The Story Cartel Course opens for enrollment on Wednesday, May 21. Through the course, I've always wanted to create a community combining my passion for the writing craft with everything I've learned about publishing through Story Cartel.
I wasn't sure it would work, and while it's too early to tell if the course is a success yet, after working with over 200 writers, the signs are promising.
Let me take a second to brag about my students (or, as we like to call ourselves, my fellow Cartelistas).
1. Story Cartel Course Alumni Have Launched Books…
Here are just a few authors have launched their books since taking the course:
- Sunny Henderson's Daniel the Drawer
- Audrey Chin's As the Heart Bones Break
- Birgitte Rasine's lyrical novella The Seventh Crane
- Jeff Elkin's book of literary short stories, B-More Stories
- M.C. Muhlenkamp's Markram Battles.
2. Signed Publishing Deals…
Several Story Cartel Course alumni have signed publishing deals. Not with gimmicky hybrid publishers, but with successful, traditional publishers.
3. Built Their Audience Online…
Others have started to build their audience online, launching blogs like Mirel Abeles' Stories Worth Sharing. Pamela Hodges' blog was even discovered by The Huffington Post, who featured her on HuffPost Live.
4. Finally Found Their Writing Community.
Many writers who have taken the Story Cartel Course have finally found their writing community, bonding over email and Skype with other authors in Los Angeles, Jerusalem, Singapore, and Australia.
Here are two writers in particular who discovered how community could impact their writing through the Story Cartel Course. Is the course working? You tell me.
Sunny Henderson, Published Author
sjhenderson.net || @SunnyJHenderson
In October 2013, Sunny published her new book Daniel the Draw-er, a novel a nine-year-old boy who can bring anything he dreams to life with his magic pencil, from talking cats to four-eyed aliens from the planet Beezo. The book came directly out of the Story Cartel Course.
She says she “never intended the story to be anything more than a Story Cartel course exercise. Yes, that's right. A Story Cartel exercise.” But the course lessons and the relationships she made with her fellow classmates inspired her to turn her simple story into a very real book.
“My real challenge was the completion of all of those nitty-gritty details, such as cover design, editing, and formatting. I allowed fear of those details to hold me back for too long, and I decided enough was enough…. I couldn't have done it without the help of the connections I made through and because of the Story Cartel course.”
Learn more about Daniel the Draw-er and start reading it here.
James Hall, Writing Community Leader
A few weeks after finishing the Story Cartel Course, James Hall started Skywriters, a writing group that meets regularly on Skype and Facebook. They started small but now have over twenty members from all over the world.
“It was the constant suggestions from the Story Cartel course to form a group that meets regularly that finally spurred me to search for a way to include the many writers I had already met,” James told me. “Why not take it to a different level?”
“Cartel is an awkward word that, to me, represents the friends that share similar interests in life. Every writer embarks on a pilgrimage. He sets out alone in this quest, thinking his only companions will be his own two feet. He is surprised when he finds others on the same road, some that have been all across the world, others who are just starting out, just like him. Each person we walk beside, share stories with, and that aids us on our pilgrimage is friend. When these friends gather together, you have a Cartel.”
Follow James Hall's blog and check the Skywriters Facebook group here.
Apply To Win a Scholarship to the Story Cartel Course
I want to open the Story Cartel Course to talented who might not be able to afford it. While the course normally costs $199 or more, we will be giving away three full scholarships to writers we believe in.
Here's how to qualify:
- First, share the course home page with your audience on Twitter and Facebook.
- Then, fill out the scholarship application.
- The deadline to apply is Monday, May 19 at 11:59 pm EST.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you!
I want the Story Cartel Course to be more than a bunch of lessons about writing and publishing. I want it to be a guild, a Cartel, a group of writers who actively choose to help each other build their audiences, improve at the craft, and share their writing with the world. We would be honored to have you.
Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris, a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).
Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.
Shared the course homepage on Facebook and WordPress. I don’t have Twitter, yet. I’m behind the times.
That’s more than fine, James. Thanks! Excited to see what you wrote.
Joe! This is so awesome and generous of you. A scholarship! Wow. I think the idea of the Story Cartel itself (the website where you share your work and read books in exchange for reviews) is awesome! And I didn’t know you also had this course! I just shared everything with my facebook and twitter following, and applied for one of the scholarships! I am just glad to be able to connect with your blog in this one way, even if I don’t end up getting the scholarship. I am grateful for the opportunity~!
