12 Weeks
to Become an Author
The Author(ity) Incubator is a 12-week container for emerging or repeat nonfiction authors to dive deep enough into their content that the book feels real, no matter how much time and effort might be left. With a mixture of 1:1 and group sessions, we'll create, refine, and begin to execute a drafting or revisions plan that will serve you for the rest of your book-creation experience (and beyond).
Get clear on your message, learn to own your writing process, and start to leverage your status as an author, even before you have a book in hand.
(Spoiler: It's Not What You Think)
If you're here, you have something to say.
Maybe you know who you are and how you want to introduce yourself to the world. Maybe you know who your reader is and how you want to introduce the world to them. Maybe you just know something about the world.
And yet.
Something about putting that knowing on paper feels much.
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Writing a book is a bit bigger than "just" teaching it. It's a bit more visible than how you've shared it before. It's closer to something that feels like you, all out there and exposed for the world to see.
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You want to get it right.
The Author(ity) Incubator is where folks with a solid book idea come to stretch that idea into a broader message. One they are excited to share. One they find their own authority to share right now, as the author of an upcoming book—as an expert in their own right. One they learn to feel comfortable sharing on the page, knowing that I've got their back while they do.
No one can declare you an author except you. Not before you've finished your book and not even after you've published it.
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There's something more to author than having a book in hand. Something you get to decide to take on.
If that kind of declaration is what you want, I'm here to help you make it.
Draft without reserve.
Edit without shame.
Ship without fear.
The more you believe in your own authority to speak, create, and share the wisdom you've earned and the knowledge you've tested, the easier it is to show up to the work of creating a book about those things.
The more fully you show up to the work of that creation, the more transformation you create around you. ​​
And the more supported you feel in that process, the more writing and revising feels like exploration and play rather than hustle and grind.
Initiation
4 hours of 1:1 discovery sessions OR a complete manuscript evaluation to:
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Get to the heart of the book you're creating.
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Learn to actually explain what your book is about (without rambling or underselling yourself).
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Start to articulate your unique positioning as the author of this book.
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Envision your target reader and how they'll interact with the book.
Weeks 1-4
Weekly milestone management and/or calls focused on global structure:
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Carry your vision and intentions out into the arc of the book.
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Learn to make and refine a chapter map.
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Add-on chat-support and join free writing sprints for daily access.
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Class 1: Morpheus Mode (Write with Authority)
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Class 2: Comparison as (an Enabling) Constraint
Weeks 8-12
Weekly milestone management and/or calls continuing to chapter level:
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Build 2 chapter maps per week, with reviewing / coaching / or on-the-page work based on the support level you choose.
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Class 3: ChatGPT (and Other Tools we Misunderstand)
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Class 4: Industry-expert Rose Friel lays out publishing options and how to choose yours.
milestone management
$1500 (or $500 monthly)
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After your discovery or eval Project Initiation, follow each step of the incubator on your own (but not alone).
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Get weekly email-based / in-line feedback and accountability through all the same milestones.
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Add-on Voxer chat access, attend weekly Office Hours, or write with my daily sprint group for more support.
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Recordings of the group calls available, or add them on live.
standard incubator
$4500 (or $1500 monthly)
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Weekly hour-long calls to check in on your progress, answer your questions, and coach you through blocks.
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Add-on milestone management or Voxer access for added "in the weeds" support.
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Attend the craft-specific group calls live, taught by me or one of my colleagues, to support your journey and positioning as the author of this book.
high-intensity incubator
$7500 (or $2500 monthly)
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Weekly two-hour calls, and I'll manage the first draft of each milestone for you.
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Voxer chat access is included in this space, so we can pop ideas back and forth as needed.
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IMPORTANT: you're still the Author(ity) here. This is a support level, not a replacement method, that can help when time, energy, or other non-monetary resources are limited.
If you are like me and hate infinite-scroll sales pages with surprise info periodically throughout the page, good news: there's nothing more than those 3 levels of engagement at those prices. If you're down, pop an application in or get on my consult calendar. The rest of this text is for anyone who wants to hang out with me a bit longer before deciding.
