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Services & Courses

Ready to write your first book, find your voice, or learn to advocate for your work? Below you’ll find my current range of courses, webinars, workshops, and 1:1 sessions.

 I've spent nearly two decades on every side of a book: writing them, positioning them, promoting them, and developing dozens of proposals that sold to every major house, several into six figures.

Here’s what makes me different from every other book consultant, and I say this as the person who literally wrote the book on saying such things: I’m a writer AND a publicist AND a business person. Most book people teach you writing. I teach you the industry — how agents choose, how editors buy, how the money works, how promotion actually happens, and how to walk into all of it with your voice intact.

Below: the free webinar, the live intensives and live programs, a self-guided version, and one-on-one work with me. Not sure where you fit? Start free, or just email me, and I’ll tell you honestly, including if the answer is “not yet.” Email: meredith@meredithfineman.com.

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Free Webinar: What It Really Takes to Get a Book Deal in 2026 | July 28 @ 4pm PT/7pm ET

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You’ve probably wondered whether now is still the right time to write a book. It is. But the rules have changed.

Publishing isn’t harder than it used to be—it’s more discerning. Agents are taking on fewer projects. Editors are looking for sharper ideas, stronger positioning, and authors with a clear point of view. The books that break through aren’t necessarily written by the biggest experts. They’re written by the people who understand how to shape an idea into something the market actually wants.

That’s what this webinar is about.

Not hype. Not vague inspiration. Not “write your book in a weekend.” Just an honest look at what publishing looks like today, what makes a project worth pursuing, and how to know whether your idea has real potential.

I’ve spent my career helping people tell stories that matter. I’ve written two books, developed dozens of nonfiction book proposals, worked with bestselling authors, founders, executives, journalists, and first-time writers, and helped shape ideas into projects that get agents’ attention.

This session is everything I wish more aspiring authors knew before they spent months writing the wrong thing.

In this free 45-minute webinar, you’ll learn:

  • What agents and editors are actually looking for in 2026.

  • Whether your idea is a book—or needs more work before it becomes one.

  • The six pieces every successful proposal needs.

  • What makes one proposal stand out while another gets ignored.

  • How platform really works (and what counts).

  • Where new writing tools fit—and where your own voice matters most.

  • The biggest mistakes I see authors make before they ever query an agent.

Whether you’re writing nonfiction, exploring a memoir, or beginning to think seriously about fiction, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of where your project stands—and what your next step should be.

You’ll also get exclusive access.

Everyone who attends will receive:

  • First access to enroll in my September Book Proposal Intensive, a live four-week workshop with limited enrollment.

  • Exclusive bonuses and materials reserved for webinar attendees.

  • Early access to resources that won’t be available publicly.

  • The opportunity to continue working with me through live planning sessions and one-on-one consulting for nonfiction, fiction, and book development.

If you’ve been waiting for “the right time” to finally pursue your book, this is where to start.

Please share! And RSVP here.

$0.00
How to Write a Book Proposal: September Live Cohort | Enrollment Opens July 28

Eight people. Four weeks. My eyes on your pages.

This is the highest-touch way to build your proposal short of hiring me privately (which costs five figures — this is the smart way in). Over four live weeks we shape, pressure-test, and strengthen your proposal with the same frameworks I use with private clients: live hot-seat edits, my personal review of your overview — the page that decides everything — a private 1:1 strategy hour, and a small, curated group of serious peers.

Starts Tuesday, September 8 — the first real desk day of fall. Enrollment closes Labor Day. I don't currently have plans to run the live program again this year.

How it works

Each week includes:

  • Live teaching and discussion sessions

  • Open Q&A on publishing, agents, editors, and positioning, as well as your specific projects and next steps

  • Live proposal reviews, editing, and feedback

  • Weekly coworking sessions to make real progress

  • Opportunity to see other proposals being shaped and refined

  • Strategic guidance on approaching agents and positioning your work

  • Structured worksheets and materials


This is not just a curriculum. The core value is live access, feedback, and momentum.

What’s included

  • Four weeks of live programming, teaching, and Q&A

  • Live proposal reviews and group editing

  • Weekly co-working sessions

  • One-on-one sessions (as included in your cohort tier)

  • All worksheets and materials, plus session recordings

  • High-level peer networking within a small, curated group

What you’ll build

By the end of the cohort, you will have:

  • A clear, compelling book concept

  • A polished proposal overview

  • Defined audience and market positioning

  • A strong chapter-by-chapter outline

  • Strategic clarity on next steps with agents and submissions

Who this is for

This cohort is for you if you want live feedback, accountability, and direct access to insider publishing insight. If you learn best through discussion and interaction, want momentum and structure, and peer connection, and you're serious about finishing and positioning a proposal.

$6,500.00
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How to Write a Book Proposal: The Self-Guided Program | Available September 2026

Coming soon! The private-client process, in a box — rebuilt top to bottom for 2026. Over four weeks, you’ll work through a self-guided program to develop a strong, sellable nonfiction book proposal.

I’ve developed dozens of book proposals that sold. Private clients pay $15,000–$25,000 for that process one-on-one. This program is that same thinking — the frameworks, the insider knowledge, the taste — packaged so you can run it yourself, for a fraction of the price.

The centerpiece: a 70-page Proposal Workbook where finishing the workbook means your proposal is drafted. Plus all-new video lessons, my Red Pen self-edit checklists, the How the Money Actually Works module, and quarterly State of the Market updates — because publishing in January won't look like publishing today.

What you’ll build

  • A clear, compelling book concept

  • A polished proposal overview and positioning

  • Defined audience and market framing

  • A full chapter outline

  • A strong understanding of how your proposal fits into the publishing landscape

What’s included

  • A 70-page Proposal Workbook where finishing the workbook means your proposal is drafted

  • All-new video lessons

  • Meredith’s Red Pen self-edit checklists

  • How the Money Actually Works module

  • Quarterly State of the Market updates

  • And more!

What’s not included

  • Live co-working sessions

  • Group jam sessions

  • 1:1 feedback or coaching

Optional add-ons

  • 1:1 coaching sessions

  • Proposal reviews

  • Live coworking or jam sessions (when available)

You can add support at any point during or after the program.

Who this is for

This program is a good fit if you:

  • Want a serious, structured approach to writing a book proposal

  • Prefer working independently with expert guidance

  • Do not need live sessions or group accountability

  • Want flexibility with a clear start and end point

If you are looking for live interaction or hands-on feedback, the live cohort or private consulting options may be a better fit.

“Meredith is truly Publishing’s It Girl — incredible and unique insight about the industry and how to navigate it.” — Program Member

$3,500.00
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1:1 Coaching Session | 1 Hour

During these sessions we can discuss anything you’d like, including:

  • Book Ideation: What is a book? That sounds ridiculous, but what does it mean to write one? What story do you have to tell? And how should you begin to think about telling it?

  • How to Write a Proposal: A nonfiction book proposal is a very specific document, and I will walk you through how to write it. This document has to be formulated to get and retain eyeballs for funding your idea.

  • How to Get an Agent: How do you approach an agent? When should you approach an agent?

  • How to Pitch a Book: Pitching anyone on your idea can be overwhelming. How should you frame it? 

  • How to Promote a Book: Independent book press is necessary. Publishing houses aren’t concerned you can write a book; they are concerned you can sell it.

After your purchase, we’ll be in touch to set up a time for the session.

$795.00

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