Map Your Book
Refine your idea and plan your nonfiction book chapter-by-chapter to get unstuck, find inspiration, and write a book that sells.
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Course overview
Plan Your Book So You Never Get Stuck
You've got a message - a story to share that the world needs to hear.
But how do you take that idea all the way from Introduction to Conclusion? How do you fill 50,000 (or more!) words with that idea?
Too many authors start strong but run out of steam because they haven't made a plan. Too many authors have a vision for the end result but don't know how to make it a reality.
We'll help you map your book from start to finish.
Book mapping is at the heart of everything we do. As long-time publishing professionals who have worked on hundreds of books, we know that the best books start with a solid plan.
By creating a visual map of your book's content, you'll always know what to write next and feel confident that you're on the right track.
Is it right for you?
This course is best for those who aspire to publish a commercially successful book, and are open to feedback and willing to adjust their vision in order to achieve that dream! We see everyday what works and what doesn't - so we'll be honest if your idea isn't commercially viable. You'll get the most out of this course if you come in with an open mind.
Who this course is for
01
Thought leaders and experts who know that writing a book is the next step to their big breakout.
02
Aspiring memoirists who want to learn from commercially successful memoirs how to tell a winning story.
03
Historians, academics, and experts who want to write the next Seabiscuit or The Boys in the Boat.
What you’ll get out of this course
Define your audience and pick a genre
Every book starts with knowing who you're writing for and what you're writing. Your book is no exception! Plus, we'll help you choose great models to learn from.
Get personalized feedback on your big idea
Nailing down your big idea is one of the hardest parts of writing a book! We'll spend lots of time helping you refine your idea into an argument worth writing and defending.
Create a transformative journey for your reader
Every book is about transformation - and it's essential to have clarity about where your reader is starting and where they're going before you begin writing.
Learn how to structure your book from start to finish
For every nonfiction genre, we'll give you tools and templates to find a structure that works!
Outline every chapter for maximum impact
Every chapter should have a rhythm and accomplish a little transformation of its own. We'll help you build a sequence of chapters that lead to your book's ultimate transformation.
What’s included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Ariel Curry & Liz Morrow in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
11 live sessions • 59 lessons • 11 projects
Week 1
- 📄
Commercial Nonfiction Genres
- 📄
What do readers expect? Prescriptive Nonfiction
- 📄
What do readers expect? Creative Nonfiction
- 📄
Mix & Match Genres
- ✍️
Which genre will you choose for your book?
Submit by Oct 6 - 📄
Your book is not for everyone!
- 📄
Audience Demographics
- 📄
Audience Psychographics
- ✍️
Tell us about your audience
Submit by Oct 6 - 📄
What are comp titles?
- 📄
Choose 3-5 books that you want to emulate
- ✍️
What are your comps?
Submit by Oct 6 - 📄
Bonus: Choose 3-5 books that your readers are also reading
Oct
7
Week 1: Audience, Genre, Comps
Oct
10
Week 1 Workshop
Pick Your Genre
Define Your Audience
Choose Your Comp Titles
Week 2
- 📄
What is your book's "Big Idea"?
- 📄
Let's talk about your topic
- 📄
Unique Angle: Say something no one else is saying
- 📄
Example Big Ideas
- ✍️
Share your Big Idea!
Submit by Oct 13 - 📄
Bonus Resources
- 📄
Watch the Hungry Authors Idea Lab!
- 📄
Score your own big idea
Oct
14
Week 2: Find Your Big Idea
Oct
17
Optional: Week 2 Workshop
Find Your Big Idea
Hungry Authors Idea Lab
Week 3
- 📄
Every book is about transformation.
- 📄
Map your hero's Current State
- 📄
Map your hero's Desired Transformation
- 📄
Video: Map Your Transformation Tale in Mural
- 📄
Make it concise
- ✍️
Share with the group!
Submit by Oct 20 - 📄
Every book is about transformation.
- 📄
Map your hero's Current State
- 📄
Map your hero's Desired Transformation
- 📄
Video: Map your Transformation Tale in Mural
- 📄
Make it concise
- ✍️
Share with the group!
Submit by Oct 20
Oct
21
Week 3: Tell Your Transformation Tale
Oct
24
Optional: Week 3 Workshop
Tell Your Transformation Tale - Prescriptive Nonfiction
Tell Your Transformation Tale - Memoir & Narrative
Week 4
- 📄
Brainstorm the In-Between
- 📄
Apply logic
- 📄
Choose a structure that works
- 📄
Video: Map your book's structure
- ✍️
Tell us what structure you're using
Submit by Oct 27 - 📄
Brainstorm the In-Between
- 📄
Choose a structure that works
- ✍️
Tell us what you chose!
