I co-founded Write Up with Kelsey Erin Shipman to create the kind of writing community I wished I’d had when I was starting out: a warm, welcoming space full of smart conversations, generous writers, practical resources, and real connection.
Through live classes, conversations with publishing pros, craft workshops, and plenty of encouragement, we help writers learn, grow, find their people, and keep going. Whether you’re just getting started or have been at this for years, we’d love to have you.
Come Join Us
Have a nonfiction book idea you can’t stop thinking about? Let’s make it happen.
Our Book Proposal Intensive is a supportive, hands-on program designed to help you turn your big idea into a compelling book proposal. We’ll dig into everything from shaping your concept and finding your audience to navigating the publishing world, with thoughtful feedback, expert guidance, and a wonderful community of fellow writers cheering you on.
We walk you through each book proposal section and provide detailed feedback.
Our goal is to make a daunting dream feel exciting, possible, and within reach.
Explore the Book Proposal Intensive
“Kelsey and Hannah bring so much empathy, intelligence and experience, and they are always willing to answer questions outside of class. It’s clear they love this job, and no one should hesitate to sign up.”
— Mary MacVean, Journalist“What a gift it is to be a part of the Write Up family. Kelsey and Hannah do a wonderful job of pulling the curtain back on the publishing process and creating a warm, respectful, and supportive community of writers from around the world. It’s clear that Kelsey and Hannah have considerable experience to share and countless contacts to draw upon to help writers feel supported.”
— Alyson Mosquera Dutemple, Novelist“Worth every single second of time! Not only was Hannah and Kelsey’s expertise in publishing and writing so valuable at helping me clarify the goals for my project, but they are so down to earth, encouraging, and relatable, it squashed every ounce of intimidation I felt for the publishing process.”
— Kellye Smith, Memoir
Step-by-step guidance on how to write your book proposal from start to finish.
12-weeks to refine every section of your book proposal within a supportive community and a BONUS week with TWO agent pitch sessions.
Kelsey and Hannah bring a wealth of industry experience and a supportive, hands-on approach to their intensive Book Proposal Workshop. For them, it's about more than just The Deal - they truly care about your writing career and lifelong artistic goals.
Kelsey is a seasoned educator with 15+ years of experience across schools and universities as well as a professional ghostwriter of cookbooks, memoirs, and other nonfiction texts with dozens of happy clients. She is particularly adept at guiding first-time authors through the complexities of the publishing process.
Hannah is a two-time bestselling author of memoirs Feast and Plenty, with work featured in New York Magazine, Bon Appétit, and VICE. She has taught writing classes both in New York City and online, helping students land book deals and freelance writing opportunities.
Experts on Your Side
Together, we offer a unique blend of expertise and mentorship, ensuring each participant receives personalized guidance to craft a compelling, market-ready book proposal. Whether you’re writing nonfiction, memoir, or narrative nonfiction, you’ll receive expert instruction, personalized feedback, and practical tools to develop every component—from your overview and target audience to competitive titles, marketing plan, and sample chapters. By the end of the course, you’ll have a complete, polished proposal ready to pitch to agents or publishers. Our job is to help you position the book you want to write within the existing market – not write the book someone somewhere told you the market wants. We know that in order to write and promote a book, you need deep commitment to your project. And, that only comes from aligning your head and your heart.
We will help you write the book that only you can write AND find the right people to shepherd it into the world.
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