Do you dream of walking into a bookstore and seeing your story on the shelf?
We know that feeling.
The longing to get your book idea out of your head and into print, the pull to tell your story to the world.
We know what it’s like to meander into bookstores and libraries, looking for where your book would be, if only you could figure out how to write it.
But dreaming alone won’t get your book finished.
Here’s what works better than just hoping and dreaming:
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- A step-by-step proven roadmap (with a 92% success rate!) to take you from idea to published book.
- Coaches with a track record of success who will hold you accountable and help you find your own creative rhythm.
- A community of supportive fellow aspiring authors to keep you company and cheer you on.
If writing a book was as easy as simply sitting your butt in that chair and doing the darn thing, you’d have done it by now.
WYFBA has everything you need to make your book writing dreams a reality. And a 92% success rate to prove it!
It feels good to know there is a process. I go to other writing events and it’s all craft and no structure. I love that WYFBA gives me both the ability to be feeling around in the creative dark and shows me the steps to get out.
Writing is thought of as a solitary experience, but it wasn’t until I had to be accountable to a group of people and my coach that I was able to write my first novel. And this is coming from someone who studied creative writing in college and grad school! I simply was never going to write my novel until I joined WYFBA.
Write Your Friggin’ Book Already!
Join the best writing support group on the internet.
Monthly Membership
Includes a one-time $200 initiation fee to join.- Full access to a robust classroom with courses to support you at each step of the book writing journey, plus more coming to fit your specific needs.
- A step-by-step roadmap with everything you need to go from idea to published book that we call The WYFBA Success Path.
- Group coaching calls once a month with story expert and WYFBA founder Lauren Marie Fleming.
- Writing accountability sprints twice a week on Monday evenings (hosted by Mars) and Saturday mornings (hosted by Jess).
- Community managers and mentors here to help hold you accountable and check in with you. They have each gone through the WYFBA program at least twice and are here to help you write your book too.
- A diverse community of writers and online support group so you can make friends and get the accountability you need.
Yearly Membership
No initiation fee – save $200!- Full access to a robust classroom with courses to support you at each step of the book writing journey, plus more coming to fit your specific needs.
- A step-by-step roadmap with everything you need to go from idea to published book that we call The WYFBA Success Path.
- Group coaching calls once a month with story expert and WYFBA founder Lauren Marie Fleming.
- Writing accountability sprints twice a week on Monday evenings (hosted by Mars) and Saturday mornings (hosted by Jess).
- Community managers and mentors here to help hold you accountable and check in with you. They have each gone through the WYFBA program at least twice and are here to help you write your book too.
- A diverse community of writers and online support group so you can make friends and get the accountability you need.
- NO INITIATION FEE WHEN YOU JOIN YEARLY.
What’s included in WYFBA:
- Step-by-step roadmap to take you from idea to publishable book. Our trademarked Write Your Friggin’ Book Already® success system has a 92% SUCCESS RATE!
- Cohort of diverse writers all going through the book writing process with you at the same time. Not only does this help you feel less alone, it also provides incentive and motivation for you to push through writers block and hit deadlines.
- Monthly group coaching calls with Lauren to support you in every part of the book writing process, connect you with fellow writers and give you concrete and tangible tools to make your book the best it can be. 85% of students say the coaching calls significantly supported them actually writing a book.
- Virtual classroom full of supportive material to teach you how to write, edit, and publish a book, plus bonus optional live workshops each month. 80% of our students say they love the classroom material and it significantly helped them write a book.
- The community, camaraderie, and accountability you need to sit your butt in that chair and actually do the damn thing. Including a Facebook group full of current members and WYFBA alumni all here to cheer you on when you’re feeling great and lift you up when it’s hard.
- Personalized accountability check-ins, writing sessions, and sprints from our community managers to make sure you’re getting the support you need to write your book.
- Access to bonus material, workshops, and coaching sessions throughout the year.
- Laughter! Friendly competitions! Swag! We know writing a book can feel overwhelming and tedious at times, so we make it as fun and accessible as possible.
