Every month, Jane offers a free session on the business of writing or publishing. These take a few forms:
- Jane or a guest expert presents on a focused topic. These are informally called Business Sermons. These sessions launched in 2020 and were commonly held on Sunday afternoons, but now they take place any time.
- Jane helps a writer with a business conundrum. These are called Business Clinics. Jane helps writers determine next steps based on their goals and experience, complemented by her insight into current market conditions. Anyone can apply and be considered for Clinic. It’s free.
- Jane hosts industry discussions: Jane sometimes hosts conversations with authors or colleagues on both timely topics and evergreen challenges.
Watch past classes
Upcoming sessions
July 24: Marketing & Promotion for Established Authors of Practical Nonfiction
Julie Dirksen is the author of two nonfiction books, now working on book three. Her first book, Design for How People Learn, did quite well, largely due to word of mouth recommendations. It’s on its second edition and has sold about 100,000 copies. The second book has been slower going, with about 1,200 copies sold in the last two years.
Julie’s first book gets used as a text in graduate programs and regularly recommended to new people entering the field, so if she could reach more of those readers, Julie believes they would be interested. Jane and Julie will discuss factors that may be affecting her sales and potential next steps to support both book sales and her career.
August 7: Smart Comps with Linda Secondari
Every agent and acquisitions editor evaluates manuscripts through the lens of comparable titles (aka “comps”). But most authors either skip researching comps entirely, reach for books too famous to be useful, or fall down too many rabbit holes. In this session, publishing strategist Linda Secondari—a 30-year publishing veteran who most recently served as Creative Director at Oxford University Press—breaks down how comps actually work inside a publishing house, and how you can use that same thinking to position your book with clarity and confidence. You’ll learn all the ways comps are useful. How to find them. How to deploy them across pitching, audience building, and discoverability. And what to do when no single title fits your book.
So these classes are free?
Yes! No strings attached. You will not be pitched or sold anything.
Will you or the guest answer questions?
For those who attend live via Zoom, yes. We will look at and answer questions as time allows.
Do I have to register?
Only if you want to participate live, ask questions, or interact with other attendees during the session. If you can’t attend live, you can watch it afterward at my YouTube channel.
I’d like to recommend a topic for a future session.
That would be wonderful. Contact me.
