The Future of Work is Human Connection.
Smiley’s Author Course
HOW TO WRITE & PUBLISH YOUR FIRST BOOK
A Self-Directed Introductory Course for First-Time Authors
Are you ready to (finally) finish writing your book?
Have you been looking for a simple course to support you?
You don’t have to write your book alone.
You don’t have to start from scratch.
Learn from published authors who have done it.
The world needs your book, now more than ever.
What You’ll Learn in Smiley’s Author Course
A Self-Directed Introductory Course for First-Time Authors
10 Lessons on Writing Your Book
Move Beyond Fear and Start Today
Find Your Writer Zone of Genius
Say NO to Distractions
Finding a Creative Spark
Creative Tools to Get Unstuck
Writing Prompts to Get Started
Create a Writing Ritual
Writing Structure and Editing Tips
Simple Ways to Structure Your Book
The 3 Types of Editing
How to Find the Right Editor
Building an Author Platform
How to Make the Ask to Your Community
The #1 Mistake Authors Make
How to Build an Author Platform
Book Marketing Areas to Focus On
Self-Publishing
Whether You Should Self-Publish Your Book
Advantages of Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing Tips & Lessons
How to Crowdfund Your Book
How to Self-Publish Your Book on Amazon
Traditional Publishing and How to Find an Agent
Advantages of Traditional Publishing
What You Need Before You Find an Agent
How to Find an Agent
How to Write Book Proposal
Book Proposal Template and Resources to Get a Book Deal
What’s Included in Smiley’s Author Course
Video from Smiley’s Live Author Group classes
14 videos, covering topics ranging from how to get unstuck in the writing process to the nuts and bolts of publishing your work! More than 5 hours of video broken down into short, digestible bites. Lifetime access to videos so you can watch at your own pace.
Copy of Smiley’s Book Workbook
An easy-to-work-through map that helps you track your progress at home as you work on your outline, marketing plan, and draft book proposal.
Copy of Smiley’s Book Proposals and Book Proposal Template
No need to start from scratch. Get access to 2 of Smiley’s Book Proposals that secured nearly $100,000 in book deals and a Book Proposal Template with prompts to help you write your book proposal.
Author Resources Doc
Cut through the noise of the plethora of resources that exist. Smiley has spent the past 8 years curating his 10+ page Author Resources Doc with recommended books, podcasts, writing apps and tools, websites for authors.
Special Guest Interviews
Get an insider's view of the publishing process with access to pre-recorded videos of Smiley’s interviews with best-selling authors, literary agents, editors at major publishers, and self-publishing experts.
Access to Smiley’s private Author Facebook Group
You don't have to do this alone. Makes the process easier by connecting with 70+ other authors in a private Facebook Group moderated by Smiley to ask questions, share writing resources, and support each other.
Invitations to Smiley’s Author Q&A Reunions on Zoom
Stay accountable to your goals. Check-in with Smiley and other authors on an Author Reunion Zoom call (usually held 2 times a year) to connect with other authors, ask questions, and make progress on your book.
Enroll in Author Course Today
“Without Smiley's Author Course, I would NOT have been able to sell my book in a MAJOR DEAL. He fed us all with delicious insights paired with tangible resources that strengthened my proposal and pitch immensely.
- Scott Shigeoka, author of SEEK: HOW CURIOSITY CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE AND CHANGE THE WORLD (Grand Central Publishing)
About You
Smiley’s online Author Course is a self-directed introductory program for aspiring authors who want to learn the basics for writing and publishing a really good book.
This course is designed for first-time non-fiction authors who want to get a book deal with a traditional publisher, or plan to invest in self-publishing a high-quality book. The course will be most beneficial to first-time non-fiction authors, especially those writing business/self-help/advice/how-to books.
This course is not designed for those writing fiction manuscripts or poetry manuscripts. This course is not designed for highly advanced authors or those who have previously published books.
About Your Teacher
ADAM “SMILEY” POSWOLSKY is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of three books: The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, The Breakthrough Speaker, and Friendship in the Age of Loneliness.
Smiley regularly speaks at Fortune 500 companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Deloitte, Unilever, and Verizon. Smiley has advised heads of state and foreign leaders about Gen-Z, Millennials, and the future of work. Smiley’s inspiring keynotes will help you attract and retain the next generation of talent, engage the multigenerational workplace, create a culture of belonging, manage hybrid teams, and turn The Great Resignation into The Great Reconnection.
Smiley’s TED talk on “the quarter-life crisis” has been viewed 2 million times, and he has spoken in front of 200,000 people in 25 countries.
Smiley’s writing has been published in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and the Washington Post, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall St. Journal, and the World Economic Forum.
Smiley has sold tens of thousands of books, self-published two books, and received two book deals with major publishers worth nearly $100,000. He has advised over 100 authors, some of whom have received book deals ranging from $25,000 to $500,000.
