The Author Conservatory Review ~ My Thoughts and Experience
Hello, hello! If you don’t know me, I’m Zoe Anastasia! I joined the Author Conservatory at the end of March, 2021 and I’ve been in the program for seven months now. It’s rather crazy to say that because it feels like I started only a couple months ago, but time flies when you’re having a good time. And when you’re working hard!
I wanted to write this post for those of you who may be interested in the Author Conservatory, but you’re wondering, “What is it like inside the program? What have the current students gained from being a part of it?”
I asked the same questions when I found out about the program and luckily I was able to email back and forth with several students about their experience, and when I heard how amazing it was, I decided to take the leap and join as well. It’s been quite the adventure ever since! :)
Before we get to the review, I want to make two quick notes. First, the Author Conservatory is tailored to each student. Depending on a student’s goals and their current season of life and/or workload, it could look like writing one novel and launching their pop-up business in Year One, or it could look like writing two or maybe even three novels. I’m writing this review from MY experience, so it could look very different from someone else’s. All that to say, the program is flexible! And for my second note, I’ve also added different sections for different parts of the program, such as the writing side and business side of the program, as well as the Instructors, community, and the unexpected benefit of practicing public speaking! I did this so that you can read what you’d find most helpful.
Now, without further ado, let’s dive in!
The Author Conservatory’s Instructors
In the conservatory, we get to learn from authors like Brett Harris (author of Do Hard Things), Kara Swanson (Dust & The Girl Who Could See), Nadine Brandes (The Out of Time Series, Fawkes, & Romanov), and more! Sara Ella and Mary Weber recently joined us as well! *happy dance* We also have Office Hours with Steve Laube, who is a literary agent and always has amazing, insightful stories to tell.
It’s amazing to be able to ask them questions when we want to. Not too long ago, I asked Nadine about how to handle magic in historical fantasy while still honoring what truly happened, and her advice helped me create a new story idea dealing with the events at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Another thing that I love is that Brett and Kara are always reminding us to reach out if we have thoughts, questions, or comments about the program and what we’re learning. If we’re confused or need help, they are there for us. The open communication we have with our instructors is amazing and I think it’s a huge part of what makes this program incredible!
The Writing Side of the Conservatory
In my first seven months of the program, I have received A TON of feedback on my work! And it’s always encouraging and constructive feedback. This has helped me think more deeply about my writing and story structure, so that the story is much more powerful and I can weave the character’s arc into each and every piece.
This is also helpful because A) I’m not the best judge of my own work. I can be blind to certain mistakes, and getting professional feedback and a different perspective can add so much depth to a story. And B) if you want to get published, you’ll be working with other people on your story, whether you decide to traditionally publish or indie publish. It can be hard to let someone else read your work and listen to their feedback, but it’s great practice for working with a team to make your book the best it can be.
Here is what I’ve accomplished on the writing side of the program in my first seven months:
I wrote the first draft of a YA Fantasy novel titled Laika and the Leviathan after five months of outlining and then drafting
I’m currently drafting my second project, a YA Contemporary called Paper Pumpkins, which I outlined while drafting my first project
A few weeks ago, I graduated to the Synopsis Stage for a YA Fantasy, Of Moss Monsters and Illness
AND I’ve written concepts for nine different story ideas! That’s coming from someone who used to be lucky if she came up with ONE story idea a year.
The fact that I’ve been able to do all this in seven months is crazy, but I think the main thing that has sped up my writing process is getting feedback from other people! It’s so hard to judge your own work. When you're up close to it and feel like you’re tangled up in a bunch of story threads, you need someone else further away from the project to help get you untangled. Both the instructors and fellow students have given me amazing feedback, brainstorming ideas, and advice when I felt like I was at my wit’s end.
That’s pretty broad though, so I want to dive more in-depth with my own experience:
My first project was Laika and the Leviathan. I won’t lie, I was too confident in my concepts when I went to my first critique call, haha! When the instructors critiqued my work, and they thought that my favorite concept wasn’t the strongest, I was heartbroken. But I write this with a smile, because I re-read all three concepts a couple days ago so I could see it with fresh eyes. The one that I had loved didn’t seem quite as interesting anymore, and the one the instructors said was strongest was indeed the most interesting. At the time of the critique call, I was just too close to see it!
It’s also funny to me now, because the first critique call was the hardest. It definitely gets easier as time goes on and you get used to it. Getting feedback on my own writing has helped me develop thicker skin, which is vital to becoming an author and sharing your heart and stories with publishers and readers.
I went through the trainings and took a ton of notes for the synopsis and outline stages. I had (sort of?) written a synopsis once before, but I really wasn’t familiar with them at all. I love the outlining format we use in the program, which starts with concepts and then moves to synopsis and finally an outline. I came into the program as an outliner, so that wasn’t a huge change for me, but even if you’re used to pantsing your first drafts, don’t worry! The outline isn’t too daunting. ;)
Then when I graduated to drafting, I could post snippets for other students to read, join an accountability group for weekly writing goals, and ask the instructors about any drafting questions I had. This wasn’t my first time writing a first draft, but it’s so great to have a community cheering you on!
I also began work on new concepts while drafting, although that depends on the student. Some people focus on one project at a time, depending on if they’re in high school or college, or if they have a full time job. That’s the amazing thing about the program: it’s tailored to each student’s season of life and their goals! My brain can’t focus on one story at a time, so I’m usually bouncing between two or three projects and have ideas for others floating around in my brain, in classic chaotic Zoe fashion, I suppose. XD This has helped me move quickly through the process of concept-synopsis-outline and onto drafting.
