Do You Want to Bring an Astonishing Book to the World?

Then you should be in the Author Apprentice Program

Please choose from one of the following options:

Do you have a book inside you?
Do you have a book inside you that you simply have to write?
Do you have a book inside you, one you simply have to write, a book that deep down in your soul, you know that if you don’t write it – you will regret it on your deathbed?

If the answer is “C,” please continue reading. If that is not your answer, please stop reading now and continue on with your life. It’s a deal breaker. (Seriously.)

Allow me to share with you a project I recently launched after much demand from the people who follow my work – and much critical thinking and evaluation on my part. It’s an apprentice program, specifically designed for authors and aspiring authors.

I ran a beta version to see if the concept really could work, and it does. Based on that experience, I’ve modified some things, eliminated others, added new components. Now it’s ready for the next batch of authors who want to write a book that dents the universe in some way. Allow me to unpack the specifics for you.

Here’s the concept at its most basic level…

The initial group meets for four days. (It will move around yearly, to scenic tropical resorts that nourish the soul and facilitate creative energy.) You have to come in person, no skyping in. (Sorry, no exceptions. We tried live streaming the first go around and it isn’t the same. I need you in the room in case I have to lovingly gaze into your eyes to access your soul. Or grab you by the lapels and shake the crap out of you.) The group is small, ten people or less. So there won’t be any problems maintaining social distancing and keeping safe protocols for heath.

This four-day writing lab will go from morning to late night. You’ll be with me in the conference room with your co-authors for instructional sessions, and then splitting up and finding a spot around the resort for writing sessions.

To begin, I will share my best creative writing tips, explain what a book birthing process looks like, teach you what makes a book marketable, how to settle on a theme, chunk it down to a table of contents, and create a proposal for a publisher or agent. Next, you’ll be doing creating writing exercises, to hone your writing skills. Then we will shift into “creative genius peak production mode” and start writing!

Before you depart from this intense writing lab, you will actually:

Conceive the concept of your book
Decide on a working title
Write a proposal (for agents & publishers)
Outline your Table of Contents
Draft sales letter website copy for your book
Begin the actual manuscript

Your book will be kickstarted before you leave town, so you can continue writing on the plane back home.

Then once a month, for six months:

You’ll send in your manuscript in progress.
You and I will meet via phone or web to discuss your progress.

This will be a small but dedicated group of aspiring writers (no more than ten), who will become Padawans with me in the Jedi temple of writing – to experience a six-month apprentice program. By the end of the six months, you will have a completed final draft, ready to send to an editor and begin the publishing process. (If you work faster, you can birth your book into the world even sooner.)

If you’re considering applying, here are the important elements to consider:

.Be prepared to write every day. Writers write.
.This program is for non-fiction books only.
.You must send in your writing assignments every month.
.I won’t be pandering to you. I’ll be challenging you to write the greatest book you possibly can.
.You’re committing six months of your life to this project.

Who is this guy?

If someone referred you here and you’re not familiar with my work, here’s what you should know. I write. A lot. And I’m very good at it. More than 10,000 posts on my blog and it gets serious traction. I’ve been a copywriter for more than 35 years and have written copy that has sold literally billions of dollars’ worth of products and services.

When it comes to books, I’ve authored 14 of them. (The early ones were shit and the later ones are brilliant.) They are all bestsellers. I’ve self-published and been published by the biggest publisher in the world. When I say “bestsellers,” I don’t mean #1 on Amazon on Thursday, March 13 from 11:15 to noon in the category of Animals/caribou/reproduction/bisexuality. I’ve landed in the top ten New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestseller lists.

Most importantly, I have a gift for teaching writing. I can show you the best way to open chapters, create cliffhanger bridges, weave in humor, use stories to anchor key points, create “bucket brigade” copy flow, and convey your thought process in a compelling way that readers can understand and identify with.

Now it’s important to warn you…

I will not chase after you. If you want to participate in this apprenticeship, you have to be a big kid and submit your work every month.

If you want to write a simple how to book on a simple subject, this program is not for you. There will be no hack/flack books greenlighted in this program. We’re not going to mess with vapid anthologies where you contribute a chapter, or having a stenographer transcribe your keynote speech, books that are simply sales letters to get you clients, or vanity projects to impress your mom or your Internet hookups. Don’t apply if you want to write a book of pithy quotes, or a compilation summarizing other people’s work.

This must be a book only you can write.

