Admissions & Finances
How would you like to make this the year where you craft better novels than anything you’ve written before?
Where you receive feedback from award-winning authors & editors?
Where you build a financial plan that will enable you to spend a lot of time writing without becoming a “starving artist”?
If any of this sounds appealing, we’d love to talk with you on a consultation call.
(Only the fiction program is accepting new students at this time, but nonfiction students can still fill out an application to join the waitlist!)
“The Author Conservatory is ahead of the curve in comparison to every other writing course for authors-to-be that I’ve ever participated in or researched.”
Applying for the Conservatory
WHEN TO APPLY
Interested in the Conservatory? We recommend you apply as soon as you begin seriously considering us for two reasons:
1. Many students need more experience before we accept them. By applying now, we can tell you exactly what you need to work on so you’re ready by the time you want to join.
2. While we sometimes have immediate openings, popular starting dates often fill up months in advance. The earlier you apply, the more options you have for start dates.
HOW TO APPLY
We’d love to have you apply for a free, no-pressure informational call with us.
Here’s how our vetting process works:
- Click the button below to fill out your application. You’re not making any commitment by applying.
- You’ll answer a series of brief questions about your writing journey so far.
- If your application looks promising, we’ll invite you to a consultation call with an admissions advisor.
- On that call, you and your admissions advisor will discuss if we can help you pursue your writing dreams.
If you seem like a good fit, we will extend an invitation for you to join the program and explain what that could look like.
And if it’s not the right fit on either side, you’ll still get free coaching and advice that will help you move forward.
“The growth I’ve experienced blows me away. Before the Conservatory, I struggled to even comprehend story structure. Now I’ve completed four full-length outlines, and feel more confident than I ever have crafting sound, heartfelt projects.”
An Old-Fashioned Approach to Tuition
We believe in students working for their education – and don’t believe in college debt.
We keep our tuition low enough that students can save the necessary money to get started within one year of working part-time (even with a minimum-wage job).
Once students are inside, we advise them on employment and help them start their own entrepreneurial ventures.
That way, our students earn their education and gain valuable life skills and employment history in the process.
“I’ve never grown so much as I have in the last two years. And I’ve never had a clearer path to my dream to be a published author.”
Profile of Our Ideal Student
Dreams of writing and publishing books for the rest of their life.
Loves Christ and wants to make a difference in the lives of their readers, whether in the Christian market or the general market.
Has already established a rigorous writing habit and spends hours on their writing each week.
Has accumulated meaningful experience working on writing projects.
Is ready to take their next steps and start preparing for a future writing career now.
(Unsure if you meet our ideal profile or not? Fill out an application and we’ll let you know if you’re ready for the Conservatory or not.)
What Ages is the Conservatory Designed For?
The Author Conservatory normally accepts students who are between the ages of 15 & 30, though we occasionally make exceptions. Generally speaking, students thrive the most when they aren’t doing this alongside other schooling or full-time working hours. That being said, we’ve seen dedicated students succeed while they’re still in high school, a traditional college, or working full-time. If you’re within this age range and want to consider the program more, we’d love to see your application.
How Much Time Does the Conservatory Take?
We recommend that students set aside a minimum of 15 hours per week engaging in the instructional content of the program and working on their personal writing & business projects. That being said, because this is an intensive mentorship program, we can take students a lot further if they invest more time. Students who are able to spend 20-30 hours a week on the program are able to set and achieve more ambitious writing & business goals.
When Do New Students Start?
We operate all twelve months of the year and don’t take a three-month summer break, so we have new students starting the program every month. Spots do fill up, however, and we can be booked months in advance. If we accept a new student into the program, we’ll talk with them about what our availability looks like and allow them to choose their own start date, up to 12 months in advance, as long as spots are still open. For more information on what spots are currently available, fill out an application so we can talk to you more about the program.
Do Students Need to Write Christian Fiction?
Nope! We give students the tools to pursue a sustainable writing & entrepreneurial career, whether they want to go into the Christian market or the mainstream market. Students don’t need to write for the Christian fiction genre. But we will help students who want to do so–and equip students who want to subtly weave their faith into writing for the general market.