Do you dream of publishing a book?

I always have!

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Somewhere, there’s a picture of little kid me, holding up “my first book.” I always loved books, and I always wanted to write them. It seemed a hugely powerful creative act to create a whole universe-in-pages…and it seemed that way because it is!

I’ve published two #1 Amazon bestselling memoirs, and yet, sometimes the process still seems shrouded in mystery. The publishing world can feel colossal, intimidating, and infuriatingly opaque. Just a few days ago, one of the big players Simon & Schuster was sold for $1.62 billion to a private equity firm. There’s big money and big pressure in publishing books. (Books are not dead!)

It can all feel very far away from writers like us, just trying to tell a story. Just trying to write a book and get that book out into the world.

One of my missions in work and in life is to make these things feel less scary and less impossible.

Which brings me to this new class in September, which I’m incredibly excited about. Writer Hannah Selinger - who has a book coming out with Little, Brown - and I are teaming up to walk you through writing a BOOK PROPOSAL. Between the two of us, we’ve sold three books on proposal.

Did you know that you don’t have to write a whole book to get a book deal, especially if you’re writing nonfiction? You just have to write a proposal - which is a sort of argument for why your book urgently needs to be in the world.

As I was chatting with Hannah, I had an epiphany - wouldn’t it be cool to have the perspective from someone inside the publishing industry? And then I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to have the brilliant person who taught me how to write a book proposal?

I asked my literary agent Andrea Somberg, who has two decades of experience and is scary sharp, generous, and thoughtful, if she would come join us as a guest speaker. And she said YES.

In other words, this class is getting too exciting to even try to articulate.

Come learn all the things about writing, researching, structuring, and selling a book proposal with two authors and one literary agent.

We have some early bird tickets available now - they are going to get more pricy soon. And a few scholarship spots available, too (just email me).

If you dream about holding your book in your hands, this class is for you.

xo,

H

PS Hannah and I are also hosting another pitching intensive in September, back by popular demand! (We’ve had two sold out classes so far!) Snag those early bird tix here.

PPS Dinah Lenney and I are halfway through our month-long food stories workshop, and it’s incredible juicy. What an inspiring group of writers who come together each week. I just got this note from a student, if you don’t believe me:

“Holy baby Jesus!!! What a great class!!! I am so happy I decided to take it. Loving it and looking forward to sending something for you. Thank you for doing this! You and Dinah are just amazing.”

[Blushing over here!]