You will only be accepted in the apprenticeship if you’re willing to commit to a tome that demonstrates thought leadership, is a game-changer in your space, and/or impacts the universe in a beneficial way. I will relentlessly challenge you in this regard and not accept a book that is anything less. If you’re not okay with that, this is not the program for you.

You have to be willing to write a book with a theme, and a point of view that you can make a compelling case for. All great books have a central theme and are written in a way that shows you can organize your thoughts around that theme. This apprenticeship program is for writers who want to write timeless, evergreen books. Not a trendy book that gets you two months of buzz to impress your clients and then dies, but a book that is still in print a decade from now.

If you

.Want to hire a ghostwriter to do the work…
.Just want a book with your pic on the cover to use as a tool to get clients…
.Do this because you think it can buy an endorsement or introduction from me…

Better save your money. This is not that kind of program. This program is for writers who desire to write a book that can create real change and transformation. You’re writing it because you actually have something to say and believe the world needs to know it.

What are the 2023 dates?

This program is only done once each year.

June 5th - June 8th, 2023

San Diego, CA

Schedule your flights to arrive by Sunday evening and to depart on Friday the 9th. (Or schedule your return a few days later if you want to stay and write for a few days, and catch a Padres game at Petco Park, enjoy the East Village, Balboa Park, Midway museum and other spectacular sights.)

You need to submit your manuscript in progress the first week of every month from July through December. Then in January 2024, we’ll do our final session, a one-day wrap up in Miami. Some of you may have some writing to tie up, depending on the length and number of chapters in your book. Most of you will be finished with first draft or even the final draft, and we will be looking at getting agents, selling to publishers, creating launch campaigns, and other promotional activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have no training or education in writing. Can I really write a book?
Absolutely. I can teach anyone to write. And I’ve proven it at more than 15 copywriting colleges and Boot Camps. If you can speak, then you can write. The best writing is never stilted or stuffy, it’s conversational. I will give you opening template processes to follow that will allow you to get into the writing flow immediately. And certainly don’t worry about whether you studied literature or writing. I’m a high school dropout.

What if English is not my native language?
Doesn’t matter. If your English is good enough to understand this page, then you can learn how to write. And then you can translate to your native tongue.

What if I don’t yet have a title and the concept for my book?
It’s actually better if you don’t. We’ll explore your particular expertise and experience and come up with a concept that is perfect for you.

Is this a program that covers all the marketing to become a bestseller?
No, this apprenticeship is primarily about writing an extraordinary book. But every one of my books have been bestsellers because I have an innate understanding of how the non-fiction book market works. If we do the concept and proposal right, and then you actually write a great book, the sales will come.

What's the Investment

The investment to participate is $10,000. It requires $2,000 deposit to lock in your place, and then 8 monthly payments of $1,000. (Or you can receive the prepayment discount price of $9,000.) Keep in mind you will also have expenses for travel, hotel, and meals when you attend the writing lab portions of the program. So this apprenticeship is only for those willing to make a serious commitment of time, money, and passion to their dream of bringing an extraordinary book into the world.

Whats the Refund Policy?

There is none. I’m not selling vacuum cleaners here; I’m offering to be your mentor in birthing a remarkable book. However, if somewhere along the way you decide not to continue, notify us in writing and you can cancel the remainder of your apprenticeship.

SIGN ME UP!

Are there any scholarships?

I will be offering one scholarship each year, to a high school or college student 25 or younger. You must provide a writing sample to be considered and cover your own expenses for attending the workshops. This person will be the luckiest aspiring author on earth and the choice is totally my prerogative.

Final thoughts…

This apprenticeship can become the greatest opportunity of your career. You can go from someone who talks idly about “writing a book one day” – to someone who gets their work out into the world. Or you can transform from being an author who may have written a book or books that didn’t really convey your message in a way the world could receive it – to writing something that truly makes a difference.

Because of the unique one-on-one and interactive nature of this apprentice program, the maximum number of writers I can accept is ten. The slots will be filled on a “first come, first served” basis. The next move is yours…

– RG

Sign me up!
Sign me up with a payment plan!

P.S. Where appropriate, I may facilitate introductions to my editors, agent, or publishers. The key words here are “where appropriate.” This is not a given, and not a service you are promised, as my reputation and relationships are not for sale. I don’t recommend work I don’t believe in, for any price. But if I feel your book deserves it (and I’ll be working really hard to make sure it is) – I will be delighted to connect you and some of the professionals I work with, as they are always on the lookout for breakout new (or old) talent.