About the Author(ity)
The space between rigid programs and intuitive coaching is...probably not unlike the tension between my own self-determined autism and confirmed ADHD. Which isn't always a fun game of tug of war, but when it works it really works. And I have seen this container work.
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Not because I'm promising a book in 12 weeks. Not only is that massively misleading, but it also creates the kind of pressure that kills creativity.
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Not because we're churning out best sellers. The commodification of wisdom is...a rant for another day.
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Not because of any magic button I have for you, or any prototype process I've created.
We're making our own alchemical magic here, and that's what's so effective.
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I've had people request a formula from me over the years. I even tried to turn one into a course last year. I worked so hard trying to name "my" process in a step by step format, and was encouraged to package it up into a pricey package that would get me that coveted passive income.
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I'm still working out my relationship to all of that—but for now I'm very much convinced that what I bring to the table is only unique because it's me.
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(Hi there, ego-triggering-language. Meep. I'm just gonna keep going...)
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What I mean is this: I have used lots of formulas with authors over the years, to mixed results, and the negative results usually weren't the fault of the formula or program. Likewise, the positive results weren't credited solely to the formula or program. I know this, because I've tried to stick to one methodology. More than once. And it just left me and the author frustrated.
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Good story-building theory is nice material to have, but it's way too easy to build barriers and hurdles with it instead of a container for the real work.
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I'm feeling more and more authority to say that my unique value proposition is that I'm uniquely valuable, and for some folks that creates a solid proposition. And I'm only saying that so brazenly here because I want you to believe that about yourself too.
You already have complete authority to be brazenly, wholly, uniquely, amazingly you, and if capturing this moment of you-ness on the pages of a book is important to you, I've got plenty of story-building materials to help you make that happen.
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You're an author if you wanna be—and I trust you (ITY, get it?!) will make the absolute most magic happen once you truly believe that.
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So forget the tight schedule, rigid boxes, and DIY-or-ghostwriter pendulum swing. Here's what I've got for you: a rhythm, milestones, and support system that will take you from dipping your toes into your project to completely immersing in the message you want to bring to the world, with a growing confidence and authority to leverage it, both on the page and off.
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A book is a tangible expression of an intangible value. I'm here to help you find the intangible.
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Will that get you a book? Most likely. Will it help you see yourself and your story in a brand new light, so that you can show up with that message in every space of your life that's benefited by storytelling?
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Fuck yes.*
*One of the first authors who changed my life wrote about the rule that "If it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no," and I've never forgotten it. But I do seem to recall that this toast-the-publish-date-with-whiskey-over-Zoom author actually said "fuck yes" when we talked about it initially...and honestly, that's the kind of energy this deserves.
I'm in a stage of life where I want a dread-free calendar and fuck-yes collaborations all day long (and by all day I mean a reasonable workday with lots of room for creative growth and play). And I bet you are too. So don't think this space is about throwing money at your book problems. If you don't have fuck yes energy for the Incubator yet, then take baby steps first: a consult call, one of the two discovery calls, maybe some time in the free space of my articles or evening writing sprints.
Maybe you get totally unlocked by one of those levels and don't need to keep going. Maybe you like the magic we're making and the hesitation goes away. Either way, we won't find ourselves 6 weeks in, hating to admit we were a "fuck no" all along.
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Also, I'm rewatching Ted Lasso with my kids, so if language makes you uncomfortable, go catch up on season 3 and then just read all of this in Roy Kent's voice. Fuck yeah, Princess Diaries.
About the Incubator
Kickoff with discovery or manuscript evaluation.
If you haven't done this step with me yet, this is our starting point. We need to know who you are to the book, who your reader is, and what kind of journey we're taking them on before we step into incubator space. This can happen across four hours of calls or a full read-through and analysis of your existing draft. If we don't come to something good, or if we come to something so good you're ready to go without me, we stop here. No questions asked.
Settle into a rhythm that works for you.
