book proposal group program
from idea to proposal in eight weeks
Next group begins may 12th 2025
“Penny is a book alchemist”
Writing a book can be life changing, but only if you can get the work done.
Are you ready to write a book proposal but don’t know where to begin?
Perhaps you can begin but struggle to keep up momentum when life - work, family, responsibilities - get in the way.
Or perhaps you started and without feedback and support, you just can’t seem to move forward.
The Book Proposal Group Coaching Program is an eight-week structured program designed to take you from idea to full draft with confidence.
Are you a writer on a low income? You can apply for a funded place by downloading this form and emailing it to me by 1st May 2025.
See the Grant Place page for more details.
“Penny’s course gave me the encouragement and guidance I needed to get my non fiction book off the ground. I arrived with scribbles in my note pad and the seed of an idea and left with a fully-formed proposal and confidence to take it to agents and publishers.”
What’s included?
Eight weekly zoom calls tackling every aspect of writing a stand-out book proposal so that you aren’t working alone
Teaching material that take you through each of the steps of creating your proposal
Full set of notes and in-line feedback on your draft proposal at the end of the program, so that your proposal meets high, industry standards
A group of fellow writers doing the work alongside you, to spur each other on
Opportunities for individual coaching during live calls to tailor the work to your specific project
Covers everything from writing your bio, researching your audience, creating marketing plans, submitting to agents and more, to save you time researching all the elements required to go from idea, to ready to submit to agents
A comprehensive workbook to get through, so you have material to refer to between calls
BONUS one hour session with an agent from a leading London literary agency about what makes a great submission, plus q&a
“The agent wants to make it official! I’ve been trying to make this happen for literal years, so I can’t say thank you enough for giving me the push I needed!”
Who is the Program for?
You have an idea for a non-fiction book but don’t know where to begin
You have started a proposal and you’re feeling stuck/uncertain/lost
You have started a proposal and you have realised you will never finish it without structure and accountability
You would love to be part of a writers group working on similar projects at a similar stage
You have written lots (articles/talks/blog posts/course material/content) but have never written a book before
You haven’t written much but you are an expert in your field
“ I am amazed by how much material you manage to present in just over an hour each week. I feel refreshingly un-stuck now, and I’ve already recommended your course to multiple people.”
“Writing is so solitary and I found the weekly online check-ins with Penny and my fellow group members completely re-energised me and kept me smoothly on-schedule. I found the fact that my proposal was continually progressing, frankly, exhilarating. ”
What happens in the program?
Week One: Introduction to proposal writing and starting with your why
Week Two: Titles, killer sentences and writing your jacket copy
Week Three: All about structure and designing your chapters
Week Four: Understanding your reader and getting them from A (the start of the book) to B (where you’d like them to be at the end)
Week Five: Your Overview - the two pages that will help an agent picture your book in their hands
Week Six: Analysing your audience and understanding your book’s market
Week Seven: Writing your chapter summary - AKA the meat of the proposal
Week Eight: Next steps - drafting and redrafting your proposal and the agent submission process
BONUS Session: Meet a literary agent - including q&a session
Submission Week: Two weeks after your last session, you will submit your draft for feedback
Feedback: You will receive a full set of notes including in-line edits on your draft within four weeks of submission
Follow up: All participants will have the opportunity to book a follow up one to one session to submit and discuss and receive notes on your next draft at a discounted price
Are you a writer on a low income? You can apply for a funded place by filling out this form and emailing it to me by May 1st 2025. See the Grant Place page for more details.
“Don’t hesitate to book this course - it will undoubtedly be your most valuable (and enjoyable) hour of every week. ”
FAQs
What time and date will the weekly calls be held?
The calls will be on Tuesday lunchtimes, starting 12th May at 1pm (bst). But don’t worry, all calls will be recorded, so if some weeks you can’t attend live due to another commitment, you won’t miss out.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, you can pay in three instalments! The first payment secures your place and the next two instalments will be due the following two months.
I am on a very low income, is there a grant or scholarship?
I am pleased to be able to offer one fully funded grant place for a writer on a low income during each group program. Applications need to be in by May 1st. Please download this form and email it to me to be considered for this funded place. See the Grant Place page for more details.
Will there be a place for all the writers to gather online?
