Novel Writing Capstone Connecting Students With Literary Agent

This quarter, the eleven students in Prof. Megan Eccles’ Novel Writing III course will have their work reviewed by Anjanette Barr, a literary agent with Dunham Literary.

JPCatholic’s Novel Writing sequence represents a capstone experience for students in the Creative Writing emphasis, guiding the development, writing, and editing of a full-length novel over a nine-month period. In Novel Writing III, students are spending 10 weeks editing and refining their completed novels. At the end of the Summer Quarter, each student will have the first 10 pages of their novel read by Barr, who will meet one-on-one with the student on Zoom to offer professional feedback.

“A distinguishing part of our Creative Writing program is this focus on commercial writing, on having work ready to sell when you graduate,” said Prof. Eccles. “So you’re not just writing a bunch of short stories. You’re producing something substantial that you’re really passionate about writing, and at the same time it’s a publish-ready product that has the potential to develop into a career.”

Founded by Jennie Dunham in 2000, Dunham Literary has represented award-winning authors such as Phillip Hoose, Nick Bruel, and NYT best-selling author Tod Goldberg—a friend of Prof. Eccles who gave a guest lecture at JPCatholic last year.

Anjanette Barr has been a literary agent at the company since 2022. She is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Alaska Writers Guild, and Catholic Writers Guild. She has a love for literature that “baptizes the imagination” (C.S. Lewis) and begs to be shared. She is particularly interested in the exploration of culture, history, faith, myth, fine arts, and nature. As a mother of four, she is especially fond of books that can be read aloud and shared with the whole family.

Prof. Eccles met Barr through Legend Fiction, an online “community for Christian nerds” who love writing fantasy, sci-fi, and other fiction, and want to write meaningful work “without being pushy or preachy.” The community has served as a resource for several JPCatholic students and alumni, including author Katy Campbell ‘12.

“It's a privilege to offer assistance and encouragement to writers as they learn and exercise their craft,” said Barr. “Publishing professionals are ‘book people’ by nature, and I'm no exception. I find great joy in being a small part of the support team for the authors I interact with! Smart writers who lean into the camaraderie and growth a program like this one can offer are the most fun, and I'm looking forward to my time with JPCatholic's Novel Writing Capstone students.”

The Novel Writing sequence is not limited to Creative Writing students, and also sees participation from Film, Screenwriting, and Illustration students. The projects this year encompass a diverse array of genres including fantasy, thriller, satire, family drama, sci-fi, and middle-grade fiction.

Senior Eduardo Jáuregui Martinez is writing a tale of grief and ghosts in the fantasy lands of a Colonial-Mexico-like setting. “What I love about these three courses is the smaller size of the classroom, which allows for more connection and practical training,” he said.

Senior Angela Whalen’s novel is a thriller that explores the female experience of loss within a small-town world of misguided love, immersive lies, and mystery. “Taking Novel Writing I and II gave me permission to prioritize my writing—and now I’m finally seeing a book to completion,” she said. “I cannot express my gratitude enough for these classes and for Prof. Eccles.”