YOU’RE A WRITER.
YOU (FINALLY) EMBRACE THE LABEL.
That’s a big deal. The sad fact is that most people stay wannabes because they’re afraid to claim the title and do the work.
But how do you take yourself to the next level and build a real career?
How do you bridge the gap between simply having a writing practice and actually putting a book into the world and finding an audience for it?
It starts with the three things you’ll learn in our “From Writer to Author” workshop in January 2020:
a professional mindset,
a deep understanding of story structure, and
a proven marketing strategy.
Master these fundamentals and you’ll be ready to finish your book and either snag an agent or launch your indie publishing career.
Take your pick.
SPEND ONE WEEKEND INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE AS AN AUTHOR
At Pages and Platforms, we’re committed to helping you rise above the slush pile by showing you how to write a truly compelling story (whether fiction or nonfiction) and building an author platform that will bring a ready-made audience to your next book launch.
We’ve created a weekend workshop designed to shift your thinking, build your skills and set you on a path to success — if you’re willing to do the work.
And we’re not going to lie, it will be lots of work.
WHAT YOU’LL GET
In this 3-day workshop, we’ll cover a ton of ground.
HERE’S THE HIGH-LEVEL SCHEDULE:
Day 1 – Pages
• Explore what a successful author mindset looks like, and discover tools for unlocking your productivity and creative drive
• Learn the importance of genre and masterworks
• Learn a practical and actionable way to tackle the structural editing of your manuscript
Day 2 – Platforms
• Understand the value of long-term thinking in your approach to book marketing
• Learn the “Connection System,” a foundational marketing strategy that’s proven to work for both bestselling and mid-list authors
• Take a field trip to Powell’s Books, the largest independent bookseller in the world, to explore masterworks and comp titles
Day 3 – Putting it All Together
• Analyze comp titles to understand where your book fits in your genre
• Get guidance in distilling your story down to three crucial sentences
• Draft a book description you can use to query an agent and/or market your book
•Draft the details of your specific marketing strategy
PROVEN APPROACHES TO EDITING & BOOK MARKETING
Being writers ourselves, the last thing we want to do is take your money and give you false hope in exchange. At Pages & Platforms, we use proven strategies for writing a story that works and then finding an audience for it.
PROVEN EDITING METHODOLOGY
We use something called the Story Grid method, which was developed by a veteran editor named Shawn Coyne to help you shape your writing into a pro-level manuscript. The Story Grid gives you an understanding of the concepts you need to identify what type of story you’re writing and then gives practical steps for editing the story into something that really sings.
EVIDENCE-BASED BOOK MARKETING STRATEGY
The internet is awash with marketing advice for writers that has absolutely nothing to back it up. We’re not down with that. Our book marketing coach has trained under book marketing legend Tim Grahl of Booklaunch.com, who’s developed a system that he’s used to launch multiple bestselling and perennially-selling books.
WHAT YOU WON’T GET
This isn’t a traditional “writers’ retreat.” You won’t get time to work on your manuscript and we won’t critique it. This is a career-focused intensive to help you understand what it takes to be a pro: a ripping good story and a solid marketing plan.
YOUR COACHES
Anne Hawley
Certified Story Grid Editor
When she’s not editing stories, Anne is writing them, reading them, researching them, or analyzing them on The Editor Roundtable Podcast. She specializes in helping writers discover the heart of the story they’re trying to tell so that they can tell it more beautifully. She can often be seen riding her Dutch bike Eleanor around Portland. She’s the author of Restraint, a love story set in 19th Century London.
Rachelle Ramirez
Certified Story Grid Editor
Rachelle helps writers develop their stories and believes stories are our most important catalyst for change. She has an MA in psychology from Goddard College and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Masters in Creative Writing Program on a merit scholarship. Before becoming a Certified Story Grid Editor, she served as a mental health counselor and as the executive director of a national writing community.
Sue Campbell
Certified Book Launch Coach
Sue’s approach to book marketing is designed to get authors truly excited and happy about the process of selling books. She’s worked with both fiction and nonfiction writers including Kevin Sands, author of The Blackthorn Key Adventure Series, and KJ Dell’Antonia, author of How to be a Happier Parent. She’s also a novelist, content marketer and copywriter with ten years of experience. Her work has been published with many outlets, including Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and Mamalode.
HERE’S JUST A SMATTERING OF THE MANY TESTIMONIALS FROM OUR HAPPY CLIENTS:
“Sue is a creative force, and she brings with her a wealth of knowledge along with ideas that are tailored just for your specific book and launch, and she’s quick to take an author’s glimmer of an idea and run with it. She’s also reassuring, responsive and just plain fun to work with. Recommend!”