- Breaks built in so you can catch up on writing and life. We built WYFBA for people like us with busy personal and professional lives. This won’t just be another course you take and don’t have time for. We’ve made sure it has all you need without any extra busy work.
This is why we have a 92% success rate!
Press play to hear directly from past participants about their experience in WYFBA:
Yes, you can write a book.
The difference between an aspiring author and a published one is perseverance.
We look at the books on the shelves and think, “well that person lucked out.”
But what we call “luck” is most often actually just someone who had support to keep going when things got tough.
Anyone can start a book, but it takes perseverance and perspective to finish it.
That’s why the foundation of everything we do in Write Your Friggin’ Book Already is accountability, camaraderie and community – because it’s a lot easier to persevere and have perspective when you’re not alone.
No, you should not write a book on your own.
Have you ever started a hike up a mountain all on your own and quit halfway through?
Now think about that same hike taken with a knowledgeable guide to show you the easiest path to the top and friends around to share their snacks and remind you to enjoy the view.
Whole different experience, right?
Having a writing group is the difference between quitting halfway and enjoying the view from the top.
You are 92% more likely to achieve a goal if you have accountability to others,
according to The American Society of Training and Development.
92%! That’s a practical guarantee.
That’s why the foundation of everything we do at School for Writers is community – because there’s power in gathering together.
Think of paradigm shifting revolutions. Think of magically powerful covens. Think of a pride of lionesses ruling the Serengeti.
In the words of motivational speaker Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Imagine the power of spending your days surrounded by fellow aspiring authors all dedicated to collaboration over competition.
Imagine working on your book with award-winning writers and coaches with decades of experience there to help you.
That’s the WYFBA difference.
The WYFBA group always find a way to get me to keep going regardless of the amont of times I’ve wanted to give up on my book.
WYFBA got me to write a book. I feared letting the group down or needing special attention that took time away from everyone else. The program gave me a reassuring space to believe it would all work out.
It’s about more than just books.
It’s about the transformational power of stories.
WYFBA isn’t just a program that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to write a book.
It’s a community of aspiring authors from diverse backgrounds and experiences dedicated to supporting each other in finding and using our voices.
Publishing has a diversity problem that we want to help fix.
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- 76% of published authors are white.
- 81% of published authors are straight.
- 89% of published authors are non-disabled.
- Less than 1% of published authors identify as trans or non-binary.
A lack of diversity in publishing means that people from historically silenced communities often believe our story is not worth telling.
Stories help people feel less alone in the world.
Do you remember the first time you read a book that represented a part of you never before seen? Do you remember that feeling of knowing yourself a bit more, of honoring your humanity, or stepping into your power?
Imagine having written that book.
Books heal the writer, the reader, and whole communities by making us all feel more seen, heard, and valid.
Writing a book is the ultimate way to give your life experience a voice.
Each [WYFBA] coaching call makes me feel less alone in the book writing process. It makes me believe that writing a racial justice book is possible.
Meet Your Head Coach
Hi, I’m Lauren!
I’m an author, story coach, and founder of School for Writers™, where we help aspiring authors leave a legacy through telling their story.
I have been helping people tell their story for over 30 years.
Yes, you did the math right, I started at age 9.
As a member of my local 4-H club, I was required to give a presentation to my peers and I chose to talk about how to have an impact on your audience as a speaker. My #1 tip? Bring snacks.
In the decades since, I have coached award-winning filmmakers, best-selling authors, and world-renowned speakers in the art of connecting with audiences through storytelling – including two years directly supporting Tony Robbins on his content and coaching the speakers on his stage.
I still swear by snacks, but now I’ve developed a proven roadmap to success that centers around telling personal stories that balance vulnerability with professionalism.
Lauren is one of the brilliant maestros. She knows how to direct you to your most powerful story. How to lead you to bringing out the magic in every aspect of your work. I am so grateful for Lauren’s support and guidance … She helped to beautifully weave things together to have the most profound impact. Lauren is incredible at truly stretching us to reach that higher level of performance. Thank you Lauren, so grateful for your guidance.
