“I’m not interested in writing a bestseller…”
Chris slid his manuscript to me across the table.
“I just want to know if this is any good.”
I began editing.
“This is going to hurt,” I told him.
I ripped his manuscript apart and worried I’d never hear from him again.
Thankfully, I was wrong.
A few months later, Chris sent me his second draft.
He had incorporated my extensive edits, and this version was much improved.
But I was about to do something I feared might crush him—though, of course, I hoped it wouldn’t.
I drew a line through the first 10 pages of his second draft and wrote on page 11:
“Here is your beginning.”
Chris surprised me again.
Instead of giving up in frustration —
He expressed excitement.
I had a feeling he could become a successful writer, but this proved it.
When Chris first showed me his work, he admitted he secretly hoped to be discovered, not critiqued. But now, he was beyond that.
Chris would persevere at any cost, no matter how painful.
Today — more than 20 years later — Chris Fabry has written over 70 books and won eight major publishing awards.
But when he approached me with his very first effort, he had none of that. All he had was…
The one non-negotiable trait I’ve seen in every successful author I’ve known or mentored over the last nearly half-century.
In fact, unless you acquire this non-negotiable trait, I can almost guarantee you’ll never succeed as an author — no matter how talented you may be.
I call it The Writer’s Mindset.
It’s a foundational trait in every successful author I know.
Painful critiques, crushing rejections, and agonizing writing sessions plague most every writer.
Regardless how skilled you are, if you can’t learn and grow from honest, constructive input or, yes, even devastating rejections, you’ll likely quit when things get hard…
Leaving a path open for those determined to endure the painful journey to success.
It breaks my heart to say it, but it’s true—
Most writers never see their books published.
No matter how much natural ability they bring…
No matter how good their idea.
The harsh reality is that most writers will never be more than dreamers.
Most will never finish a single manuscript.
Not because they lack passion. Not because their ideas are bad.
Not even because they lack talent. (Countless talented writers go unpublished.)
But because they don’t have The Writer’s Mindset.
But there is good news.
You can learn and cultivate The Writer’s Mindset, and more easily than you might think. That’s what I want to share with you today.
But first, a warning:
This challenging path will test the limits of your ability, willpower, self-discipline, and even self-esteem.
But if you have the courage to pursue it, you’ll learn the most important lesson of your writing career — the foundational mindset required for success.
The same mindset successful authors have used for years, even though they face the same fears you do.
If you’re serious about this, stay with me. But if you’re not willing to endure a personal transformation to make your dreams a reality…
Stop here.
If you’re still with me, our first step is to identify where you are right now and whether you need, or already have, The Writer’s Mindset.
Does This Sound Like You?
I’ve discovered something about struggling writers.
When they give up and quit, it’s rarely cold turkey. It’s not as if they’re a writer one day but not the next.
Rather, they slowly peter out.
So tell me, does this sound at all like you?
Writing has long been your passion, and for a time, it even seemed like a fun pastime.
Maybe someone told you you had a way with words, and you began dreaming of writing a book — sharing a message with the world, fulfilling your purpose, leaving a legacy.
But somewhere along the line, something changed.
The more you learned, the less relaxing and more stressful writing became.
You may have even written thousands of words, but you feared sharing them with anyone. And when you did, you feared criticism — worried it would prove you’re not really a writer.
Doubts crept in. You asked yourself:
“What makes you think you can actually do this? There’s no way anyone will read this — and if they do, they’ll hate it.”
Now, when you write, it seems your brain and your hands are disconnected. Nothing comes out right.
Writing had gone from a pleasure to a chore.
So you skip a writing session here and there to give yourself a break, to clarify your ideas, to become inspired, to wait till you feel fresher — more prepared.
But eventually, those missed sessions turn into missed weeks, then months.
Maybe you tell yourself:
“I’m too busy right now, but I’m going to get back to writing next month when things slow down.”
“Next month” turns into “next year.” And instead of finishing your manuscript, you’re left dreaming you’ll write a book “one day.”
