. The goal isn't to constrain your creativity but to channel it into a structure that works.
When you sit down to write, you'll know the narrative significance of your next scene. Instead of getting stuck wondering what should happen next, you can focus your energy on the actual writing.
These are specific and generative. No “write the inciting inciting incident” here (barf).
SAMPLE PROMPT:
Write a scene in which a secret is revealed. The person may be telling themself it’s fine, but we see how not fine they are.
What you’ll create:
A complete first draft with well-paced story progression that is the proper word count for pitching agents
Complex characters with compelling emotional arcs
A web of connected sub-plots and themes
A tried-and-true story structure
A novel that hits the sweet spot between commercial and literary (upmarket)
Let’s cut to the chase.
This is a simple, flexible system that works to get your draft done, and that’s the purpose of the first draft: to exist.
Ready to stop wondering what to write and start actually writing? Get A Novel in 52 Prompts today and turn your idea into a finished first draft.
One-time payment: $99 SAVE $50 NOW
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Get the scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel.
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