This is the heart of the incubator. It's where we'll take the vision we uncovered in discover/eval stage and start to turn it into executable plans. Whether your support level is at an email/editing level, hourly 1:1 coaching, or 2-hour deep dives, we'll use your chosen space to continue to identify the structure you need to execute this particular project. Starting with a global, three-dimensional arc and moving into chapter by chapter outlines, in many cases, the things we name can be easily turned into a book proposal. No matter what, you'll be supported and guided as we refine your idea into a digestible drafting or revisions map.
Set aside time for group learning.
We'll also make space to work on more general training concepts. These will be 60-90 minute sessions, currently mapped as Morpheus Mode AUTHORity, Comparison as a Constraint, ChatGPT (and Other Tools We Misunderstand), and a guest-speaker session from an expert colleague, customized to the current group's needs and interests. All will be recorded if you can't make it live.
Optional: Add on M-Th chat access or really dive in deep.
I don't expect everyone to want or need these additional layers. But the reality is that I'm too close to you and your project to let you struggle through an intense bit of work—and when you aren't struggling, the calls we book are that much more effective. So if you can't quite see the forest for the millions of leaves and you could use someone in your corner as a mirror, a magnifying glass, and a drone view as needed...This may be the way to go. Add daily chat access on the free platform Voxer (which allows typing, screenshots, and audio messages), or level up your support to 2-hour calls so that I can create the first drafts of what we discover together.
milestone management
$1500 (or $500 monthly)
-
After your discovery or eval Project Initiation, follow each step of the incubator on your own (but not alone).
-
Get weekly email-based / in-line feedback and accountability through all the same milestones.
-
Add-on Voxer chat access, attend weekly Office Hours, or write with my daily sprint group for more support.
-
Recordings of the group calls available, or add them on live.
standard incubator
$4500 (or $1500 monthly)
-
Weekly hour-long calls to check in on your progress, answer your questions, and coach you through blocks.
-
Add-on milestone management or Voxer access for added "in the weeds" support.
-
Attend the craft-specific group calls live, taught by me or one of my colleagues, to support your journey and positioning as the author of this book.
high-intensity incubator
$7500 (or $2500 monthly)
-
Weekly two-hour calls, and I'll manage the first draft of each milestone for you.
-
Voxer chat access is included in this space, so we can pop ideas back and forth as needed.
-
IMPORTANT: you're still the Author(ity) here. This is a support level, not a replacement method, that can help when time, energy, or other non-monetary resources are limited.
No, Really: All about the Incubator
Fair warning: this particular copy is coming together just after a little batch of baby chicks popped out from behind my coop of old mama hens who can't be bothered to mama. I had no idea how fragile and needy those little guys are. (er, I hope they aren't guys—this is a lot of work for roosters I can't keep. I digress...) So you'll forgive me for being a little bit distracted from the traditional use of "incubator," especially amongst business owners and entrepreneurs.
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But let's think about this.
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An incubator is electric. It's consistent. It's customizable to a point, but only really effective when you've got someone who knows what they're doing setting the controls.
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It's also limited, just like an egg itself is limited. Eventually you've gotta hatch, and at that point neither container is useful anymore.
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So forget about the tech-bro version of "incubator" you might have been picturing to this point. We're going full mama-hen here. (But with better instincts, apparently.)​
No one likes writing a bio, so I'm going to use one I just repurposed from my discovery workbook, You Don't Get to the Ocean by Accident:
Brannan Sirratt is a work from home hipster (having done it since before it was cool). She grew from taking any gig within email’s reach to taking on thirty ghostwriting projects in a span of two years, to taking time to set some serious boundaries. Because, woah. Today, her expertise is in the author experience, helping groups and individuals see the power of their story and tap into the creative flow that brings it to life. Drawing on past training from Story Grid, Author Accelerator, and her own 10,000 hours, Brannan is especially at home with books that intend to help a reader see their niche of the world in a new light.
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Bottom line: I've spent a lot of time with a lot of authors, and I am so excited to get to know the folks who are still to come. If you think that might be you, know that I've got lots of tools we can draw from and I'm not going to throw them at you unless you need them. Each new book comes with its own process, creating its own brand new author along the way. I'll keep us inside the right container. You just have to show up and become.