— KJ DELL’ANTONIA, AUTHOR OF HOW TO BE A HAPPIER PARENT AND FORMER EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES MOTHERLODE BLOG
“Damn if Anne hasn’t helped shape my understanding of story structure, world-building, and not settling for ‘okay.’”
— JOHN R. BRAY, AUTHOR OF MAGGIE AND THE SPRINKLE TREE AND COHOST OF THE MANIC RAMBLING SPIRAL PODCAST
“Thanks for helping make my book an award winner, Rachelle!”
— J.R.R.R. (JIM) HARDISON, AUTHOR OF FISH WIELDER, THE HELM, AND DEMON FREAKS
“While searching for an editor for the final edits of my first feature-length screenplay, “The Lake Effect,” I worried I would never find someone I could place my trust in. After working with Certified Story Grid Editor, Anne Hawley, however, all my fears were put to rest. With her guidance, I took my screenplay to a whole new level. Anne’s knowledge is vast. She provided notes that were both specific and nuanced and communicated them in a safe and supportive manner. After our work together was finished, I felt confident that the story worked and all the necessary elements were in place. The feedback I’ve gotten, since, from other professionals, has validated this belief. I look forward to working with her on future projects. ”
— CYNTHIA WIKLER, FILMMAKER, SCREENWRITER OF FORTHCOMING FILM THE LAKE EFFECT
“Rachelle was AMAZING! She quickly helped me sort out which genres I’m working on and what my A story and my B story are. I was extremely impressed with her Story Grid. knowledge. I highly recommend her!”— DEBBIE KASMAN, AUTHOR OF FICTION
“Sue Campbell has the ability to get to the meat of marketing fundamentals in a concise, helpful manner. She listens to what you’re looking for and responds with excellent suggestions. Not only does she give you tons of ideas for building your writing business, but she emphasizes the principles behind these ideas so that you can be sure you are making the best use of your time and energy. After working with Sue I feel much more capable and even excited to get started on this book marketing journey!”
— XINA MARIE UHL, AUTHOR OF THE THE KING’S CHAMPION AND OTHER BOOKS
PREREQUISITES FOR THE “FROM WRITER TO AUTHOR” WORKSHOP
If you:
know you’re a writer but don’t feel you’re a professional author yet, and want to cross the chasm by building a bridge to your professional career;
have a draft (or close to full draft) of a manuscript (either fiction or narrative-driven nonfiction);
already have a firm handle on the basics of prose: spelling, punctuation, grammar; sentence structure, style, point-of-view, etc.;
are comfortable with the idea of a practical and actionable approach to structural editing; and
like the idea of a proven strategy for book marketing that relies on long term connections with readers instead of spammy sales tactics…
then you’re a perfect candidate for the “From Writer to Author” workshop and we’d love for you join us for a transformative weekend.
THE DETAILS
Dates: Friday, January 31, 2020, through Sunday, February 2, 2020 (with an optional meet & greet on the evening of January 30)
Location: The Agnes Kennedy White Library located in the historic Kennedy School Hotel in beautiful Portland, Oregon
What’s included: 3 days of instruction, and all breakfasts and lunches*
Price: $950 (installment plan available)
Attendee cap: This workshop will be capped at 12 participants to ensure an intimate experience.
*DINNER AND LODGING ARE AVAILABLE IN THE KENNEDY SCHOOL HOTEL BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE WORKSHOP PRICING. ATTENDEES WILL ARRANGE THEIR OWN DINNERS AND LODGING, EITHER IN THE HOTEL OR ELSEWHERE IN PORTLAND.
REGISTER NOW – SPACES ARE LIMITED
EARLY BIRD PRICING UNTIL DECEMBER 15, 2019*
FULL PAYMENT – $950.00
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online!
or INSTALLMENT PLAN – 4 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $237.50
*REGISTER DECEMBER 16, 2019 OR LATER AND THE PRICE WILL BE $1250.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU REGISTER
Once you register, you’ll get a welcome email within a few hours that includes details about the weekend and some books and resources you can begin studying so you can make the most of our weekend together.
Prior to the event, we’ll send you a questionnaire so we can learn about your work and your career so far. And we’ll keep in touch once in a while from now until January to get you psyched and prepped for your big transformation from writer to author!
ANY QUESTIONS?
Just send an email to sue@pagesandplatforms.com and we’ll get you a response ASAP.