Lauren is a master in helping you feel comfortable and confident telling your story. With patience and kindness she listened to me talk and then helped me draw out the most impactful and powerful parts of my story.
In everything she does, you can feel Lauren’s passion and love for helping people tell their stories, especially people who are often silenced in our world. I’m so glad I met Lauren and so grateful that she is my story coach and friend.
I know what it’s like to have a million ideas and no clue where to start.
I created WYFBA because I needed something that actually worked.
For over twenty years, I’ve worked as a professional writer, taking all the courses I could find, getting an undergrad degree in screenwriting and even going to law school to learn how to write legal arguments and essays.
But in all of my education, I never learned how to actually finish a book.
In fact, all of my knowledge and ideas made it harder to know what to include and what to leave out.
I realized that my formal education on the craft of writing was wonderful but totally useless if I never sat my butt in the chair and did the darn thing.
One day, after hours of overthinking and procrastinating, I stared at myself in the mirror and yelled “just write your friggin’ book already!”
And that’s how WYFBA was born.
The Write Your Friggin’ Book Already® Method
After decades of trial and error writing my own books, and years of coaching authors in writing theirs, I’ve developed a proprietary step-by-step formula to take you from idea to published book that we call the WYFBA Success Path™.
Step 1: Ideating/Gathering
This is the most underrated and overlooked part of the writing process and something we return to again and again. These are the moments of gathering ideas, defining your creative goals, and elucidating on your vision.
Often times this doesn’t feel like writing. Instead, it looks like going to an art museum or bookstore, going for a walk in the park, or even napping in the sun. Ideating is about filling your creative bucket and letting ideas come to you.
Step 2: Crappy First Draft
This step is all about writing complete crap. You’ll see a lot of poop emojis on your worksheets and in your emails when you’re at this stage of the book process. Why? Because if you sit down and try to write a great piece of art that is profoundly life-changing, you’ll never actually do the thing. It’s too much pressure.
Instead, we encourage you to write complete and total crap for the first few drafts, just dumping everything out of your head that you are thinking of and not censoring yourself. We promise that we’ll help it all make sense in the editing stage. For now, just write crap.
Step 3: Annoying Second Draft
This is the most psychologically challenging part of WYFBA for most participants, but don’t worry, we’ll get you through it! For your second draft, you sort through the crap you wrote in your first draft trying to find the essence of your book.
Is it fiction or non-fiction? Where would it be in the bookstore? What feelings will it bring up in your reader? What’s the purpose and goal? Your second draft is when you start to answer these questions and understand what your book is really about at its core.
Step 4: Defining
After two drafts, you’ll take a break from working directly on your book to fill your creative buckets. Go to a museum, spend time in nature, read books from similar genres to get inspired. Taking time off and away from writing in your book can help you come back to it with fresh eyes. This is also when you’ll start thinking about plot and structure in a crafty way and using a lot of Post-it notes.
Step 5: Frustrating Third Draft
Remember that book essence you found in the second draft? Now you read your book start to finish on your computer, sprinkling that essence throughout each scene. It can be frustrating, reading your book and wanting it to be perfect already, but we’ll remind you that you still have plenty of edits to go before anyone else reads this. Take it one step at a time.
Step 6: Elucidating
After reading your book completely on screen, your brain will be exhausted, so we’ve built a break in for you. Rest your eyes. Get inspired. Study up on the craft of writing in the classroom material. And, best of all, print your book out so you’re ready for the fourth draft.
Step 7: Exciting Fourth Draft
This is when your book starts to feel real! You’ll print it out and hold it in your hands – a part of the process that often makes participants cry tears of joy. There are few things in the world as exciting and fulfilling as holding your book in your hands for the first time and I can’t wait for you to experience that feeling.
After you relish in the moment of seeing your writing physically manifested, you’ll read your book cover to cover, marking any corrections, changes, or additions you want to make.
Step 8: Satisfying Fifth Draft
In this draft, you’ll take all the notes you wrote in the physical copy of your book and implement them into the digital version, polishing and preparing it for beta-reading. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect! You’re not going to publishers yet. You’re just sharing it with fellow participants to get constructive and helpful feedback.
