Deck the halls and WRITE MORE PAGES
THE CARDS YOU WANT TO STUFF IN YOUR STOCKING
WHO WILL LOVE THESE:
Your aunt who wants to write her novel about your family
Your friend who already wrote 2 novels—one you know about and one you don’t (because it might be smut)
Your teenage nephew who loves to write
Your husband who secretly dreams of literary fame
Anyone who wants to write a novel in 2026
You, probably, if you’re still reading this
Flat Rate Shipping in the U.S.—Order by 12/15 to get by Christmas!*
*When you order now. See FAQs below for contact info. to get shipping rates to other countries.
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.
Two years ago I found myself stuck while writing my fourth novel ... despite having published 3 novels with HarperCollins.
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 draft?
AND SO...
A NOVEL IN 52 PROMPTS™ was born.
Hundreds of writers have finished their drafts using the prompts. Here are a few:
DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA DECK THE HALLS AND WRITE MORE PAGES FALALALALA
Here’s what A Novel in 52 Prompts™ includes:
Section Styles h4-sticky
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
This year, we’ve made the prompts even better.
We’ve made actual cards you can shuffle, carry around in your purse, scribble on, cover with stickers, spill coffee all over, or stuff into a stocking.
Some benefits of the portability of these things in case it’s not obvious:
Spread them out to view your narrative visually
Pin them on a cork board and move them around to re-order scenes
Shuffle and draw randomly when you're stuck (like Tarot for your plot)
Carry only the card(s) you need for your current writing session
Color-code your progress (they’re organized into four color-coded sections that track the 3-act structure)
Actually touch and interact with your planning process instead of staring at another screen
We only did one print run.
We don't know how many people will want them—and it costs a lot to print high-quality cards like this, warehouse and ship them. So there are a very limited number of sets available, and we’re offering this first (possibly only) batch for $50 off. Consider it a perk of being an early adopter!
Hundreds of writers have finished their drafts using the prompts. Here are a few:
Section Styles
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
52 4x6 glossy cards on silky cardstock
Rounded corners so they don’t look beat up quickly
Numbered prompts for easy sequencing
Color-coded borders to assist with story structure
HOLIDAY BONUS: You’ll get the digital version of the prompts, which includes both a training video + application to an example novel to help you think more deeply about the prompts.
Get the complete system—physical deck + digital guide—for $99 $49.
(That's the regular price of the digital guide alone, so this is a great 2-for-1 deal.)
FAQs
-
Depends on when you order, but all orders placed before December 10th will ship out around then and should arrive in plenty of time.
For orders placed after December 10th within the US, expect a 4-5 day shipping speed with the usual possible delays that happen during the holidays.
-
Yes, until we run out.
-
No, you can buy multiple and still pay the flat shipping rate of just $7 if you’re in the US.
-
Email us your address and location and we’ll quote you a shipping cost: apply@thebookincubator.com.
If you put in your country for shipping before we quote you, it may appear as “We are unable to ship your order!” on the checkout page. Just shoot us an email and we’ll let you know the next steps.
-
The cards are not returnable. We are a small business offering a custom physical product in 2025—it’s a little bit shocking, even to us, that we’re pulling this off. Managing returns is not possible, so be sure before you buy!
The good news is that the cards are beloved by many writers (see our testimonials above); you are unlikely to be disappointed. And if you find you can’t use them, you can share them with another writer.
-
This is your discount! You’re getting the lowest price these cards will ever be—if you also got the digital version on sale, you’re getting both combined ($49 each) for less than the regular price of the digital alone ($99).
-
They do! They’re designed to, actually: 13 prompts for each Notebook. But you don’t have to use The Four Notebooks Method (or even know it) to use them. Both can function independently or together.
© 2020-2026 MARY ADKINS
WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT BY ASHLEY SROKOSZ