All in all, going through this process has helped me focus on the fundamentals of good storytelling and has helped me understand the Three Act story structure much better. It already feels much easier to find plot holes and fix them, so I know this practice will help me so much in the future as I continue writing!
The Business Side of the Program
In the process of coming up with a solid business idea and working on it, bringing it to business calls to get feedback, and actually launching my business, Sleeves by Anastasia, I’ve learned so much about what it takes to be an authorpreneur!
I’m the girl who loved to try business ideas from a young age. I’d set up lemonade stands on the side of the road, learn how to bake cinnamon bread and sell the loaves at Christmas time, and do DIY candles to sell them to people at my church. I loved doing these things, and usually I did make money, but it wasn’t a lot. My enthusiasm for the business idea would fizzle out and I’d move onto a new shiny idea that would catch my attention.
I launched an Etsy shop a year ago to sell book sleeves, but unfortunately, I had no idea how to market them, and so I made a few posts on Instagram and when I only sold one, I thought no one was interested in my offer.
That wasn’t the problem. I know that now! Through the business side of the Author Conservatory, I’ve been learning from Brett and Gregg Harris about how to make my business the best it can be and also how to reach my target audience. I ended up relaunching my Etsy business and it’s doing much better now. I recently hit twenty five sales, on Etsy alone! And so the story’s just beginning. I can’t wait to see where this business will go as I continue to learn, grow, and consistently market my sleeves.
I’m already beginning to understand how the business training will apply to selling books when I publish in the future. :)
If I remember correctly, I started the business training two months after I joined the program, so I’ve been at it for five months now. I launched my business after three months of working on the idea, doing research, and asking for feedback from other people. I also designed a new logo and had to take a ton of photos to put up on my Instagram and Etsy shop. (That took surprisingly long!) I got my first customer the day of the launch, which was very encouraging and yes, I did a little happy dance!
I’m currently learning more about marketing and working on making a consistent habit of it, which is what I’ll be doing as I write more projects during Year One!
The Author Conservatory Community
Ahhhh, this is one of my favorite parts!!! I absolutely love the tight-knit community in the Author Conservatory. I’ve made great friendships with people by connecting through my brainstorming pod, going to critique calls and cheering others on, and even meeting a bunch of Author students at Realm Makers 2021! (That was the most incredible experience!)
Everyone has the same goal to tell amazing stories, no matter the genre, and when you get on the community, you’re surrounded by people who will help you with your story, pray for you, discuss writing topics with you, and much more. We’re always excited about new students joining the program, too! You might even notice me say, “Welcome to the Mysterious Brett Society” because we have named this place many different things and that is one of them. ;) The inside jokes are everywhere.
This section is shorter than it should be, but I feel like it’s hard to put into words. It’s easier to experience. Just imagine all your favorite people, all in one place, doing the things you love to do, and everyone encourages each other to continue onward. I have no doubt these friendship will last far beyond the program and it’ll be exciting because we’ll all be there to help each other when we move toward publication!
The Unexpected Benefit of Speaking Skills
I must add this section because I’ve become SO much more comfortable with speaking in front of others, thanks to this program. I was absolutely terrified when I got on my first call with Brett Harris to see if the program was the right fit for me. I was shaking and felt feverish and kept using the word “like” a million times, which made me really cringe when I tried to listen to the recording. (It’s hilarious now that I think about it, though!) Now I’ll just calmly jump on at the end of a business call to tell Brett about how I did an elevator pitch to a lady on an actual elevator and sold a book sleeve. True story.
Not that I still don’t get nervous. But I’ve talked to so many people on calls now that I know I’m going to be okay, even if I feel a bit uneasy at first. I calm down as soon as I start talking. The difference in the Zoe last year to the Zoe this year is crazy! I’m so much more confident around other people. I took two speech classes in high school that didn’t help me with my fear of speaking AT ALL. In fact, they might have made it worse.
I’m not afraid to mess up in front of other Author students because it’s a safe space to grow and learn. We’re all there for each other. Being in an encouraging and helpful community makes learning and growing much easier. Although it’s still hard! Brett, after all, is the author of Do Hard Things.
One week in September, I did three calls with strangers and gave feedback on their concepts, and I wasn’t that nervous beforehand. I even did a small virtual conference for the Young Writer’s Workshop and introduced the speakers. I was sure I was going to be relieved when I’d finished the final call, but instead I was sad that I couldn’t do it again. I don’t even know how to wrap my head around that.
Honestly, I believe the two ways I’ve grown the most in this program is through my speaking skills and my business skills. I’ve grown in the writing side as well, but that was my strongest of the three, so it makes sense that I’d grow most in the areas where I struggled before. I’m so glad that I’m getting feedback and accountability to continue growing in these areas as I move through the program!
Review Wrap Up
All in all, this review is a way to say that I’m so glad I joined this program! I could go on for days about it, but this post is already pretty long, so I’ll wrap up with this: I will always be glad that I took the leap to join the Author Conservatory—the friendships I’ve made, the stories I’ve written, the life lessons I’ve learned—all these things and more make it worth every penny. I can’t wait to see where this program takes me and I definitely plan on continuing through all three years. :)
Are you interested in joining the conservatory? You can always send me an email and ask questions about things I didn’t cover in this post. I’d love to answer them for you and give you a better idea of what this program is like! And definitely check out their amazing website!
Also, if you’d like to hear about another Author student’s experience, Linnea B. is going to be sharing about hers tomorrow! Here’s the link to her post: A Student Review of The Author Conservatory :)