Submit by Oct 27 - 📄
Video: Map your book's structure
Oct
28
Week 4: Structure Your Book
Oct
31
Optional: Week 4 Workshop
Structure Your Book - Prescriptive Nonfiction
Structure Your Book - Memoir & Narrative
Week 5
- 📄
What's your "little big idea"?
- ✍️
Share one chapter's little big idea
Submit by Sep 20 - 📄
Design your chapter rhythm
- 📄
Video: Hook Your Readers
- 📄
Video: Map your chapter structure on Mural
- ✍️
Submit one chapter map for feedback!
Submit by Sep 20 - 📄
What's your chapter's little transformation?
- 📄
Zooming In
- 📄
Zooming Out
- 📄
Video: Map Your Chapter on Mural
- ✍️
Share one chapter's little transformation!
Submit by Sep 20
Nov
4
Week 5: Plan Your Chapters
Nov
7
Optional: Week 5 Workshop
Plan Your Chapters - Prescriptive Nonfiction
Plan Your Chapters - Creative Nonfiction
Week 6
- 📄
Traditional Publishing or Self-Publishing: What's Right for You?
- 📄
Set Writing Goals
- 📄
Find Your Writing Goals
- 📄
Printer vs. Pixel Method
- 📄
How to Edit Your Manuscript
Nov
11
Week 6: Paths to Publishing
Paths to Publishing
Writing Your Book
Bonus
- 📄
Atomic Habits by James Clear
- 📄
Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
- 📄
I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
- 📄
Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
- 📄
Advent 2020 Devotional
- 📄
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- 📄
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
- 📄
My Body by Emily Ratajkowski
- 📄
The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
- 📄
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
- 📄
What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang
- 📄
Grayson by Lynne Cox
Prescriptive Nonfiction Book Maps
Sample Creative Nonfiction Book Maps
What students are saying
Meet your coaches
Ariel Curry
Ariel Curry
Senior Editor
Ariel Curry currently serves as Sr. Editor for nonfiction at Sourcebooks. Prior to that, she collaborated with authors on nonfiction book proposals and manuscripts for traditional publishers (including the Big 5), and served as an acquisitions editor at Corwin Press for nearly 9 years. She specializes in developing commercially successful prescriptive nonfiction and memoirs. As an editor, she enjoys brainstorming and outlining new book ideas, bringing clarity and purpose to prose, and helping authors build their self-efficacy. She has collaborated with bestselling authors such as Jeff Goins, TED speaker Sugata Mitra, New York Times columnist Warren Berger, supermodel Genevieve Morton, and TV producer Matt Williams.
When she’s not working on books, you can find Ariel doing yoga, playing piano, beekeeping, or reading with a cup of coffee. She lives in Chattanooga, TN, with her husband, foster kids, and rescue dogs, Enyo and Tenaya.
Liz Morrow
Liz Morrow
Bestselling ghostwriter
Liz Morrow is a traditionally-published ghostwriter for entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and business experts. She specializes in personal and professional development and memoir. Though she has experience in every piece of the pipeline—including book ideation, planning, positioning, editing, and marketing—writing has always been the part she loves most. She is proud to have worked with authors such as Grant Baldwin, Jeff Goins, Pat Flynn, and Whitney English and publishers such as Baker Books, Harper Horizon, Harper Leadership, and Hay House.
When she’s not writing, you can find Liz listening to long-form podcasts, rewatching The Office, and drinking margaritas with friends. She lives in Greenville, SC with her husband, two children, and goldendoodle.
Course schedule
2-3 hours per week
Tuesday Teachings
2:00-3:00p
On Tuesdays, we'll teach you that week's lessons and split into breakout groups so everyone has time to share ideas and ask questions specific to their genre.
Thursday Workshops
8-9p ET
We realize that not everyone can make it live to the teachings on Tuesdays, so you can catch up on the replays and come Thursday evenings to workshop your ideas, get feedback, and hang out with your new writer friends!
Learning is better with cohorts
Active hands-on learning
This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects
Interactive and project-based
You’ll be interacting with other writers through breakout rooms and workshop time
Learn with a cohort of peers
Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you