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Dear Writer,

The self-publishing revolution has made it possible for passionate writers with a message and a story to tell to see their work in print.

But many of the gifts that publishing success claims to promise—income, recognition, a large, passionate readership, mainstream media coverage—remain elusive to most self-published writers.

While courses claim to offer the secrets to self-publishing success, the fact is that mainstream publishing houses still hold the “keys to the kingdom” for virtually all aspiring authors.

Here are a few of the key differences between self-publishing and publishing:

• Quantity: Self-published authors order copies in the dozens or hundreds, published authors have their works produced in the thousands, tens of thousands or more

• Media: Publishers have dedicated teams who spend years establishing relationships with mainstream media gatekeepers

• Authority: The prestige and exposure of being published by a mainstream house establishes your expert credibility in your field, leading to myriad other opportunities

• Revenue: While self-published authors keep a greater cut of their work, this seldom compares to quantitative advantage that mainstream publishing provides. 

• Quality: Hold a book in your hands, and you can tell 99 times out of 100 whether it is self-published or created by an expert, professional publishing house

• Distribution: For self-published authors, online is normally the only way to go. It takes an established distribution operation to get your books into the high-street stores. 

• Editorial: Working with a mainstream publisher gives you a professional second opinion who can help you sharpen your message, avoid mistakes, and make sure your work is having the impact you want it to

• Focus: Self-publishing means you have to handle all of the above and more by yourself. Work with a publisher, and you can focus on your writing.

For the first time ever, we've agreed to work with a small selection of just 10 authors of nonfiction works who have either already self-published one or more books and/or have a new manuscript in progress, and help you take your writing career to the next level.

Our Story: Exisle Publishing was founded in the early 1990s with the mission of giving a voice to writers whom the mainstream often overlooked. Ironically, we've since become something of a mainstream publisher ourselves, with branches in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom. But we haven't forgotten our roots, and our mission. With Exisle Academy we want to guide people who have a message, who have something to say, but who may not yet have the knowledge, experience and industry contacts, along the path to making their book the success it deserves to be.

Here's what some of our recent students have said:

"I contacted the publisher lead you gave me and I followed your pitch process and things seem to be working! You're a legend!"

- 2020 Exisle Academy Student

"Your advice about injecting craziness into the story, to have fun with it and build up on characterization, and to also allow for a more simple use of language, makes complete sense."

2020 Exisle Academy Student 

Most authors are familiar with the feeling of sending out dozens, maybe hundreds of pitch letters, knocking on doors with your manuscript, and hearing nothing back.

Maybe you’ve received a few “offers”... but something about them seemed fishy. So you decided to go it alone. And while it’s amazing to see your work in print, you know your writing is not yet having the impact that it deserves.

Here’s why it’s so hard to break into the publishing mainstream: 

Reason #1: The numbers! There are over 15,000 new books published every year in English alone. This makes publishing one of the most competitive industries in the world. Most publishing houses (and Exisle Publishing is no exception) accept barely 1% of the manuscripts we receive.

Reason #2: Financial risk. While there are some so-called “publishers” who make authors pay for all or some of the production costs, real publishing houses - those whose brands are respected, who last in the industry, and have strong relationships with bookstores and reviewers - accept all of the financial risk. This means they are often quite cautious about what to publish.

The fact is, publishers see books quite different to authors. With this mentorship program, we’ll give you the “secret goggles” that will allow you to see your book through the eyes of a publisher. This will give you the power to make the strategic tweaks you need to leap over the competition, and see your work in print.

You’re a writer. This means you should be writing.

You don’t also have to wear the hat of marketer, salesperson, printing export, logistics expert, social media expert, finance expert, publicist, designer, typesetter, proofreader, editor… and the list goes on.

With this unique mentorship program, we will take 10 authors with existing works that are either currently self-published or in manuscript form, and work with you one on one to help you overcome any impediments that may have been holding you back from mainstream success.

Please note: While we cannot guarantee that your work will be picked up by a mainstream publisher, we will do everything we can to help you optimize for success, based on our 30 years of being a successful mainstream publisher ourselves. No matter the outcome, this will result in more clarity, confidence and impact with your books and your message.

Here are a few things you will learn…

• How to Make a Deal That Works for You: We will guide you through the contract processes so you will know what's reasonable, what can be improved upon, and what actual international standards are.

• How to Write a Pitch For Your Book That Gets Results: We’ll work with you on your pitch to help you sharpen your message and emphasize the key features that will persuade an editor to take a gamble on your work

• How to Make Your Book as Good as It Can Be: In most manuscripts or self-published books we see, there are some content errors or mistakes of emphasis that authors miss, but publishers will notice. We’ll point these out for you and help you get it fixed

• How to “Speak the Language” of Publishing: Stop feeling out of your depth - we’ll help you feel in control of the process, confident that you can get your current or next books the recognition they deserve

• Publishing Tricks of the Trade: How exactly do publishers consistently achieve major results, get their books into bookstores, and more?

Optimized For Your Success: Whether You Want to Focus on Enhancing Your Current Books, Have a Manuscript that is Ready to Go, or You’re Looking Forward to Your Next Book, You’ll Receive Bespoke Coaching That Speaks to YOUR Goals.

• Before December 1: Secure one of only 10 spots to be personally mentored by Exisle Publishing’s senior editorial and publishing executives.

• Within 48 Hours of Sign-Up: A member of our team will reach out and send you our comprehensive Author Survey. Here, you will tell us about where you are now, and where you want to be as a result of this program. You can also send through any existing material for review, including manuscripts of unpublished works, and/or digital versions of your self-published book(s) you’d like to work on with Exisle. 
  
  
• Within 7 Days of Sign-Up: "Meet" Your Assigned Mentor: Based on the goals your laid out in your Author Survey, you will be assigned as a personal publishing mentor a senior executive from Exisle Publishing. Your will be able to contact this mentor directly to discuss your works and answer your burning questions, while they will set about reading and discovering the materials you have provided. 

• Before December 20: Receive Your Initial “Focus Package:”
  After reading your author survey and making an initial review of your works, we will send you a selection of training material from our extensive library, and may allocate you a small assignment to complete at your own pace over the holiday season. Meanwhile, your mentor will set about diving deeper into your works, your goals, and the market space you’re in, and start preparing your comprehensive strategic assessment. You may receive and ask follow-up questions via email until December 20, when our offices close for the holiday season.

• From January 15: Receive Your Comprehensive Strategic Publishing Plan
  After the holidays, you will have completed your small, relevant assignment and your mentor will now be intimately familiar with your market space and goals. You will receive a comprehensive review document outlining your current strengths, weaknesses and proposed action steps. This feedback is designed to help you identify any impediments in your work, build on your strengths, and optimize for publishing success. Like a roadmap to your publishing goals, it will give you clarity and confidence to move forward and achieve your desired outcomes as an author.

• Until January 30: Having received your strategic review, you can then schedule a 60 minute 1:1 Skype/Zoom strategy session with your assigned mentor who will coach you through the next steps you need to take to bring your work up to a major commercial level. You will be able to ask any questions you have, and take advantage of this rare opportunity to speak with an experienced publisher who has taken the time to familiarize him/herself with your work and your goals.

As well as these formal contacts, it is Exisle Academy’s practice to have an additional informal set of communications with our clients including emails and sometimes the additional phone call. You will be part of our family, at least for a while, and we will make your success our #1 priority.

For VIP Support, Please Contact Exisle Academy Program Coordinator Nathan Thomas at [email protected]