JOIN THE HISTORY QUILL
The essential membership for historical fiction writers
Introducing our membership…
Our membership is designed to help you succeed in your historical fiction writing journey. Alongside monthly masterclasses and our online community, you’ll benefit from access to historians via our historian Q&As, feedback on your writing during our live critiques, and pitch parties to help you connect with literary agents. Plus, enjoy special member-only discounts. Whether you’re just starting on your journey, already published, or somewhere in between, The History Quill membership is here to serve as your essential guide and companion in all things historical fiction.
The benefits of our membership
MONTHLY MASTERCLASSES
ONLINE COMMUNITY
ACCESS TO HISTORIANS
FEEDBACK ON YOUR WRITING
CONNECT WITH LITERARY AGENTS
MEMBER DISCOUNTS
Monthly masterclasses
Check out our masterclasses trailer, featuring clips from previous masterclasses!
As a member, you’ll get exclusive access to our online masterclasses, all included in the price of your membership. Our masterclasses are designed specially for historical fiction writers and feature a wide range of distinguished speakers and useful topics covering the craft, publication, and marketing of historical fiction.
We run one masterclass every month, usually on or around the first week of the month, with each masterclass lasting three hours and including a mix of presentation and Q&A, with an optional writing burst, discussion session, or exercises at the end.
As well as getting access to the live masterclasses, you’ll also get indefinite access to the recordings of masterclasses that take place while you’re a member, as long as your membership remains active.
When you first join, you’ll get access to the recording of a recent masterclass selected by us, so there will always be a masterclass to watch straight away.
Go to our masterclasses page to check out our upcoming masterclasses.
Check out our masterclasses trailer, featuring clips from previous masterclasses!
Check out this video tour of our community platform!
Online community
Check out this video tour of our community platform!
Your membership includes access to our online community of historical fiction writers, The History Quill Community. You’ll be able to make connections with likeminded writers, receive encouragement and support while you write, and participate in community discussions and activities.
Writing historical fiction can often be an isolated, lonely endeavour, but that’s not the case when you join our community. Find writers who write in the same subgenre or period as you, who share your aspirations and challenges, and who have gone down the same path as you and come out the other side with lessons to share.
Our community is hosted on a dedicated platform linked to our website, and you can access it via your browser or via an app on iOS and Android. When you join our membership, you’ll be invited to the community straight away, so you can participate from day one!
Access to historians
Our membership provides direct access to historians specialising in a range of historical periods and niche topics via our monthly historian Q&As, which take place in our online community. Each month, we bring in a new historian to share their insights and knowledge, offering you the opportunity to dive deeper into the specific areas of history that are most relevant to your writing.
During each session, you’ll have the opportunity to ask them questions tailored to your research needs. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune historical details, explore features of every-day life in your chosen period, or gain a broader understanding of the social, political, and cultural dynamics of the time, these Q&As are designed to enhance the accuracy and authenticity of your story.
ACCESS TO HISTORIANS
FEEDBACK ON YOUR WRITING
Feedback on your writing
Every month, we host an exclusive live critique session for our members, in which one of our expert editors provides personalised feedback on a series of short writing submissions, up to one page each in length. These sessions provide a unique opportunity to receive real-time, professional insight into your work.
Whether you’re polishing the opening page of your novel, grappling with a tricky passage, refining your query letter, or perfecting your book blurb, our editors will help you identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Live critiques take place on a video stream hosted on our online community and are recorded. Submissions are critiqued on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limited number of slots each session.
Connect with literary agents
If your goal is to get published, our membership is here to help. We’ll connect you to literary agents through our quarterly pitch parties, in which you can post a pitch for your novel in our online community and receive feedback from a literary agent. These sessions offer an excellent opportunity to refine your pitch and get noticed.
If one of the agents particularly likes your pitch, they’ll reach out to you directly with an invitation to submit a full query. This could be the start of a conversation that leads to representation and, ultimately, the publication of your novel.