Books by Authors Coached or Mentored by Smiley
What Authors Are Saying
Authors Smiley has taught have landed six-figure book deals with Simon & Schuster and Penguin Random House, published viral articles in The Atlantic, launched successful self-published books and #1 Amazon bestsellers, translated their books, and even sold film rights for their manuscripts.
““Without Smiley’s Author Course, I would NOT have been able to sell my book in a MAJOR DEAL. He fed us all with delicious insights paired with tangible resources that strengthened my proposal and pitch immensely. He’s such a fantastic teacher with real experience of the publishing world. What I loved most is the community — bad ass humans who are capable writers with original voices and stories. There’s so much accountability, inspiration and friendships you’ll form. Publishing is a confusing process, and it is the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done in my career! Don’t make it even more daunting by trying to do it alone!”
”
“Writing a non-fiction book has been a dream of mine for years, and Smiley’s Author Course gave me what I needed to turn that dream into a reality. His workbook gave me a map that helped me make progress, bit by bit, day by day. I stopped going down Google rabbit-holes trying to find the right piece of advice because now I can find what I need in his document of tried and true resources. The videos were full of useful tips to get me unstuck and enlightening stories from people who have already been down this path. I love that the course gave me enough structure to move forward, while also providing a menu of options and guidance that I could tailor to my specific needs.”
“I joined Smiley's group to be more disciplined about my writing and, throughout the 5 weeks, I wrote more than I had in the previous year. Also, with the editing help of my accountability buddy, I got a piece on NPR! Highly recommend to anyone looking to get to the next level.”
-Liz
“Smiley's author support program is a valuable, community-driven accelerator for changemakers with ideas that matter that want an authentic experience and community to build their foundation and platform as a new author.”
-Saleema
“My book was just an idea when we started. At the end of the the support group I had a network of people pushing me and I drafted the first chapter of my book! This was huge or me! I also met a few people who know intimate knowledge about the subject I was talking about. Just so many many connections I couldn't have gotten on my own. This was a blessing.”
-Participant
“This is a must-take course for any aspiring author. Smiley is genuine, delivers important and informative content, and brings in the most amazing guest speakers. To say I learned a lot would be an understatement. I would take this course again in a heartbeat.”
-Julia
"I got the perfect mix of both new information and a new perspective on what it means to be an author, and exploring the process with 60+ other authors made me feel safe and encouraged in a way that was incalculable."
-Taylor
"I highly recommend this Author Support Group, it was a remarkable experience. If you've been walking around with a book idea or if you're struggling with your writing, this is your group. Tips, lessons learned, inspiration, great networking, guest speakers, accountability partners, Smiley, ... When's the next one?"
-Carole
"In addition to providing me with practical tips for getting a book published, this experience introduced me to a community of passionate people I will continue to engage and gave me the encouragement I needed to prioritize my writer's journey"
-Kylé
"Smiley’s Author Support Group gave me so much more than I could have expected: it inspired me with stories from real published authors, it educated me on the different ways to create a book on my terms, and it connected me with other in-progress writers who continue to support and encourage me to this day. It would have been a great investment just for the resources alone!"
-Lisa
“Smiley demonstrated an incredible skill of effectively supporting authors at various stages of their book journeys, working on all kinds of different manuscripts. The accountability, information, resources, and encouragement I gained from this group totally exceeded my expectations and I could not recommend it highly enough. Thanks, Smiley!
-Jeanine
“The workshop did exactly what I had hoped it would: it motivated me to pick up my project that lay dormant and carve out regular writing time. But I got even more than I expected. My accountability partner happens to be an excellent editor, and he gave me incredibly helpful feedback on my writing.”
-Rhaina
“Smiley's Author Support Group was so well thought out, planned and facilitated. He brought a wealth of real life knowledge, experience and expertise to the table to support authors at all levels on their journey. If you are or want to write a book I highly recommend this experience!”
-Marli
“I thought I'd pick up a few tips on how to hone my craft and how to self-publish. I have gained so much more. This experience taught me how to put myself out there and make my book a reality.”
-Caroline
“Smiley's author group was surprisingly transformative and extremely productive. I was skeptical at first about the investment and how I would like a virtual group, but it was worth every penny and I felt more connected to the group than I ever thought I would over Zoom. In 5 weeks, I spent 50 hours writing and got my book outlined and the first 20,000 words written. I will be recommending Smiley's group to all my friends and I hope to do it again myself.”
-Participant
Smiley has helped over 100 authors write their books.
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) of Smiley’s Author Group is a 98.
Get Access to Interviews with Authors, Editors and Agents
More Testimonials
“Smiley was an invaluable resource throughout the entire book writing process, from working on my proposal, to negotiating with the publisher, to organizing interviews, to actually writing the damn thing. His empathy and sights made the entire journey much less painful.”
