Pen to Published

Giving you the tools you need while pursuing publishing.

What will you learn?

Every week, you will receive a new lesson jam-packed with information and resources to help you take the next step toward publishing.

Session One

Getting Started as a Writer

Learn the mindset of a successful author.

Session Two

The Discipline of Writing

Get rid of excuses and train your muse. Make a plan, develop a schedule, and write your first draft.

Session Three

Self-Editing for Excellence

Understand how to get good feedback and make revisions to your manuscript.

Session Four

Preparing to Publish

Decide whether you want to pursue traditional or self-publishing, and learn how to find an agent for your work.

Session Five

Book Proposal

All about why you need a book proposal and how to write one!

Session Six

Query Letters

A query letter is the key that will open the door to agent representation and publishing. 

Session Seven

Author Platform

Use podcasts, social media, and an author website to engage with your audience and promote your work. 

Session Eight

The Writer’s Life

Caring for the soul of a writer. 

Rachelle Gardner is a literary agent who's spent 25 years helping authors get published, and she reps some of the best writers in the industry. Some of those authors include my brilliant friends Sarah Bessey and Jamie Wright. Rachelle offered me my first book contract in 2004.

I know many of you have a story burning inside of you but have no idea how to get it published. Pen to Published is the perfect next step in your writing journey!

Jen Hatmaker
Best Selling Author

What People are Saying

This course is packed full of practical, useful tools and information. I feel very well-prepared to move towards the publishing process after completing it. Having access to a current literary agent is such a gift, as is learning with a community of authors.

Allison Breininger

I’ve taken a number of online courses, and this was by far one of the best. I’m grateful for the community that formed quite organically and for the support it has offered. I feel like I have the tools I need to press on with book writing!

Marjorie Avent

This is hands down the best resource I found for navigating the world of writing and publishing. It is worth every penny.

Erin King

Rachelle is so generous with her time and her expertise, you’ll feel like you have an inside track on the journey from concept to completion of your manuscript. If you are serious about sharing something with the world through your writing, you need this course. You may use the information this month, next year or in five years. But you will absolutely be equipped with the tools you need to move your book to the next level. This is a golden opportunity.

Rebekah Weissert

Author School gives you practical and applicable advice on how to become a published author. Rachelle cuts through all the noise and opinions to give you straightforward wisdom from her years of experience. You’ll walk away with clear next steps after every teaching. Thanks to this course, I feel less overwhelmed and more confident that I can pursue the writer’s life. This is the first course I’ve taken that offered significantly more value than the cost. I will recommend Author School to anyone who hopes to publish their writing one day!

Taryn Nergaard

Author School is a practical and purposeful course that teaches you the ins and outs of what it takes to not only be a writer, but to become a published author. If you have started writing a book or are thinking about it, do yourself a favor and save time, money, energy and stress and take the class. Your future readers will thank you

Tiffany Jo Baker

Learn in a cohort

How it works

There is power in learning in community. It keeps us accountable to the process

Learning Dashboard

As soon as you enroll in Author School, you'll have access to the student dashboard -- this is where you'll view your lessons each week and download printable worksheets to put what you're learning into practice.

Live Sessions

Each lesson is a live hour-long video workshop taught by Rachelle Gardner where you can learn from her expert teaching on everything you need to know about writing and publishing.

Session Replays

If you can't make it to the live sessions, don't worry -- they'll always be available for replay so you can catch up, or rewatch and take notes if you didn't catch everything the first time.

Cohort Learning

In addition to the online learning materials, you'll have access to the private Author School Facebook community where you can ask questions and network with your fellow writers.

Rachelle Gardner

Meet the Instructor

Rachelle Gardner is an agent and publishing coach, working with authors on both fiction and nonfiction. A publishing industry veteran since 1995, she has worked inside two publishing companies and worked with more than 150 authors to bring their books to publication.

As an agent, Rachelle represents an impressive list of more than 70 bestselling and award-winning authors published by HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random house and more.

As a publishing coach, she gives professional insight and feedback to writers needing guidance in taking the next step toward publication.

Rachelle has enjoyed interacting with the writing community for the last ten years on her blog and Facebook page, providing hundreds of articles helping writers to navigate the rocky road of publishing.

Check out Rachelle’s website here: https://rachellegardner.com/

Frequently Asked Questions

Live video trainings will be held on Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST. To access the trainings, all you need is a computer or phone with internet access. 

The cost for this 8-week course is $499. For your convenience, you can pay up front or choose from one of our convenient payment plans. You will see the options available to you at checkout.

If for any reason you aren’t able to tune in for the live trainings, don’t worry! Each one will be available for replay so you never have to worry about missing anything. Plus, you can always go back and re-watch your favorite trainings to get even more out of them. 

We know that writing a book can be a long process, and we want you to have access to all the information you need to be successful. So even after the course has ended, you can come back here any time and review lessons materials, watch videos, and download worksheets. 

We’re confident that the Author School will provide you with the valuable information you need to be successful on your writing and publishing journey. But if you find for any reason that this course is not a good fit for you, you can request a full refund any time during the first two weeks — no questions asked. 

Rachelle has been my agent from the very beginning of my writing career and I cannot overstate the value of her expertise, her industry knowledge, her encouragement, and her deep passion for writers. This is a resource I will be sharing with every aspiring writer that I know!
Sarah Bessey
Author of Jesus Feminist and Out of Sorts

Pen to Published

Giving you the tools you need while pursuing publishing.