STRATUM consists of 17 lessons divided into three sections:

• Foundation (Lessons 1-8)

• Excavation (Lesson 9)

• Integration (Lessons 10-17).

Most writers complete one lesson per week, finishing the full course in approximately four months. Each lesson includes video instruction, an AI coaching session (30-45 minutes), and workspace exercises. You work at your own pace with lifetime access to all materials.

Do I need to complete the course in order?

Yes. The excavation methodology is deliberately sequential. Each lesson builds on discoveries from previous lessons. For example, Lesson 3 (The Formative Wound) requires the hidden truth you discovered in Lesson 2. Lesson 4 (The Lie) emerges from the wound in Lesson 3. Skipping ahead disrupts the causal chain that creates psychological coherence.

What if I get stuck on a lesson?

The workspace for each lesson includes specific red flags identifying common mistakes and how to correct them. You can revisit your AI coaching session multiple times, and the structured exercises guide you through exactly what you need to discover. Additionally, Lesson 8 includes a diagnostic check that validates whether all elements cohere—if something doesn't fit, you'll know which earlier lesson needs refinement.

Can I use this method for multiple characters?

Absolutely. You'll select one character (typically your protagonist) to excavate throughout all 17 lessons. This creates the complete foundation. Once you've mastered the method on one character, you can repeat the process for antagonists, supporting characters, or multiple POV characters. Many writers find the second character excavation goes significantly faster because they've internalized the methodology.

STRATUM is designed to work with Claude (by Anthropic), though the methodology adapts to other AI platforms. You can start with free-tier AI tools.

Each lesson includes a pre-written AI coaching prompt that you'll copy into your AI platform. The AI then guides you through structured discovery questions specific to that lesson's focus.

I'm worried AI will make my writing sound generic. How does STRATUM prevent this?

This is exactly why STRATUM uses AI as a coach rather than a generator. The AI never writes your character for you. It asks questions like "What would your character have to believe for this behavior to feel necessary?" You provide the answers. Your voice, your character, your creative decisions. The AI simply structures the discovery process so you don't miss crucial psychological elements.

What if I've never used AI before?

Perfect. STRATUM is designed for writers who may be skeptical of or unfamiliar with AI. Each lesson's workspace includes step-by-step instructions for copying the coaching prompt and pasting it into your AI platform. The prompts are pre-written, so you don't need to know how to "prompt engineer." You just need to answer the questions the AI asks—which is exactly what you'd do with a human writing coach.

Can I use STRATUM without AI?

The course is specifically designed around AI-guided discovery, so the coaching sessions are central to the methodology. However, if you're philosophically opposed to AI, you could work through the lessons manually by using the structured questions as self-reflection prompts. That said, most writers find the AI coaching dramatically accelerates discovery by asking follow-up questions they wouldn't think to ask themselves.

Yes. The excavation methodology applies to any genre with psychologically complex characters—literary fiction, thriller, mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction. The psychological architecture (wound → lie → want vs. need) drives character behavior regardless of genre conventions. Whether your character wields a sword or works in corporate law, the underlying psychology functions the same way.

What if I've already written my first draft?

Even better. You'll bring existing scenes and character choices into the excavation process, which often reveals patterns you've been writing intuitively. STRATUM helps you articulate what you already know, then shows you where to deepen, add nuance, or ensure consistency. Many students report that completing Foundation makes revision dramatically clearer because they finally understand why their character does what they do.

How will I know if my character development is actually working?

Lesson 8 includes a comprehensive diagnostic check where you test whether all psychological elements cohere causally. Does the Lie logically follow from the Wound? Does Fear actually power the Want? You'll create three deliverables: a Character Psychological Profile, an Integration Narrative, and a Visual Architecture Map. These become your reference throughout writing and revision. Additionally, Lessons 10-17 teach you how to deploy this psychology on the page through backstory drip, dialogue, and scene construction.

This sounds like a lot of work before I even start writing. Is it worth it?

Here's the truth: most writers do create complex character psychology—they just do it through dozens of draft revisions, trying to figure out why scenes feel flat or choices feel arbitrary. STRATUM frontloads the psychological excavation so your first draft already has coherent character motivation. Students consistently report that scenes write faster, dialogue rings truer, and plot problems resolve themselves once they have the complete psychological foundation. You're not avoiding work—you're doing it systematically instead of haphazardly.

Complete access to all 17 video lessons, pre-written AI coaching prompts for each lesson, interactive workspaces with structured exercises, visual architecture mapping tools, reference materials from established writing authorities (K.M. Weiland, Lisa Cron, Donald Maass), and lifetime access to all course materials and future updates.

Why is there an early bird discount?

The April 1, 2026 launch includes early bird pricing at $197 (regular price $347) for founding students. This group will help shape testimonials and provide feedback as STRATUM scales. Early bird pricing ends March 31.

Can I try before I buy?

Yes. Lesson 1 is completely free at myaiwritingcoach.com. You'll experience the full excavation methodology—video instruction, AI coaching session, workspace exercises—applied to discovering your character's surface behavior pattern. No credit card required. No email opt-in pressure. Just one complete lesson so you can decide if this approach resonates with how you think and create.

STRATUM works for beginners who are serious about craft. The methodology is systematic and structured—you're not expected to already know psychology or have years of writing experience. However, this isn't a "how to write your first novel" course. It focuses specifically on character psychology. If you're brand new to fiction, you might want to pair STRATUM with foundational instruction on plot, scene structure, and prose craft.

I'm experienced but my characters still feel flat. Will this help?

This is exactly who STRATUM serves. You know story structure. You understand plot mechanics. You can write clean prose. But your characters don't rival the psychological complexity you see in prestige television or literary fiction. STRATUM gives you the systematic process that traditional writing instruction skips—the excavation of coherent psychological architecture that makes character choices feel inevitable rather than convenient.

I write commercial fiction. Do I really need this level of psychological depth?

Readers across all commercial genres now expect characters as complex as those in Succession, The Bear, and The Last of Us. Even genre fiction (thriller, mystery, romance) increasingly demands psychological coherence alongside plot. STRATUM doesn't require you to write literary fiction—it ensures your commercial characters have the depth contemporary readers expect, regardless of genre.

Access the free Lesson 1 at myaiwritingcoach.com. Complete the full excavation process for your character's surface behavior pattern. This takes approximately 60 minutes (5 minutes prep, 35 minutes AI coaching, 15 minutes journaling). If the methodology resonates, consider enrolling before March 1 to secure early bird pricing at $197.

Do I need to prepare anything before starting?

Just one thing: select the character you'll excavate throughout all 17 lessons (typically your protagonist). You don't need an outline, completed manuscript, or character worksheet. STRATUM works whether you're planning, drafting, or revising. The excavation methodology meets you wherever you are in your writing process.