-Logan Ury, TED Resident, dating coach, author of How to Not Die Alone (Simon & Schuster)
“The most underrated part of the writing process is finding community. Through Smiley's author group, I didn't just get the information I needed to find an agent, write a proposal, and eventually sell my first book, I also found a community of writers that still supports me and holds me accountable to this day. Smiley has been my book cheerleader and advocate since I first started the book writing process.”
-Simone Stolzoff, journalist, IDEO designer, currently writing a book (Portfolio/Penguin)
“Smiley has been an invaluable resource and guide on my book writing and publishing journey. He is so generous with his skills, knowledge and experience and will do whatever he can to help you become a successful author, speaker or whatever dream your heart desires. His care for people and passion for his craft make it a total joy to work with him and learn from him. Smiley elevates and empowers everyone who comes into his sphere.”
-Jenny Sauer-Klein, founder of The Culture Conference, founder of Play on Purpose, co-founder of AcroYoga, experience designer, master facilitator
“I am lucky Smiley has guided me in my journey for writing my first book. Especially in the beginning when it was all so confusing and mushy, Smiley helped me get clear on what I needed to do and how to do it. It was sooo damn relieving to work with him… It’s not just structure — he also gives encouragement, and not in an overplayed “you can do it, shoot for the stars!” kind of way, but a “yes, this shit is hard, this shit takes work, but it is fulfilling and your voice matters. Hang in there, Asya” kind of way. And you’ll see — he does all of his offerings (coaching, writing, teaching, etc) in a simple way. No BS, humility, simplicity and getting to the heart of matter. This is Smiley’s gift to us.”
-Asya Azar, creator, storyteller, author
“Not only is Smiley a memorable, energizing, and engaging speaker on stage, but he teaches his step-by-step methodology for creating and advancing your writing and speaking career. Run, don’t walk, to work with Smiley!”
-Amber Rae, speaker and bestselling author of Choose Wonder Over Worry
“I've been calling Smiley my Best Friendtor (friend + mentor) for years, as his guidance and support has been beyond invaluable to my speaking career. What sets Smiley apart is his combination of extensive experience and genuine caring—not only does he share excellent and concrete advice about how to level up as a speaker, but he also believes in people and will have your back. I can't recommend him more highly to anyone who wants to take their speaking career to the next level and beyond.”
-Dr. Emily Anhalt, psychologist, speaker, founder
“Smiley is known as a speaker, but truly he's a world class teacher. Whether on stage, in a classroom, or on a phone call overseas, I have been able to apply his lessons to become a 6-figure speaker myself. His energy, enthusiasm, and clarity of purpose is contagious. He's quirky, inclusive, and ambitious. A true pioneer of our time, I'm just glad he's finally launching this mastermind!”
-Cam Adair, speaker and founder of Game Quitters
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for first-time non-fiction authors who want to get a book deal with a traditional publisher, or plan to invest in self-publishing a high-quality book. The course will be most beneficial to first-time non-fiction authors, especially those writing business/self-help/advice/how-to books.
Who is this course NOT for?
This course is not designed for those writing fiction manuscripts or poetry manuscripts. This course is not designed for highly advanced authors or those who have previously published books.
Is this for authors trying to get a traditional book deal or self-published authors?
Both. This course is designed for first-time authors who aren’t sure if they want to self-publish, authors who plan to invest in self-publishing a high-quality book, and authors who are trying to get a book deal with a traditional publisher.
Do you offer 1-on-1 coaching or a group coaching program?
If you are interested in working with me 1-on-1, apply for 1-on-1 Author Coaching. I am not currently offering a group coaching program.
I can’t invest in this course due to financial hardship. Can I still enroll?
I recognize that it’s a very hard time due to the pandemic. If you cannot afford Author Course, contact me to explain your situation and request a discount.
Do you offer refunds or a money-back guarantee?
No. I do not offer refunds or returns. I stand by the quality of this course, which includes 8+ years of my publishing experience, and believe it’s very (very) affordable for the value it provides. However, if you are unhappy with Author Course, contact me and let me know why you’re unhappy and I’ll do my best to make it right.
Can I pick Smiley’s brain for free?
No. Over the past 10 years, I’ve spent hundreds of hours supporting my community and offering free advice and coaching to people I believe in and want to support. Nothing gives me more joy than helping others. Yet, I’ve learned that if I don’t charge competitively for my time, it keeps me from writing new books, it keep me from doing my best work; and even worse, it makes me resentful of people I’m giving my time too. I’ve reached a point in my career where I can no longer offer my time for free. However, I’ve invested countless hours of time in some incredible free or almost-free resources that will help you build your writing career (scroll down).
Resources for Authors & Speakers
Smiley’s Creative Mornings Talk: Write a Book During the Pandemic (Video)
How I Wrote My Manuscript in 3 Months (Blog post)
Should You Self-Publish Your First Book (Blog post)
The Breakthrough Speaker: How to Build a Public Speaking Career (Book)
The Quarter-Life Breakthrough (Book)