But here’s the raw truth.
You will always be busy.
Right now won’t be time. Neither will next month.
And “one day” never shows up on your calendar.
As long as you hide behind these excuses, you can always find a reason to procrastinate. And you’ll likely never write your book.
But, again, there is good news.
You can gain control over your writing schedule.
You can turn your dream into a finished manuscript.
You can develop the steely determination Chris Fabry used to achieve his writing dreams.
Learning and internalizing The Writer’s Mindset can give you all these things. And I can show you how today.
What exactly is
The Writer's Mindset?
It’s what has allowed me to press on even in the face of fear to become wildly productive beyond my dreams and write and see 200 books published over 45+ years — while most writers struggle to produce one in their lifetime.
Don’t misunderstand me — speed or quantity is not what I teach. We’re talking about one book today: yours. But to accomplish that, you need the same mindset it took for me to enjoy the career I have.
The Writer’s Mindset consists of the most important habits you must learn to become a published author.
People who embody The Writer’s Mindset:
1. Get started (even if they don’t feel ready).
Dreamers talk about writing. Writers write. They push past fear, self-doubt, and perfectionism to get words onto the page.
2. Finish, no matter what.
Procrastination is inevitable, but you can actually make it work for you, and I’ll show you how.) Needless to say, nothing can come of your manuscript until you finish it.
3. Solicit—and welcome—criticism from credible sources.
All writers want to be discovered, but to succeed, you must be willing to make mistakes, tame your ego, and seek feedback from professionals.
4. Submit their writing to agents or publishers.
It’s the only way to know where you stand — and the only way to get legitimately, traditionally published. (Anyone can pay to be printed. You want to get paid to be published.)
5. Use rejections as motivation, rather than a dream killer.
Lessons abound in every failure. You can learn despite the pain, and develop the grit to push on.
The success you could become with The Writer’s Mindset
The Author’s Mindset gives you the power to transform virtually any writing challenge into motivation.
You could…
- Sit confidently at the keyboard, writing consistently and actually enjoying it
- Create a writing schedule you can actually stick to, to produce your best possible work
- Gain control over your craft and actually follow your calling, instead of promising yourself you’ll write your book “one day”
Sound appealing?
In a moment, I’ll show you how to develop The Writer’s Mindset that has allowed me to write 200 books (including 21 New York Times bestsellers) and sell over 72 million copies.
I’ve been writing since I was a teenager and have been an author since age 23, but my first bestseller was my 75th book.
And Left Behind — the mega-bestseller that changed my life?
That was my 125th.
Yet, believe it or not, I still face the same fears you do.
Every time I start a new book, I worry:
- I don’t have it in me anymore…
- Readers will finally find out I’m a fraud…
- That my best writing days are behind me.
But I write anyway.
In fact, I actually embrace those fears as valid and use them to motivate myself to produce my best work. That’s part of The Writer’s Mindset.
It’s helped me get to where I am today.
And I believe it’s…
The Single Most Important Thing You Will Ever Learn As A Writer
I want you to write confidently, determined to persevere.
I want you to feel you’re doing what you’re meant to do each time you sit at the keyboard.
I want to see you achieve your writing dreams.
I want you to feel motivated by writing’s infinite possibilities.
I want you to confidently share your work and welcome the feedback that helps you improve and get closer to your goal.
I want to help you create a writing schedule you can stick to (one that actually accommodates procrastination and downtime).
The Writer’s Mindset can help you achieve all this.
I want to share it with you because it’s been the foundation of a dream career for me — and can help you achieve your dreams too.
That’s why I’m introducing…
The First Course Designed to Help You Internalize The Writer’s Mindset and Transform You From Dreamer to Author
The Writer’s Mindset can push you past mental blocks and the obstacles keeping you from your writing dream.
Hear me out, writing skill is important and always will be. I’ve developed many courses dedicated to helping students become the best writers they can be.
As your skill increases, so does your confidence!