Step 9: Beta-Reading
One of the worst things you can do for your book is show it to family and friends before it’s ready. But one of the best things you can do for it is to show it to your fellow WYFBA participants and get feedback from people who are on the same path as you!
Beta-reading is one of the most powerful and impactful parts of WYFBA. Not only does it allow you to get feedback on your own book, but you get to read other participants’s books and give them feedback – a process that bonds you together and feels mutually magical.
Beta-reading is also a time you’ll step away from your own book and get space from it so you can return with fresh eyes for the sixth draft.
Step 10: Transformational Sixth Draft
With ongoing support from your beta-readers, you’ll now be able to take their feedback and implement it in your book. From now on, you’re not alone with your story, you’ll have a group of people who have read it and can help you make creative decisions. This is the most powerful and transformational part of the program and your drafts from here on out will be more polished and professional because of it.
Some people stop at the sixth draft and self-publish their books, others go on to WYFBA 102 to keep editing and preparing it for publishing. Every book is different and we’ll support you no matter where you go from here.
Step 11: Graduation + ongoing support for your book
Your WYFBA cohort is officially over, but the support we have for you doesn’t end. We’ll meet one last time to make a game plan for what you’re going to do going forward. Some people go right into WYFBA 102. Some take a year break. Whatever your decision, we’re still here to support you in getting your book published and out into the world!
The support doesn’t end there.
Yes, writing a book in and of itself is amazing, but our mission at School for Writers™ is to help diversify publishing, so while we specialize in helping you write and edit your book, we’re also here to support you in getting your book out into the world.
After you finish writing and editing your book, we’re here to support you as you publish it as well, with publishing specific courses, coaching on which publishing path is best for you, and Q&As with agents, publishers, and authors to help you along your way. Whether you’re hoping to get a book deal with a traditional or hybrid publisher or put your book out into the world yourself, we’re here to support you through the publishing process, helping it all feel less overwhelming and more exciting.
We weave simple and stress free marketing techniques throughout.
We know the idea of marketing your book and yourself can feel scary, but we’ve brought experts in to help demystify the process. Building a brand for yourself as a writer is often as simple as telling people you wrote a book, so throughout the program we’re going to encourage you to post on social media about the book writing process, tell friends you’re working on this book, and start really owning the title of writer in your bones. Because when your book comes out, you don’t want it to be a surprise to people, instead you want a group of fans eager to read it.
And, as the saying goes, the best way to sell your first book is to write the second, so we’re here to support you as you start the WYFBA process all over again. As a graduate of WYFBA, you get special discounts and access to joining us again to work on your next book.
Is WYFBA right for you?
The WYFBA community is a diverse group of humans, but we all have the same desire: to be a part of a supportive society that honors our creativity and humanity.
We specialize in working with aspiring authors who are just getting started, but we also love working with writers who have a few drafts and are looking for support in editing their books.
We are not for people looking to come in and promote their already published books. This is a generative, creative writing group, not a place for marketing your products.
WYFBA is excellent for you if…
- You have longed to write a book for years, but never knew where to start.
- You have a couple ideas or paragraphs jotted down, maybe even a rough draft, but you’re stuck on what to do next.
- You are committed and willing to do the work to get your book out into the world – and yes, “the work” includes taking time off to rest and be creative!
- You’re excited to be a part of a writing group that honors diversity, amplifies historically underrepresented voices, and believes in collaboration over competition.
- You’re in this for the long-run and dedicated to staying in the program for the whole year.
- You’re willing to be an active participant in making your dreams a reality.
- You’re down to pause, rest, and take a break from your book at times, knowing that’s part of the process (don’t worry, we have these breaks built in).
- You won’t quit when it gets hard, but instead reach out for support (we’ve got you!).
WYFBA is NOT for you if…
- You’re an a$$hole, mansplainer, pride yourself in being argumentative or are constantly “playing devil’s advocate.” We’re a group of kind, supportive, and open humans and we expect you to be as well.
- You’re the kind of person who would show up to protest a Gay Pride parade wearing a MAGA hat. We’re unabashedly queer, anti-racist, pro-choice, and liberal AF around here.
