Apply for a Book Coaching Fellowship
At Author Accelerator, we believe in collective strength and the responsibility to shape a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive future for publishing. We recognize the pressing need to amplify the voices of groups traditionally underrepresented in publishing. This work is ongoing, and we haven’t figured it all out. We’re learning, listening, and working to grow every day.
As a result, we have decided to expand our Fellowship for 2024 to focus on BIPOC and all groups traditionally underrepresented in publishing.
The 2024 Fellowship Program Details
The Book Coach Certification Program Fellowship is available to current book coaches, freelance editors, or people who wish to learn how to become a book coach and who want to widen the net of their positive impact in the publishing industry by focusing on inclusivity in their coaching. If this sounds like you and you are interested in either the fiction or nonfiction Book Coach Certification program, please fill out the application below. We are able to award up to three Fellowships a year.
The Fellowship, worth over $4,200 + 1 year of Mentorship, includes the following:
12 months of mentorship from March 2024 - March 2025 with a trained mentor who can help you work through the course and prepare your practicum work
Monthly email check-ins from the Manager of Certification from March 2024 - March 2025
A kick-off call with the Manager of Certification in early March 2024 (~30 mins)
Enrollment in the fiction or nonfiction course (valued at $3,600)
Support and feedback from our trained certification team
Membership in our online coaching community which includes meet-ups and group chats
Upon certification, you will be entitled to all the certification benefits all of our certified coaches receive
Ongoing support, free for one year after certification, included in our Tier 2 online community
We believe that book coaching can be a profitable side hustle or full-time career for people who love books and writers.
Our Values
We believe that both writing and book coaching are teachable skills.
We believe that assisting writers in their creative journey is important and rewarding work.
This fellowship is designed for those who share our passion for lifting up all writers and want to contribute to the ongoing efforts to advance equity in the publishing industry.
Our goal is to ensure that people from all backgrounds feel welcome and valued within our certification program and community. To achieve this, we are dedicated to training our coaches to be fully aware of the unique challenges faced by groups traditionally underrepresented in publishing and to understand the critical importance of welcoming and serving writers from all backgrounds with integrity.
Aishwarya, 2023 Recipient
“Being a recipient of the Book Coaching Fellowship (Fiction) has changed the way I think about and approach coaching. As an avid reader and an experienced coaching professional, finding a way to combine the best of both worlds has been a great learning opportunity, and an exciting way to look into how change can be facilitated on several levels. The course is structured in a way that works for people across different levels of experience with the publishing industry (and the coaching process). Dani [mentor] has been endlessly patient and kind with my curiosity, my approach to the process, and any nerves/fears I may have - the opportunity to receive one-to-one mentorship from someone who really understands the value core of what I want to do with book coaching has been instrumental to building my confidence to do this work more consistently going ahead.”
About Our Mentors
Your mentor will be an Author Accelerator certified book coach who has volunteered to mentor in our Fellowship program. Yours will be hand-picked for you by our Manager of Certification, based on the genre you are interested in coaching and the information you share in your application. These are coaches who have been through the Book Coach Certification program and earned their certification. They actively coach writers in their own practices and are at the forefront of the industry you are looking to enter.
Yasmin McClinton, 2023 Recipient
“I'm not sure I can adequately express the amount of learning in the course and the support I've received as I've gone through the Fellowship. Everything and everyone has exceeded my expectations and have helped me to feel more secure and extremely excited about my book coaching. The community of coaches and mentors is phenomenal and I am lucky to be a part of it.”
The Fellowship Program Schedule
December 1 - December 15, 2023
The Fellowship Application period is open for two weeks or until 15 applications are received, whichever comes first.
January 2024
Applications are reviewed according to the criteria listed above by our Manager of Certification and a short list is presented to Jennie Nash, CEO of Author Accelerator, for a final decision.
February 2024
Decisions will be sent out to all applicants. The three 2024 Fellows will be announced.
March 2024
Enrollment in the fiction/nonfiction certification program(s) begins for Fellows.
March - June 2024
Fellows will work with their mentors while progressing through the self-study portion of the certification program in which they’re enrolled in preparation for practicum work.
July 2024
Fellows will complete Practicum One: The Blueprint for a Book.
August 2024 - September 2024
Fellows will complete Practicum Two: either the Full Manuscript Evaluation or the Full Book Proposal Evaluation, depending on whether they’re in the fiction or nonfiction certification program, respectively.
October 2024
Fellows will complete Practicum Three: the Pitch Package.
November 30, 2024
Certification applications are due to the Certification team.
December 2024 - January 2025
The Certification Team reviews applications and determines whether or not the Fellow has earned certification or must complete a Revise & Resubmit request.
* If a Fellow doesn't earn certification, they continue to work with their mentor and our Certification Team to help them get there. Most of our students earn certification within two attempts.
** We do have allowances for a 3-month extension, granted at the discretion of our team. If a Fellow requests and is granted an extension, the schedule above may be altered by up to three months.
What we look for in a fellowship applicant
Current book coaches, freelance editors, or people who wish to learn how to become a book coach
Applicants who want to elevate the voices of groups traditionally underrepresented in publishing for greater equity in the publishing industry
Applicants who have a platform already and are poised to begin making an impact if certified
Applicants who are ready to devote the necessary time to follow our fellowship program schedule (our certification courses are estimated to take about 100 hours for the self-study portion, followed by 3 - 4 months of practicum work, but this can vary by student).
Applicants who are ready to be mentored and check in monthly with our Manager of Certification.
The Fellowship Application
We’ve reached our application limit for the 2024 Fellowship program and the application is now closed.
Thank you for your interest.
FAQs
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Yes. Current students who are enrolled in only one of the Book Coach Certification courses (fiction or nonfiction) may apply to receive a fellowship spot for the second course (fiction or nonfiction).
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No. Funding for a course is not available after you purchase it.
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Funding can only be awarded to cover one Book Coach Certification program course per applicant. If you are ambivalent about which course you would like the fellowship to cover, please indicate that in your application and our team will help you decide.
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You will need to submit a new application if you decide after applying that you’d like to enroll in a different course than you indicated on your application. You should also email us to rescind your previous application.
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Fellows have until February 15 to reserve their spot by responding to the fellowship award email. If they do not reserve their place by February 15, their opportunity will expire and they will need to apply again during the next application window. All fellows who accept their funding are expected to follow the schedule outlined above.
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Your mentor will be available via email and phone support, and in our online forum for students and coaches. Your mentor will let you know more specifically when and how available they will be, but you will meet with them by phone or video conference at least once a month.
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Students earn certification based on their work in the Book Coach Certification program and in the practicums. Certification is contingent on each student's work and demonstrated skills, and is never guaranteed. However, our goal with the fellowship program is to give recipients who are committed to the work and making a broader impact in the publishing industry by elevating groups traditionally underrepresented in publishing the support they need to earn certification.
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As with earning certification, we expect fellows to get out of this program what they put into it. Success – whatever your definition of it is – takes time and deep commitment, and is never guaranteed. However, post-certification, our team offers all of our certified coaches as much support and guidance as we can on what it takes to launch and run a book-coaching business that aligns with your vision of success.
