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A community-powered Author Accelerator by Professor Eric Koester

NEVER
WRITE
ALONE.

2,000+
Book Published

200,00+
Book Reviews

279+
National Book Awards & Finalists

Our Program

Manuscripts is for anyone who wants to...

Develop a new book idea and concept from scratch

We'll teach you how to design & create a recommendable book.

Publish a nonfiction book to establish yourself as a thought leader

Your readers will look to you to learn, understand, and see new frameworks through your writing.

Finish and refine a book project you've started

We'll build on what you have to turn content into a book that moves people.

Write a novel to inspire and entertain your readers


You create a book with moments and characters your readers can't put down and tell their friends about.

Hone your draft and boost your audience

We'll help you refine your book and invest in efforts to grow and expand your reach

Develop & share your personal story as a memoir to leave a legacy

Your story is important to you and others, and your book will help ensure the story is told well for all time.

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Kyle Garman
Ioatp Book of the Year; SAP Executive; Partnered with nonprofit NFTE to have his book taught in 1,000s of schools

Why We Write Together

Eric Koester is the 2020 National Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year, a five-time bestselling author, and a two-time professor of the year.  He developed this program based on his cutting-edge research into ambition (the science of accomplishing challenging things). In the past four years, he's helped 1,600 of his students create and publish their first books.

What holds us back from writing our book? The surprising answer was feeling alone on the journey. We don't know where to start, we don't have feedback along the way, we don't know if it's any good, and we don't know if anyone will read it. It's a lonely experience. 

Professor Koester developed his course based on Community-Powered Writing -- a one-of-a-kind book writing experience powered by weekly live sessions, one-on-one coaching with an editor, author circles to collaborate with fellow authors, and a shared community.  

To learn more, watch Eric's recent talk on the power of creating credibility through writing together.


>>> LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF AMBITION

"My editors, the other authors, and the entire community helping me were just amazing. After this experience, you realize your favorite authors all have a village helping them make their books great. You can achieve those same results with time, effort, and your village of support."

Umi Grigsby

Author EmpowHERed Health, Finalist, International Book Awards & Writings from her book featured in Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul series

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Aparna Verma
Bestselling novelist, featured Barnes & Nobel author; her BookTok posts and videos have garnered more than 3 million views

Author Accelerator Overview

You will learn a step-by-step method for developing your manuscript and building your audience to create a book that leaves a legacy and reaches a wide audience 

1.

Brainstorm & Develop Your Topic

  • Every author begins their journey with a conversation with Professor Koester.

  • We discuss your goals, your ideas, and map out a custom plan to start before the live course sessions begin.

2.

  • You don't sit down to "write a book", but you start by developing the core elements in a book. 

  • You'll learn how to research, develop, and write snippets, stories, and scenes that serve as the foundational content for your book. 

How to Write a Book's "Elements"

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3.

How to Build Your Manuscript

  • Great books are built on structures, and you'll learn how to apply the elements you're writing to these structures.

  • There's no single "template" for a book, but you'll have access to dozens of structures built by deconstructing some of the most popular nonfiction, novels, and memoirs. 

  • Designing and structuring the book is a collaborative process, and you'll be partnered with a developmental editor to get real-time feedback, learn how to become a great story teller, how to structure your content, and showcase the depth of knowledge you've gained.

4.

  • Most book marketing advice focuses after the book is out, but a book's success is determined before.   

  • You'll learn how to build your author profile, do Work-In-Progress (WIP) marketing, and create a community of fans and beta readers to help make the book better and bigger. 

How to Build Your Audience

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Pre-Sale of Your Book to Build Your Audience

  • Successful authors understand the power of building their audience before the book is published. 

  • You'll have the opportunity to participate in a 6-week, coached experience to get early readers and supporters to buy your book.

5.

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Book Publishing & Book Tour (Additional 6 months)

6.