- You already have a thriving career as a full-time writer. WYFBA is aimed at amateur authors who are just getting started or have only a few years of experience. If you are an established author with multiple published books and looking to level up, check-out our masterminds and VIP coaching instead.
- You’re looking for a quick fix or easy solution. The process of writing, editing, and publishing a quality book takes 2-5 years, depending on where you’re starting out. We’re in this for the long-haul with you, and we expect you to stick around and do the work for at least the full year program.
WYFBA is this really beautiful process Lauren has created that meets you where you are, with rest and thinking built in. I found my voice through WYFBA, and that’s the book I wrote.
My book is going to be out soon – like a physical, real, published book! – and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without WYFBA.
This program will change your life. Lauren is an unbelievable cheerleader, coach and guide and she will push you and encourage you to do things you never dreamed of doing!
If you’ve been waiting to take the plunge to write a book, NOW is the time to go for it! Don’t wait another minute, day, month or year. It’s time to WRITE YOUR FRIGGIN’ BOOK ALREADY!
Got questions? We’ve got answers!
What’s the schedule?
Most of WYFBA is self-paced, so you can work through the classroom material on your own time. We also have the Facebook group there to support you any time and email support for more private questions.
Our group coaching calls are once a month, usually on the second Saturday of the month.
We currently have writing sprints 2x a week, on Mondays and Saturdays. These are times when you can put your head down and write with the support and accountability of other members of the program and our community managers are there to help you.
The schedule is subject to change due to holidays and the needs of the program participants, so check the schedule section in the classroom or subscribe to our Google calendar for up to date information.
What’s the time commitment?
This program was built with busy people in mind. Lauren created Write Your Friggin’ Book Already® when she was in law school, had a part-time internship, worked a writing side gig, and was still trying to write a book. We know your time is spread thin, but we also know that writing a book is a goal worth making time for, which is why we have all that you need to write a book and no extra fluff wasting your time.
The time commitment varies during the program. Some months you’ll have very little to do (like when you are Gathering and Elucidating), others will be more time intensive (like the First Draft).
The estimated time that will require is about:
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5 hours a week of work when you’re working on a draft. That’s one hour each weekday or one whole weekend day, depending on your writing style. We have built in buffers and breaks to help you make up for when life happens and you can’t write this much.
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2 hours a month on our group calls for learning, laughing, and supporting with your fellow participants. All calls will be recorded if you have a previous engagement but we do ask that you carve out this time each month for our calls.
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Checking in on the Facebook group (prefer at least once a week), sharing with and supporting your fellow participants, and giving personal updates on where you are so we can celebrate your wins and help you through the slumps
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1-2 hours a month learning and implementing the techniques, tools, and tips in workshops hosted by me and featuring writers, brand experts, publishers, and literary agents to help you finish your book and get it published when it’s done.
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT = About 5 hours a week working on your book + 4 hours a month learning
Do I need to have a solid book idea to join?
Nope! All you need to join WYFBA is the desire to write a book. If you have an idea, great, but no worries if you have no clue yet what you want to write.
We’ll spend the first month Ideating and Gathering, thinking up ideas and getting your creative juices flowing. Then in January, you’ll start the first draft, which is a dump of all of your ideas into one document. That’s often when people find their true book idea, and so many books start as one thing and end up another.
Don’t worry about knowing it all right now or having everything ready to write a book. This program is made for beginners and we have everything to help you get started.
Do you work with fiction or non-fiction? Any types of books you don’t work with?
WYFBA has both fiction and non-fiction authors in it for a reason. We find that fiction benefits from learning about non-fiction’s structure and non-fiction benefits from learning about storytelling from fiction.
While our book writing process can be used for all genres – and even screenwriting or plays – we specialize in full-length traditional style books. So while we can support you with things like graphic novels, picture books, and poetry, the program is not specifically geared towards those genres. We also do not support cookbooks, weight loss programs, or anything with content that is overtly racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or other topics that oppress or harm.
How long will it take me to write a book?
