1 – The Intro Video: You begin by watching a one-hour intro video that guides you through the basics of commercial publishing and sets you up to understand how it’s different from academic publishing—a critical mindset shift

2 – The Great Reframing: You then get several hours (as many as you need) of personalized, one-on-one coaching with John aimed at strategic reconceptualization, reframing of your topic for a general audience, finding your narrative arc, character and plot development, big-picture thinking, discovering the true heart and soul of your book, and answering the critical question—what is the story I really want to tell?

3 – Finding Your Voice: You also get several hours (as many as you need) of personalized, one-on-one coaching with John that helps you unleash the writer within. He’ll work with you to find your voice as an author and a writer (not just a scholar), helping you see your subject through the lens of character, plot, narrative tension, climax, storytelling, anecdote, emotion and passion—in short, all the things academia has beaten out of you over the years.

4 – Hands-On Editing: Once we have the voice and the overall concept nailed down, you’ll be matched with an editor from our team of publishing industry professionals, who will work closely with you over several weeks to produce all the key elements of a successful proposal and writing sample. All our editors come with many years of experience at trade presses, including Big 5 New York publishers, and all have worked previously with academics making the transition to trade.

5 – Marketing Plan and Comp Titles: Once the core of the proposal is set, you get a one-hour consultation and draft feedback with a publicist—one of the best in the business—to help you write the dreaded “marketing plan” and “comparable titles” sections of the proposal. This is the part most academics hate doing and have no idea where to begin—but it’s only a couple of pages and it’s a critical part of the proposal!

6 – The Polish: Once all this is done, John will take another look at your proposal and writing sample, and work with you to improve it if necessary

7 – Agent Introductions*: If all looks good, we will begin sending your proposal out to our network of literary agents, most of whom reply within a few days, with concrete feedback if it’s not right for them (rather than after two months with a simple “no thank you” – which is all too common), allowing us to keep moving and keep refining until (fingers crossed) we can find you an agent.

BONUS 1: Group Coaching: You also receive lifetime membership in our popular group coaching program. This is a brilliant, dynamic group of scholars who meet twice a month with John and exchange tips, tricks, challenges and obstacles along the road to writing for a general audience. This is a subscription plan that costs $127/month but is FREE for private coaching clients!

BONUS 2: 90-Day Follow-Up Audit: We will continue to talk for up to 90 days after our contract ends. This is designed to help you navigate your new relationship with your agent (and/or publisher), or consider alternative options if you’re not able to secure an agent