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No big deal.
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Topics We Cover
When It's Finally Time to
Get Your Book Moving
But For Real Though
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Big Idea Discovery
Get a clear picture of your book’s purpose, reader, and content.
Author Identity: How do you want to show up to your book?
Reader Persona: How does your reader show up to your topic?
Change Statement: What kind of change invitation are you creating?
5MO: Use the 5 Minute Outline to map (or validate) your global book structure.
“Table of Content”
Create a three-dimensional arc and condense it into an outline.
Worldview Analysis: What progression of topics changes your reader’s view of the world?
Narrative Journey: What progression of topics connects with your reader emotionally?
How-to / Outcomes: What progression of topics delivers on what your reader says they want
(while giving them what you know they actually need)?
5MO: Use the 5 Minute Outline to map (or validate) chapter structure.
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Your Drafting Practice
Get a new lens on drafting strategies that work for you.
M Sprints: Use the constraints of time and intention to make drafting (a little) less painful.
TMJ: Maximize dictation and other novel techniques to get your draft out.
5MO: Use the 5 Minute Outline on a beat or section level when it's time to write.
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Momentum Building
Anchor your writing process, celebrate iteration, and avoid getting lost in perfectionism.
​The WTF Read: Reframe the post-draft panic into a judgment free space of curious reflection.
See the Matrix: Connect content on the page to story shapes for easier analysis and revision.
Shuffle Draft: Move content around without getting lost in the scroll.
Remember: this is about finding what works for you—not berating yourself into a writing practice.
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Baaaaby Steps, do-do-do...
intention
$500/stage
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When you don't have a manuscript yet (or one that you feel good about working from): We'll do two to fours of calls to map out your identity as author, your reader's relationship to the project, and the project itself.
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When you have a pretty decent manuscript you want to level up: I'll read through it (at any stage) to evaluate it and set recommended next steps based on your intentions for the project, with 1-2 coaching hours to go over those findings.
incubator
$500-$2500/mo
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12 weeks to focus on refining your drafting or revisions plan—every chapter gets a clear focus and the book has a dimensional arc.
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BONUS: 4 separate craft-specific calls taught live, by me or one of my amazing colleagues, around writing, publishing, and mindset.
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Example outcomes: the bones of a book proposal, a drafting or revisions map, self-permission.
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Choose from three levels: low-touch milestone management, 1:1 coaching support, or intensive-level deep dives.
intensive
$2500+ monthly for ~12 mos
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Intentional commitment to move from discovery to development to the damn finish line, whatever it takes, usually across ~12 months.
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Customized support that teases the line between development editing and ghostwriting.
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I want you to know your content so well that it's all you think about (and not the hard work of writing)
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I want me to know it so well I don't have to think when I edit.
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Extremely limited space for this—currently 2 authors at a time. We don't mess around here (sorta).
The Not-So-Fine Print
All purchases are nonrefundable, and I don't promise outcomes, only support. How and why that works: in the same way that a coach can't return the time and perspective they shared with you, I can't return any space I hold with you. Plus, if we're thinking about this as a commodity exchange, both of us are in serious trouble. The whole point is that a book is a tangible expression of intangible value. I'm not here to help you make the tangible—I'm here to help you find the intangible. How that journey unfolds and what treasure we find along the way really remains to be seen.
Recordings and homework will be sent for the four bonus training sessions if a group is involved. I'll honor any paid-for but incomplete calls indefinitely, because I know life happens and I'm happy to keep the light on for you until you're ready to make up that time. I'll also reserve the right to pause our work if for some reason there's a conflict that keeps us from showing up fully, and you are welcome to do the same.
Bottom line: if you're hesitant at all, go slow. Start with a consult. Then maybe a half-discovery (one 2-hour call, $500). Then the other half. Wade into the waters with me until it feels good to dive in. The water's fine...but that doesn't mean you have to go scuba diving just yet.