Awesome, Jesicka. Excited to read your application. 🙂
I think it’s a great idea
hope that you succeed
I ‘m glad that I know about it (Story Cartel and schlorships)
and that everything gets done that you need
Thanks Jim. Me too!
from what I’ve seen online
from folks like Jesicka and James
looks like things are going real well
makes me want to shout, H A Y !
thanks for the opportunity,
jay calocci@gmail.com
Thanks for the plug, Joe. I just have to reiterate for everyone: the course provides wonderful incentive in many different areas from writing, to publishing, to setting up a blog. But the greatest advantage is the wonderful community that it builds. I was in on the original course, then retook it again when it was offered. Each time I have come out with new friends, new insights and a growing group of people who support each other. Invaluable!
You’re the best kind of “student” to have, Mirel (quotes because I learn so much from you). I’m honored to know you.
Now you’re making me blush… and curious. What have you learned from me? BTW, there’s a verse in the Mishna tractate “Pirkei Avot” (Ethics of the Fathers) which says “I gained much knowledge from my teachers, but from
my students more than from any of them.” (sounds so much better in the original Hebrew, sigh). Luckiest thing for me was stumbling across the Write Practice and meeting you. Mutual fan club 🙂
I actually know that quote from the Mishna (and I think I quoted it in a post somewhere or other)!
You’re just too smart! See, I have nothing left to teach you 😉
Thank you Joe for mentioning my blog.
Your course is worth every penny and dime. It is very kind of you to give scholarships.
Thanks Pamela. Proud of what you’re doing. 🙂
I’ve searched a couple of places and can’t seem to find the cost of the course. Will you point me to the link please? Thanks!
Above:
Thanks James. Grace, what he said. 🙂
Hi Joe! Big fan of yours, here. You are always helping people.
One question:
Facebook is my preferred social media and I “liked” the Story Cartel course with the link at the bottom of the course home page. I didn’t see an option to “share,” though, so does “liking” it count?
Liking is perfect. Thanks Karl. 🙂
What a wonderful initiative. A friend pointed me to this page and I’d love to be a part of the course. (and yes, I tweeted, G+ -ed and Facebooked :-)) Thank you, Joe!
Hi Joe. Were the scholarship winners already announced? Thanks!
Hello Joe! I have a question: If you happen to be one of those rare people who has neither a Facebook nor a twitter, does that mean they are not applicable for the scholarship?
No problem, Catherine. Just leave the Twitter link blank. If you don’t have a website at all, then you should get one! If you’re a writer today without a blog (which are free and easy to setup) then you’re missing out on reaching your audience. But if you still don’t have one, just put N/A. Thanks!
Follow up question: is the application due Saturday May 17th or Monday May 19th??
Sorry! Monday May 19.
Dates are my nemeses. Thanks for helping clarify that (it’s been fixed in the post).
Hi Joe, thank you so much for offering these scholarships! I’m sure many writers are vying for a spot and are looking forward to the support, community-building, and valuable knowledge it has to offer.
I gotta be honest that I was pretty nervous about sending in my application, but I’m done with passivity and just had to give this a fighting chance. I love my work as a creative writer too much to not jump at the opportunity to read, critique, and help others in their own creative journeys. 🙂
The best of luck to everyone!
I love your attitude Stef. You can’t receive if you don’t ask, right?
Of the major events on my path to becoming a better writer, getting a scholarship to the Story Cartel Course has been one of the most important. Be sure to sign up for it, because it was worthwhile. I’ll see you there.
Thanks for mentioning the Skywriters, Joe. Also note that Sunny and Mirel, mentioned above, are active members in our group. Katie Hamer, Karl Tobar, among others, I met here on The Write Practice. You’re a great mentor and a great friend. Your humble sites have helped so many writers find their way. Thank you.
I applied for the scholarship, and though I am not certain that my chances of acceptance are all that high, I am proud of myself for going after something so wonderful as this. As many here have previously stated, it is better to have tried and failed rather than having never tried and be constantly plagued by “What if?”. Thank you ever so much for this wonderful opportunity Joe.
Of course, Catherine. Thank YOU!