Nonfiction Bootcamp: find your voice & finish your book

You want to finish your book.

You know you have a book inside of you. You’ve been working on it for who knows how long—months, maybe years. You have the writing chops and a compelling story that will help others feel less alone. You’re dying to finish, but when? How?

Nonfiction Bootcamp will help you stop spinning your wheels—and finish your manuscript!

Starting June 2021

Nonfiction Bootcamp is a coaching program and community for women writing a nonfiction book about personal stories of transformation. My philosophy helps you to fully own and love the story you have to tell, and supports you in manifesting a sacred creative and writing practice.

Nonfiction Bootcamp assists you in three areas:

STRUCTURE

a structure that keeps you focused and facilitates both your process & outcome

STORY

a story that exists as written material you can work with on the page

SANCTUARY

a sanctuary that protects and upholds your writing as a sacred practice

Why this program?

Serious writers invest in themselves: they attend workshops and conferences, they work one-on-one with an editor, they may even have an MFA. You already know that you have to make an investment of time and money if you are going to take yourself and your work seriously.

Here’s what that looks like for Nonfiction Bootcamp.

This program requires you to:

Commit to the process. Yes, we will create the structure, help you identify your goals, give you deadlines, give you feedback, and edit your work. But you are the only one who can make the time, sit in the chair, and write the book.
Spend approx 25-30 hours a month. Most of that time is for you to spend on your book and you should be prepared to rearrange your schedule if necessary. There is time for your book, you just have to make it.
Make a financial investment. Instead of spending your mental, physical, spiritual energy on feeling frustrated and drained, your investment in working with me and my team will help you to feel reinvigorated and accomplished.

In return you get:

Guidance for designing a sustainable writing practice specific to your needs that works with your life and sets you up for making progress on your book project.
Structure to set goals for yourself and your work, and deadlines for completing your book project.
Accountability from me, my team, and the Nonfiction Bootcamp community to hold you to the outcome of your writing goals in a safe and supportive space.
Feedback, professional editing, and one-on-one work on your manuscript with me and my editorial team.

If this doesn’t sound like it will work for you, no problem. If you think the benefits are worth the investment, keep reading.

Starting June 2021 & Space is Limited

There are only a few spots available and I’ll be hand-selecting those who are invited to join. If you are interested, please use the button below to fill out an application and tell me about you, your book, and why you’re interested in working with me. After filling out the application, you’ll be prompted to schedule a 10-minute call with me to help me determine if you’d be a good fit for the program.

You should apply if:

You want a safe and supportive community of women writers who are as serious as you are about finishing their book. You’re not a beginner and you’re not fickle about your work or your life as a writer.
Your book incorporates your personal story because you know sharing it will help others in some way.
You know writing a book is hard work and a journey. It won’t happen overnight, but you will see progress over time.
You’re a woman who is serious about writing a book, or who has a book-in-progress (memoir, or other form of nonfiction incorporating your personal story).
You are determined to finish your book but you’re unsure of how to actually make that happen with where you are right now.

You should not apply if:

You are writing something other than a nonfiction book.
You’ve been in other writing programs and didn’t engage the process, missed deadlines, or didn’t participate in the community of the group.
You are writing a story about your life to document it for your family.

Join the Nonfiction Bootcamp Waitlist

The bootcamp is currently closed, but sign-up below to get on the waitlist to be notified when applications open later this year!

What Others Say About Working With Me

“Janna’s Nonfiction Bootcamp is not a class about writing technique; it’s a class about the writing process—a delicate fragile process that needs to be nurtured and protected in order to keep it intact. Excellent teachers are rare. Janna puts considerable thought and effort into her program designed to support the writer, encourage the writer and propel the writer toward her specific and directed goal.”

Lori Wald

NothingDoingDaily.com

“I’ve been kicking a book idea around for literally years, chipping away at it when I found the time . . . which was hardly ever. I really wanted to work on it, and felt like the story needed to be told, and yet wasn’t doing jack until I signed up for Janna’s coaching and editing program, Nonfiction Bootcamp. Not only has Janna offered excellent insight and advice into the creative process, she’s helped me incorporate practical tips that get the words out of my head and onto the page. My confidence in telling my story has grown, and I no longer feel like this is a frivolous project left on the back burner. Love the other women in my writing group as well and I really look forward to our bi-monthly sessions.”

Molly Katt

HeyEleanor.com

“I’ve been struggling to finish my book for a year when Janna came to my rescue. We used to work together helping other writers and entrepreneurs get their books out into the world. She’s one of the most organized and clear-headed editors I know, and she generously offered to read the first section of my book. We discussed her feedback over a 30-minute phone call, and she was able to pinpoint the problems and tell me exactly what I needed to hear. The next day, I sat down and wrote 4,000 words non-stop. I work full-time and have a family, so I struggle to find the time. But Janna was able to offer me creative ways to carve out more time to write during my busy schedule...and it doesn’t have to be everyday. I was so relieved to realize that I could have a writing schedule that fits my personality and life situation.”