But add The Writer’s Mindset to that skill, and you’ll be off and running.
I’ve designed Dreamer to Author as a single resource to help you internalize the mindset and give you the best chance to achieve your writing goals.
Here’s how Dreamer to Author works
It’s a self-paced 8-module online course jam-packed with 47 high-definition coaching videos.
My team and I surveyed thousands of writers to determine the problems holding them back…
We found that most of those not achieving their goals were simply neglecting one or more of the 5 elements that comprise The Writer’s Mindset.
That means, they …
- Can’t start writing
- Can’t finish
- Can’t handle criticism
- Can’t muster the courage to submit to agents or publishers
- Can’t recover after hearing No from agents or publishers
To become a successful writer, you must overcome each of those obstacles.
I created this course to give you everything I know about building a strong mental fortress that keeps you moving, no matter the circumstances.
Everything we cover in Dreamer to Author
Module 1: What You Must Know to Build Writing Momentum
- Lesson 1: Getting From Dreamer to Author
- Lesson 2: One Bite at a Time
- Lesson 3: The Dreaded Writer’s Block Myth
- Lesson 4: Knowing Your Why
- Lesson 5: The Productive Author Action Plan
Module 2: Leaving Fear Behind
- Lesson 1: A Revolutionary Approach to Writer’s Fear
- Lesson 2: How to Embrace Your Fear
- Lesson 3: How Badly Do You Want This?
- Lesson 4: How to Overcome the Fear of Success
- Lesson 5: “But I Don’t Know Enough Yet”
- Lesson 6: Turning No’s Into Sales
- Lesson 7: Eliminating Excuses
Module 3: Becoming a Productive Writer
- Lesson 1: If You Haven’t Been Productive
- Lesson 2: My Surprising Approach to Procrastination
- Lesson 3: Dealing with Distractions
- Lesson 4: Perfectionism, the Enemy of Productivity
- Lesson 5: Winning the Internal Game
- Lesson 6: How to Set Goals You’ll Keep
- Lesson 7: How to Keep Your Deadlines Sacred
Module 4: Overcoming Doubt by Improving Your Ability to Identify Great Writing
- Lesson 1: The Real Way to Gain Writing Confidence
- Lesson 2: Writers are Readers
- Lesson 3: Developing a Great Story Idea
- Lesson 4: Learning to Ferociously Self-Edit
- Lesson 5: Sample 1-Fiction
- Lesson 6: Sample 2-Nonfiction
- Lesson 7: Sample 3-Fiction
- Lesson 8: Sample 4-Nonfiction
- Lesson 9: Sample 5-Fiction
- Lesson 10: Effective Writers Know Their Readers
Module 5: How to Respond to Criticism
- Lesson 1: Why Criticism Motivates Successful Writers
- Lesson 2: How to Deal With Rejection
- Lesson 3: The Best Way to Handle Rejection
- Lesson 4: Rejection Often Precedes Success
- Lesson 5: The Importance of a Supportive Community
Module 6: Pitch Your Manuscript with Confidence
- Lesson 1: The Key to Confidently Pitching Your Manuscript
- Lesson 2: What Agents and Publishers Expect
- Lesson 3: Self-Publishing
- Lesson 4: Why You Need an Agent and How to Get One
- Lesson 5: Writing a Compelling Query Letter
- Lesson 6: Your Query Letter Template
Module 7: Where You Go From Here
- Lesson 1: Finalizing Your Action Plan
- Lesson 2: It’s Time to Become an Author
In addition to the Dreamer to Author course, once you sign up you also get instant access to:
-
- The Productive Author Action Plan — Think of this as a template for your new and improved writing schedule — designed to get you back to the keyboard every writing day, no matter what life throws in your path.
- BONUS: The Query Letter Success Guide — My complete plan for writing a query letter that grabs an agent or publisher’s attention, including an easy-to-follow template on which you can base your own query letter (even if you’ve never written one before).