  • Of course if you write a good manuscript, authors hope to get it published and Professor Koester will help all authors understand their publishing options today through his course

  • Approved authors may choose to publish their manuscript through the Manuscripts Press partnership 

  • Authors always retain complete rights ownership, including 100% of royalties

Book Production & Publishing

Launch & Book Tour

  • Throughout the programs, you'll learn how to build an audience for your book -- and market you (and the book)

  • Understand book distribution (how to get your book into stores and online)

  • And become part of the Manuscripts alumni community!

7.

How This Works

Modern Author Accelerator Schedule

Next Cohort: Winter 2024

The Author Accelerator includes:

Live Learning & Community Sessions

Live sessions to build your writing system.  Topics include idea generation, research techniques, interviewing skills, story structuring, chapter building, audience building, and book marketing, and developing a unique positioning for your book.

Live Writing & Marketing Workshops

Live sessions with author coaches and alumni of the program where you'll be guided step-by-step through a new writing technique, marketing approaches and tactics, and chapter building systems. It's a powerful way to build the book without staring a blank page

Weekly Editor & Marketing Coaching

On Your Schedule.

Each author is paired with a professional developmental editor who will read each piece you write, will offer their written feedback, and hold a weekly call with you to discuss your writing, develop structures behind the book, and guide you through the process of building your first draft manuscript.

Write Better, Write Together
>>> EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITY-POWERED WRITING PROCESS

Why Create

Author Success Stories

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OPPORTUNITIES

Derek Gaunt
Former hostage negotiator, Principle Black Swan Group, Signed with CAL Entertainment as a professional speaker

NOVELIST

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Alisa Parenti
Bloomberg Reporter & Anchor; Author of Betrayal, historical fiction of Ethel Rosenberg

MEMOIR

DREAM JOB

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Cole Brown

NAACP Image Award Finalist; May 2021 featured book for Stephen Curry's Book Club

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Rahul Rana

Rutgers student who earned VC job at Lux Capital through his book Moonshots.

OPPORTUNITIES

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Morgan Wider
Grown business, coaching, podcast & speaking through her book, A Worthy Wardrobe.

STARTUP

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OPPORTUNITIES

STARTUP

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Jaclyn DiGregorio

Two time nonfiction author; launched 7-figure business & Online Coaching/Course

Nate Androsky
Cofounder of Creative Science Labs, Author of Decoding the Why, bestselling guide on behavior science

Michael Dumlao 
Senior Brand & Diversity Advisor at Booz Allen, Author of "The Wisdom of Guncles"

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DREAM JOB

Claudia Alarco Alarco

Hired for executive role at DC Mayor’s Office

MEMOIR

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Joseph Minani

SABA National New Author of the Year 2020

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DREAM JOB

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OPPORTUNITIES

GRADUATE SCHOOL

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NOVELIST

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DREAM JOB

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Shiv Jhanghiani

Hired to work at full time soccer scout and develop football scouting project in India 

Kyle Garman
Ioatp Book of the Year; SAP Executive; Partnered with nonprofit NFTE to have his book taught in 1,000s of schools

Udit Dave

Admitted to Tulane Medicine & Interviewed by ESPN

Aparna Verma
Bestselling novelist, featured Barnes & Nobel author; her BookTok posts and videos have garnered more than 3 million views

Adriana Conte

Hired by the National Football League (NFL) after writing "The NFL at 100"

Enroll Today

Program & Pricing

Modern Author
Accelerator

Ideal for authors looking for substantial editorial & marketing support

  • Flexible curriculum (7-10 months)

  • Live, small group writing & community sessions

  • Full book positioning & editor support coaching with a professional developmental editor, including weekly calls

  • One-on-one coaching & strategy sessions for Work-In-Progress (WIP) Book Marketing coaching from a Marketing Specialist

  • Access to dozens of templates

  • Lifetime membership in the Manuscripts community

Upcoming Cohort Spring/Summer 2024

Enter your email address to receive updates.

Write Better, Write Together
Never Write Alone.

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