Yes! There will be an online private group for the writers to hang, post questions and cheer each other on in between Zoom calls. I’ll be in there regularly, with reading recommendations, answering questions and checking in on how everyone is doing with their homework.
How do I decide between a group program or one to one book coaching?
This is very personal. One to One book coaching is very personalised and I demand a high level of work to be submitted for feedback fortnightly. It is perfect for experienced writers looking to work intensely on their proposals and get the work done. The group program works best for writers who know they need a structured approach and accountability to get the work done, but also know being around other writers working at a similar pace will really support them. The nature of the way I deliver the group program means it’s more affordable and you can add a one to one session on to the end of the program if you know you still need support to get your proposal to submission standard. Please feel free to contact me if you are uncertain which is best for you.
So all I have to do is show up for 8 weeks and I end up with a polished, killer proposal?
No….. Showing up is just the beginning. If you would like to finish your draft proposal in time for the submission date for feedback, you’ll be doing a lot of writing between sessions. But don’t worry, I’ll be there to set homework and act as your guide so you always know which steps you’ll be working on each week.
A draft proposal? Why won’t I have a complete, polished proposal in this time?
Writing a proposal is essentially a lot of the hard work of writing a book. It takes time to really hone what it is you want to say, who you are speaking to and creating a structure that contains your ideas in the best possible way. It can take multiple edits to really nail it all down. My latest non-fiction proposal went through 5 drafts! But if you keep up with the work, by the end of the program you will have a draft completed and a full set of notes to work with as you polish that draft, getting it ready to submit to agents.
How do I know I’m ready for the program?
This program is for people who have a strong non-fiction book idea and are ready to act on it. That doesn’t mean your idea needs to be fully formed or perfect, just that you are ready to do the work. It can also work well for writers who have a proposal that is partially finished or isn’t working and needs redrafting. Please remember, this is for working on a book proposal, not on a manuscript. If you are at all uncertain, please send me an email and we can arrange to jump on a call to discuss whether its the right option for you right now.
What if I can’t attend the zoom calls live?
Attending live is great if you can manage it. It will be an opportunity for everyone to get to know other writers which is hugely invaluable and opportunities to ask specific questions in relation to your project. I’ll also be doing live coaching on the calls, asking for volunteers to go through the work with me (just as I do with one to one clients). So attending live will maximise the value of the group. But life happens and you don’t have to miss out if you are ill or there is a family emergency. The call will be recorded each week and sent to participants. You’ll also get an audio recording so you can listen back on the go.
Will you help me get an agent?
There is a session dedicated to next steps, including how and when to submit to agents, how to research which agents to submit to. There is also a bonus additional session with a literary agent from a leading London Agency where you can ask anything you like to demystify the process. This session is particularly powerful in making the whole submission process a lot less scary!
What if I need more help with my proposal after the program ends?
At the end of the program, you will recieve a full set of notes on your draft proposal. You may want to book a follow up one to one session to push you forward to a final polished draft. We can put a date in the diary so you have accountability and I will give you a full set of notes on that next full draft (including sample material) and a one to one call where we discuss that draft and any steps that may be left to get it submission ready. I offer follow up sessions to members of the group program for a discounted price £250 (usually £350).
““I GOT AN AGENT!!! The agent who was top of my list. She replied within the week and that was that. She said the proposal was polished and basically ready for submission to publishers. Thank you!”
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About Penny
Penny is a Melbourne born, London dwelling, author and book coach. After 15 years as a freelance interiors photographer, Penny began writing about life as a single parent and unpaid carer whilst juggling a freelance creative career. She has written for Red Magazine, iPaper, BBC Radio 4 and The Telegraph amongst many others. Penny is the author of two non-fiction books Tender (2020) and Home Matters (2024) and her fiction has been published in Harper’s Bazaar.
Penny is a certified non-fiction and memoir book coach with Author Accelerator and has an MA in Creative and Life Writing with Distinction from Goldsmiths. Her work as a coach has been featured in The Author, The Simple Things and Psychologies. She is the host of Not Too Busy To Write podcast, which was shortlisted for the Independent Podcast Awards in 2023 and now in its 10th season. Guests have included Kate Mosse, Charlotte Wood, Tessa Hadley, Lindsey Kelk, Katherine May and many more.