The WYFBA Success Path was designed to take you from idea to publishable draft of your book in two years. Each book’s path to published takes a different amount of time depending on your needs and the type of book you’re writing. We’ve designed WYFBA to be a long-term membership you can be a part of for years and hopefully write multiple books within the group.
Will you help me get a book deal?
Your enrollment in WYFBA also comes with access to our publishing courses to help you get your book out into the world. We support and encourage all kinds of publishing paths equally.
WYFBA is focused on helping you tell your story, not sell it. We are story experts, not publishing experts. We do, however, bring in publishing experts to answer your questions.
How long do I have to stay in the program? Can I pause or cancel my membership at any time?
When you enroll in WYFBA, we expect you to stay in the program for at least a year. This helps with cohort cohesion and camaraderie.
Life will get hard and you’ll want to quit. We get that. But the goal is to write your friggin’ book! So, we’re always going to encourage you to stay and do the darn thing.
We see people want to quit when they feel creatively stuck. Sometimes what you really need is a new take on your book, loving accountability to actually write, or a pause to gather your life and come back in a few weeks. If you find yourself wanting to quit, we ask you to instead reach out to us for support.
If an emergency happens and you need to leave the program, please reach out to us and we can work with you to pause your membership and bring you back in another year.
Do you offer refunds?
WE DO NOT OFFER REFUNDS OF ANY KIND.
Here’s the thing: writing a book is hard. You’re going to want to quit a million times. Our no refund policy helps to make sure you stick to the full year.
That said, we’re not assholes and we know that life happens. In the instance of an emergency, we’re happy to work with you to pause payments or have you put your membership on hold until you’re able to join another cohort. If something comes up, let us know. We’ll work with you.
Do you offer scholarships?
We know the value of Write Your Friggin’ Book Already™ is above and beyond the price you pay to be a member. However, we also know that access to resources are often limited for those of us in historically marginalized communities, so we offer 10% of our spots in WYFBA as scholarships.
If you are interested in a scholarship, please email courses@laurenmariefleming.com with the subject line “SCHOLARSHIP” and we will send you more information.
What’s your success rate?
WYFBA currently has a 92% success rate and we’re pretty darn proud of that! We want to add you to our list of successes, so we will go above and beyond to help you get your story out of your head and onto the page.
Still got questions?
Email us at courses@laurenmariefleming.com or contact us below and we'll get back to you ASAP.
I’ve had the honor of working alongside Lauren creating different speeches for various topics around the world. One of her super powers is being able to bring out the creative genius in others so that they can express themselves to their fullest!
Spend time with, listen to, or read the words of Lauren Marie Fleming and she’ll do one thing – serve you the permission you’ve been looking for on a decadent golden platter. Her work allows all of us to be unapologetically ourselves, no matter what size, shape, color or flavor we come in. The world needs more Lauren Marie Fleming.
Lauren is one of the most beautifully sincere people I have ever had the gift of meeting. Her experience runs deep, her perseverance is inspiring. Whether dancing in the sunshine or weathering the storm of life, she is a friend and a mentor – her words are music to my soul.
She ignites a tiny spark inside me to fan the flames into the seldom reached corners of my mind rife with insecurity and doubt, making my uncertainties vanish as my self confidence reemerges and I begin to realize my individual potential and accept myself as I am. I am grateful to her!
I’ve gained so much from my coaching sessions with Lauren. She has helped me move from feeling stuck to finding a way forward by offering a wealth of knowledge, actionable steps, and encouragement. Her thoughtful yet direct feedback is refreshing and it has made a world of difference in my life!
I was fortunate enough to participate in coaching sessions with Lauren. Her advice and insight are invaluable. I cannot recommend her enough. If you need direction, an action plan, or encouragement—look no further!
Coaching with Lauren gives me the same feeling I get after spending a weekend with my best friend, building one another up with unconditional love. In just half an hour, I can go from feeling worthless to feeling like I can take on the world.
Empathic and unwavering, with her trademark wisdom, wit and winsome personality, Lauren’s philosophy and tools for healing self-hatred shepherds us into a new mental paradigm.