CONNECT WITH LITERARY AGENTS
MEMBER DISCOUNTS
Member discounts
Members receive an automatic, year-round 10% discount on our beta reader service and ARC service. You’ll also receive a 10% discount on our annual historical fiction writers convention, a can’t-miss virtual event that brings together historical fiction writers for inspiring presentations, panels, networking sessions, and more.
If you’re on our group coaching programme or thinking of joining, there’s an extra perk. You’ll receive access to this membership, including all the associated benefits, for free, for the duration of your participation in the programme.
Pricing
$54.00 USD per month
Frequently asked questions
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Which countries do you accept members from?
We welcome members who are resident in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada (excluding Saskatchewan), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and any EU country. If you are not resident in one of these countries, unfortunately we won’t be able to accept you as a member at this time, due to international regulations.
How do I participate in the membership? Is it remote?
Yes, this is an online membership, so participation in its features and benefits is all done remotely via our online community and Zoom.
Are the masterclasses included in the price of the membership?
Yes! Our masterclasses are included in the price of your membership, so once you’re a member, you can enjoy our masterclasses without paying anything extra.
How do I participate in the masterclasses?
We will email you a link the day before each masterclass, and you’ll use this to join the event on the day. We’ll also send you a reminder about an hour before the masterclass begins.
All our masterclasses take place live and online via Zoom. You must have access to a computer or a smart device capable of supporting Zoom, and you must have access to a reliable internet connection to take part.
Are the masterclasses recorded?
Yes, our masterclasses are recorded. The first two hours, consisting of the talk and Q&A sections, are always recorded. We sometimes record the optional hour-long session at the end as well, but it depends on the content and format.
Members get access to the recordings indefinitely, as long as your membership remains active.
Which masterclass recordings will I have access to?
You will only have access to recordings of masterclasses that take place after you become a member, with one exception: we’ll give you access to the recording of a recent masterclass of our choice when you first join, ensuring there will always be a masterclass to watch when you sign up.
You can find the webpage with all the masterclass recordings here. You can also find the link in your user portal.
How does the community platform work?
We use an online community platform connected to our website, so you can sign in with the same login credentials. You can access it via your browser or via an app called Circle.
You can use the platform to connect with likeminded historical fiction writers, discuss masterclasses and more, and engage in other writerly chit chat.
We’ll provide you with a link to the community after you sign up, and you’ll be able to create a profile. You’ll then be directed to a video showing you how to use the platform in more detail.
Am I guaranteed feedback on my writing via the live critiques?
Submissions are critiqued on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are a limited number of slots for each session, so if you want to receive feedback, make sure you submit quickly when we put out the call. If you miss out on a slot, you can submit again the following month.
How do I apply my member discounts?
As long as you’re logged in to the website so that we recognise you as a member, these will be applied to the relevant services automatically – you’ll see the discounted prices on our service pages and on the checkout page. You don’t need to apply a coupon code.
How and when will my membership fees be taken?
We take membership fees monthly. Your first payment will be taken when you join, and subsequent payments will be taken automatically every month on the same date. You can pay by credit or debit card.
Can I cancel my membership at any time?
Yes! You can cancel whenever you like. Members aren’t locked in for a minimum period, so you can join for as little as one month if you like.
If you want to cancel, just go to your account here, then go to the subscription section, and use the button there to cancel. Alternatively, you can email us at membership@thehistoryquill.com, and we’ll cancel your membership subscription for you.
How do I cancel?
You can cancel at any time. Just go to your account here, then go to the subscription section, and use the button there to cancel. Alternatively, you can email us at membership@thehistoryquill.com, and we’ll cancel your membership subscription for you.
Which payment currencies do you accept?
We accept three payment currencies: USD, GBP, and EUR. The currency you pay in will depend on your country of residence. People resident in the UK will pay in GBP, people resident in the EU will pay in EUR, and people resident in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa will pay in USD.
What are the full terms and conditions?
You can view our full terms and conditions here.
More questions?
If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing us at enquiries@thehistoryquill.com.