Bookfox Lab
by Bookfox
Coaching for novelists: twice-monthly mentor calls, weekly written feedback and craft chats
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Bookfox Lab is a coaching program for fiction writers, mostly novelists, who have gone as far as they can alone and want a guide. Each writer is matched with a mentor based on genre and experience, and the program is open to beginners and seasoned authors alike.
It rests on the Bookfox Method, a flexible approach to plotting, key story moments and named techniques that offers several proven options instead of one formula. All mentor feedback is written by humans, not AI. A private community of fellow writers adds a place to find beta readers and friends. The current 2026 cohort has 34 writers.
Outcomes
- Finish a novel with a clear structure and plot
- Write the key make-or-break scenes with confidence
- Revise using specific, human feedback
- Choose between self-publishing and traditional routes
- Build lasting connections with fellow novelists
What's included?
One-on-one coaching
Your mentor meets with you twice a month over Zoom to work on your book. Mentors include authors and editors with bestseller, literary journal and Big Five publishing experience.
Weekly written feedback
Each week you get margin comments and a feedback letter by email, focused on developmental advice about how a story works rather than grammar.
Weekly craft chats
Live craft talks on plotting, point of view, ticking clocks, braided narratives and more, led by John Matthew Fox or one of the mentors.
The Bookfox Method
A step-by-step system built over 20 years of writing, speaking and editing, with genre-specific advice, exceptions to the rules and a focus on make-or-break Linchpin Moments.
Private writer community
A private community where fellow writers become beta readers, fans and friends, and where connections can last beyond the cohort period.
Publication guidance
Advice on self-publishing versus traditional publishing, plus help with query letters, synopses, jacket copy and marketing ideas once your book is written.
Bookfox Academy access
Access to 230+ videos across ten Bookfox Academy writing courses, included alongside the live instruction inside the Lab.
Who is this for?
- Novelists at any level, from first draft to experienced authors
- Fiction writers who want a mentor reading their work every week
- Writers who feel stuck on plot, character or structure
- Authors deciding whether to self-publish or query agents
About the creator
Bookfox
Fiction writing courses and coaching for novelists
Bookfox is a fiction writing brand that John Matthew Fox started in 2006 as a book blog. It has grown into a YouTube channel, ten courses in Bookfox Academy, and editing and coaching services for writers. Fox holds an MFA from USC and an MA from NYU...