Karen Beattie

Author, Rock Bottom Blessings

“When I decided to write a book, I had no idea how to start the process. I felt myself on many occasions shut down the idea before I could even dream about it because it felt so overwhelming. I knew then that I needed a coach. Someone to hold my hand and hold me accountable. Within the first coaching session with Janna, she helped unlock the creative life in me that was eager to write and broke down the steps I needed to fulfill the goal I presented to her. Her approach was positive and uplifting, she was a good listener and committed to the process. She was technologically savvy and shared current and innovative platforms for me to market myself and build my audience. Because of Janna I feel successful in growing a community that has access to my materials, books, and education.”

Susan Martz

Author, Aroma Flow

FAQ

What is Nonfiction Bootcamp?

Nonfiction Bootcamp is a private coaching program and community created my me, Janna Marlies Maron, and run by me and my team of editors. It’s currently 9 months and is designed to help writers find their voice and finish their book. Yes, it is possible to finish a book in less than one year—it takes focus, commitment, and support.

Who is Nonfiction Bootcamp for?

Nonfiction Bootcamp is for women writing a nonfiction book about a personal story of transformation. We say the story is one of transformation because often women are compelled to tell the story of something big they have overcome like a diagnosis or adoption or finding the courage to start a business and how it has completely changed their life, for the better. They know that what they have been through can also help change the lives of others, for the better, and that is why they are compelled to write a book.

The women we work with are typically working through major life shifts that often makes the material hard to write because they are revisiting painful or challenging memories. This is why it’s essential for them to find a safe and supportive space to do this work. The work is hard and, yes, can be painful, but it is also therapeutic and deeply healing.

How does the program work?

The program is 9 months and includes:

Recorded monthly sessions focusing on my Structure-Story-Sanctuary framework for establishing a sustainable and integrated writing life for yourself
Twice-monthly live office hour calls with me, my editorial team, and the other participants to ask questions, talk through specific challenges or struggles with your manuscript, and share wins.
Three manuscript deadlines, when your draft is due for professional editorial review and feedback
Three one-on-one calls with your editor to review your manuscript feedback
Private member site to access materials & group to connect with other participants
Option to attend writing retreat exclusive for Nonfiction Bootcamp participants (additional cost)

Nine months seems like a long time, and I want to have my book done sooner than that.

Real talk: I’m willing to bet that 9 months is less time than you’ve already spent working on your book and trying to finish it on your own. It may sound like a long time when you think of it in terms of waiting ANOTHER 9 months to get it done. But let me ask you this: if you continue to work on your own, what’s the reality that you will actually finish it on your own in 9 months or less?

Beyond that, this program is 9 months because there is time built in to let you sit and work through material as necessary. When we work with writers in this capacity, together we often uncover something deep that hasn’t been addressed in the manuscript and needs to be. When it’s that deep, you need space to process and get ready to face what you need to face in order to finish the book, and—guess what?—that takes time. Time that you can’t know you need until you are in it.

What do I need to participate?

This is a virtual program, which means you should have reliable internet to access material online and for joining the live office hours. You’ll also need an internet connection for your one-on-one calls. We use Zoom for these sessions. If you haven’t used it before, you need to download it and create an account; it’s free to download and to use for joining calls.

These are video calls, and it is ideal if you have the ability to join on a computer or device with a camera.

Will you help me get my book published?

This program is designed to help writers finish their book and complete a manuscript that is ready for next steps. It is not designed for helping you get published or teaching you how to go about getting it published. We may look at options for how to share your work that could potentially include publishing but, no, that is not the focus of this program.

About Janna Marlies Maron

I’m not just a writer coaching other writers. I am a professional editor with nearly 20 years of experience helping writers to complete their projects and produce the best work possible. My experience includes time as a magazine editor, college professor, agency editorial director, and content director for a popular internet brand. I have worked on a number of book projects from self-published Amazon bestsellers to traditionally published New York Times bestsellers. I’m also the founding editor and publisher of Under the Gum Tree, a literary arts magazine publishing creative nonfiction and visual art. All of this adds up to a program designed specifically to help nonfiction writers complete the best book possible. If you are ready to join me inside Nonfiction Bootcamp, I’m ready to help you make your finished book a reality.

Join the Nonfiction Bootcamp Waitlist

The bootcamp is currently closed, but sign-up below to get on the waitlist to be notified when applications open later this year!