- BONUS: The Private Dreamer to Author Facebook Community — where you can interact with fellow writers pursuing the same goals, an uplifting place to find encouragement.
- BONUS: The Jerry Jenkins Workshop Course Suite — Never before offered, this suite gives you access to three of my most popular workshop courses — Art of the Start, Anatomy of a Best Seller, and the Thick-Skinned Manuscript Critique Clinic — to help you polish your skills and give you a leg up on the competition. This is a $497 total value, completely FREE. What you get with this exclusive bonus:
- The Art of the Start – Especially good for fiction writers, we get into everything from research to creating characters to story structure to outlining, you name it. And there’s plenty here for nonfiction writers too — finding your voice, staying motivated, and more.
- Anatomy of a Bestselling Story – This workshop gives you the tools to ensure your book is every bit as powerful as you envision it. You’ll discover the patterns I’ve found in bestselling books (patterns I use in my own), as well as the no-no’s that will land your manuscript in the publisher’s reject pile. Plus it includes a full hour of Q&A where I answer questions from writers just like you.
- Thick-Skinned Manuscript Critique Clinic – In this intensive three-hour workshop, I reveal my proven process for polishing your book so you give it the best chance for an agent or acquisitions editor to take it seriously. I dissect and overhaul the opening pages of ten manuscripts from writers just like you, showing what I would change and why, before submitting them to an agent or publisher.
Things you’ll be able to do after completing Dreamer to Author
- Craft your own Productive Author Action Plan — the plan that will help you know exactly what to do at any point during the process of writing your manuscript or submitting it to agents and publishers (You’ll get my guidance as you develop this)
- Quickly transform your fear into motivation and setbacks into valuable lessons that make you a stronger writer
- Steamroll over self-doubts like “I don’t know enough” and continue writing, no matter what your inner critic says
- Use a silly wardrobe trick to instantly send your writing confidence through the roof (even famous writers use this!)
- Pinpoint your fears with laser-like precision so you can use their powerful energy as fuel for your writing
- Identify the painful truth about why you haven’t been a productive writer
- Intentionally schedule procrastination so you can do the things you love without feeling guilty (and put your subconscious mind to work in the background while you relax)
- Use my proven productivity secrets to sit at the keyboard with confidence and let creativity flow from you like water from a faucet
- Identify great writing, so you can see how you measure up against some of the best writers ever
- Force yourself to be productive — even when writing is the absolute last thing you want to do (Some days, you just have to push through. This lesson will help you do that.)
- Pump up any flat scene in your story and transform it into something that glues readers to the page
- Test your ideas on others — and actually get the truth out of them.
- Ask the right questions so you can create work readers never forget
- Think the way I do while editing — effectively piggybacking off of my 45+ years of expertise to make your prose as tight as possible
- Transform the pain of rejection into a valuable lesson that makes you more prepared the next time you submit work to an agent or publisher
- Understand at a high level how the publishing landscape works as I reveal what I know from 45+ years in the industry
- Confidently decide whether you need an agent (and know exactly how to find one if you do)
- Write your query letter following the steps I’d follow if I were in your shoes
Dreamer to Author is designed to help you internalize The Writer’s Mindset and transform you from dreamer to author
One who…
- Starts writing confidently
- Finishes manuscripts, thanks to a realistic writing schedule you can actually follow (while enjoying planned procrastination)
- Accepts input with a level head and uses it to write better
- Regularly submits to agents and publishers
- Uses rejections as motivation, understanding that No often simply means Not yet.
But Dreamer to Author is not for everyone.
If you’re looking for a magic bullet to turn you into a bestselling author overnight, look elsewhere.
I don’t promise that, and beware anyone who does.
Dreamer to Author is for only those writers who recognize something has been holding them back and are willing to put in the effort to correct it.
It’s for writers courageous enough to face their fears and channel them into motivation to pursue their dreams.
It’s for writers ready to work. Looking for an easy way out? This is not it.
