“Mastering The Middle” Edition
Spend a month working on one story:
in a supportive community of StoryADay writers.
Bite-sized weekly tasks help you write and improve your story.
Weekly reflections build a concrete writing practice long after the month is over.
You will have access to the content for 60 days: long enough to work through it but not so long that you forget to finish!
This September, I’ll guide you, step by step, through writing and finishing a story by telling The Whole Story.
The “murky middle” is where most writers give up.
Without a roadmap, you risk:
But when you understand the 3 (+1) key turning points that every middle needs, the path becomes clear. The middle isn’t a swamp — it’s the engine that drives your story.
That’s what you’ll practice in this easily-paced challenge.
Instead of dreading the middle, you’ll know how to keep readers hooked — and yourself motivated.
This isn’t about grinding through another draft.
It’s about building a scalable system for storytelling that works whether you’re writing a 2,000-word short story or a 90,000-word novel.
Each week builds on the last, so by the end of September you’ll not only have a completed story — you’ll own a process you can use again and again.
Along the way you’ll benefit from:
…guided opportunities to share insights, struggles, and wins with your fellow writers, so you never feel like you’re doing this alone.
…built-in pauses that help you practice patience, absorb what you’re learning, and develop the habits of a sustainable writing life.
Here’s the arc of your journey:
You get the story out of your head and onto the page. No more stalling. You’ll experience the freedom of having a full draft to work with.
Refine the meat of your story so that you can leave breadcrumbs for readers throughout.
When your middle is solid, you’ll be able to put an elegant ending on the piece that leaves readers satisfied (and wanting more…from you).
Now that you know where your story is going, it’s so much easier to write the perfect opening…and that’s what we’re working on this week
We’ll also take a moment at the end to capture lessons learned, and to celebrate your triumph in finishing a story and stretching your skills, this month.
You’ll have a completed story, a repeatable process, and the confidence to tackle any story — short or long.
This challenge runs live once a year, only in September.
If you’ve ever said:
…ask yourself: how many drafts have you abandoned already?
Don’t let another September slip away.
I’m Julie Duffy and I’ve led thousands of writers through StoryADay challenges.
My superpower is breaking down intimidating craft problems into daily steps that busy writers can actually do.
I’ll walk beside you all month—teaching, cheering, writing along, and showing you how to move from “stuck in the middle” to “finished and proud.”
By October 1, you could still be stuck with half-finished drafts…
Or you could be holding a complete story, proud of yourself, and equipped with a system you can use for every story you’ll ever write.
This is your chance to:
But remember: this challenge runs only in September — and once it begins, the doors close.
Say yes to yourself, your writing, and your stories today.
Just $97 — with a 7-Day, No-Questions-Asked Guarantee
Want to complete a story in the next month or so
Know they benefit from a time-limited container, a structured road map, and and an excuse to show up
Want to be able to write short stories without them morphing into yet-another-novel-you-have-to-finish-some-day
Want to be able to write short stories but keep stalling out at Flash Fiction length
Have notebooks and hard drives full of fragments but can never seem to consistently finish stories
Know they can write stories, but like doing it alongside other writers
This is not for someone looking for a comprehensive “everything about short stories” course. This is more of a guided tour, where your guide points out landmarks, makes sure you don’t disappear down a dodgy dead-end, and chivvyies you along to make sure you get to ‘the end’ before the sun sets on your enthusiasm for this story idea.
I recommend carving out 2-3 writing sessions each week to absorb my lessons, get your head back into your story, and try out the techniques we’re focused on each week. How long is a writing session? It’s up to you, but somewhere between 30 and 90 minutes seems to work best for most people, depending on where they are in their writing journey.
You’ll be invited to join a one-hour video-call writing date on Saturdays during the challenge (morning in the US, afternoon in Europe, later in the day in other parts of the world). This gives you a good excuse to show up for your writing at least once a week.
No.
This challenge is designed to let you work on this story all month whether or not you have lots of things going on.
Why? Because that’s how life works.
A lucky and busy professional writer often has one project in edits, another they’re promoting, a new one they’re drafting, and a horde of ideas they’re trying desperately to ignore, for now.
Building your confidence that you can work on one project over a longer time-scale—or on multiple projects at the same time—frees you to be more creative and productive, without all the second-guessing.
I could go of on some philosophical rant about the cost of NOT writing, psychologically, over the course of your life…but true as that is, it’s probably not what you’re asking. You want to know about the $$.
The answer is: it depends.
If you’re a member of the StoryADay Superstars, it’s included in your membership.
If you’re a past participant, watch your inbox for a special invitation.
If you’re new to this click here to get all the details.
Because the end of the year is only four months away. Won’t it feel great to look back at the end of the year and—no matter what else happened—have your September story, and be able to say, “I did that.”?
Tuesday, Sept 1, but don’t worry if early September is busy because this is a challenge built up of tiny tasks. You can work at your own pace and still end up where you need to be, by Sept 30.
reg $97 special: $67
(save $30)
You will have access to all course materials for 60 days
3 x writing dates during StoryADay Sept. Write with Julie Duffy and the StoryADay Superstars in our private Zoom room.
I want you to feel completely confident saying “yes” to yourself and your writing this September.
That’s why I offer a 7-day, no-questions-asked guarantee.
Try the One-Story September Challenge. Dive into the lessons, join the discussions, start writing. If after the first week you don’t feel like this is the right fit for you, just let me know and I’ll refund your $97—no hard feelings.
Because this isn’t about risk.
It’s about giving yourself permission to finish, grow, and finally master the middle of your stories.
The only thing you risk is staying stuck.
The only qualification to be a ‘Superstar” is a desire to write and support your fellow writers.
A supportive group of committed writers, who meet virtually, support each other’s efforts, and inspire each other.
Registration open now