But if what you’ve read so far resonates with you, if you dream of writing a book but have been unable to make progress…
Let me help you turn your dream into reality.
You might be wondering…
How Much Does Dreamer to Author Cost?
I’ve made the price reasonable for all, whether you’re just starting or have been writing for years.
My team and I worked for months developing this curriculum and curating the lessons we believe offer the most dramatic change possible for you.
I’d compare Dreamer to Author to a college creative writing course, which you’ll find advertised online for as much as $3,395 (a 5-week writing workshop at Emerson), $3,351 at Northwestern for a course that counts toward a Master of Fine Arts degree, and $2,800 for a beginner-level course (Introduction to Creative Writing) at Boston University.
You could also compare this to other programs I’ve released, like the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild ($450 per year) or Your Novel Blueprint ($1,997 for lifetime access).
But Dreamer to Author differs from both of those because it goes beyond teaching writing skills to help you internalize The Writer’s Mindset and transform your thinking.
My team and I landed on a reasonable price for lifetime access to the course, so you can use it over and over for any book you write.
You can start Dreamer to Author for 6 monthly payments of $97.
Or a one-time payment of $497.
Again, that’s for lifetime access to every aspect of the course.
So, if you’re interested in learning and internalizing The Writer’s Mindset, which I’ve used to build a dream career, join Dreamer to Author now.
I’ve Removed All the Risk for You
After joining Dreamer to Author, you’ll enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.
That means if at any point during your first 30 days of using Dreamer to Author, you don’t believe it could improve your writing, just email my team at [email protected], and we will promptly refund every penny you paid for the course.
The best part?
Once you join Dreamer to Author, you gain access to the entire course, so you can quickly browse the lessons — or take your time, whichever you prefer — and decide if it’s right for you.
If it is — great! I’m glad to have you join us.
If it’s not — that’s okay too. Just email us at [email protected], and we’ll promptly refund you 100% of your purchase. No pressure. No guilt trip. No questions asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve tried other courses before, but nothing has worked for me. What makes this different?
Dreamer to Author isn’t designed to just improve your writing skill — it’s designed to help you internalize The Writer’s Mindset and transform your thinking.
How is this different from the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild or Your Novel Blueprint?
Dreamer to Author is entirely separate and distinct from both of those.
The Writers Guild is a membership site that releases new training every month on all subjects related to writing. It’s for writers looking to improve their skills.
Your Novel Blueprint walks you step-by-step through the process of writing a novel. It’s designed to take you from “I have an idea” to “I finished my manuscript.”
Dreamer to Author is designed to imbue in you the mindset of a successful writer.
It’s for those who’ve found themselves stuck pursuing their writing dreams. I created it to instill in you The Writer’s Mindset I’ve used in my own work.
I don’t even have time to write. How will I find the time to do this?
You won’t.
None of us finds the time; we must make the time. We make time for what we really want to do, don’t we? How badly do you want this?
Dreamer to Author will teach you how to control your writing schedule, but only you can make it the priority it needs to be.
If this is important to you, join me and I’ll show you how to make the time.
If you have any other questions about Dreamer to Author, just email [email protected].
So, which group do you belong to?
Many writers will consider how Dreamer to Author might help them, and then move on.
Some of those may become successful — but most won’t.
But a select few will decide that today is the day to take action. Maybe you’re one of those.
If you are, make today the day you take control of your writing destiny.
Begin to internalize The Writer’s Mindset.
Begin your transformation from a Dreamer to an Author.
I’d love for you to join us.
Here’s how I weigh such decisions.
If this course is right for you, it could forever alter your writing.
It could change the way you view yourself, giving you the confidence you need to persevere no matter what.
It could make writing fun again.
But what if this course isn’t right for you?
What if you join Dreamer to Author only to find out it’s not what you hoped?
Then send one email to my team at [email protected], and we’ll refund every penny.
That way, you’ll be able to move on knowing you tried instead of wondering whether this could have changed everything for you.
There’s no risk. And I want you to move forward with confidence.