Attend live or watch recording
99% student satisfaction rate
Refunds if expectations are not met
Expert-taught online classes on writing and publishing, hosted personally by Jane
Classes are delivered via Zoom by instructors I’ve vetted personally. About 60–90 minutes, live Q&A, full recording and materials included. No upsells. All materials are downloadable and yours to keep.
Classes can also be an opportunity to meet and share with other writers grappling with the same questions as you.
Open for registration
Read testimonials about Jane’s classes
This is just a general THANK YOU. I’ve attended/listened to the recording of a number of your webinars and I always walk away feeling like I have several practical ideas that I can start using right away, and (and here’s the really important part for me) a sense of optimism, validation, and possibility. Lots of writer-related webinars cast a spell of “it’s all just too impossible, that’s cute you’re trying but nothing is really ever going to come of it.” Your webinars do the opposite. I don’t feel like you/your guest speakers are selling me positive thinking or anything like that, I just feel cared for as a writer. I feel respected. My time and the amount of money I spent on the webinar feels respected. And I leave wanting to keep going and trying, and also recommending your webinar to at least one friend afterward. Thank you for the time and care you put into each webinar.
—Christin Rice
I just want to thank you for always producing outstanding webinars—the quality is always way beyond all expectations. The fee is so small so I hope that you gets tons of people to make up for that. I have seen seminars of this nature go for 3 and 4 times what you charge. And I bet they aren’t nearly as good! In fact I’m sure of it!! So thank you very much—your knowledge, enthusiasm, and authenticity are unbeatable. Never change.
—Barb Wanchisen
After I finished my first draft, and began to pull together a book proposal, I made one decision early on that made all the difference. I decided to attend Jane Friedman University. I took as many of your workshops as I could shoehorn into my schedule. They are so affordable, and always offered at least one or two nuggets of information that were incredibly useful or offered a way of looking at a writing or marketing problem that I hadn’t thought of before.
—Maura Casey
Jane, I have taken a few of your online classes thus far and am beyond grateful for your choice of presenters, as well as your provision of the recordings afterward for those of us who need to review the incredible amount of information and support provided. So many times, we hear or share only the negatives in our complicated and somewhat frazzled lives. In my dotage, I am choosing to share only the positives. Your professionalism, accessibility and website are tops on my list. Thank you!
—Dianne Poole
Jane & Mark, I’m getting in touch to thank you for your classes—not just the one on researching and writing a powerful book proposal, but the other ones I’ve attended as well. You know so much, you present information so clearly (great teaching skills!), you’re so pleasant and polite, and you make the classes fun. And the slides are great and the tech end of things goes so smoothly. So thank you SO much! You’re the best!
—Sue Schopp
I’m always so impressed with the course selection available, and the ease with which participants can access every bit of the materials—video, audio, transcript, chat, Q&A, slides, etc. There are no other offerings available where I feel so confident in the quality of the material and the easy access of all materials. Thank you.
—Shari Kaplan
Just to let you know how much I am enjoying your online courses. I am learning so much. What I really mean is … I am learning SO much. Your course instructors are much more informed than the speakers I meet at writing conferences. I just finished watching Allison’s presentation about pitching and publishing. (In fact, this is the second time). It was just as great as Tiffany’s presentation regarding tension and suspense. These teachers are fantastic, and there is no time wasted. Thanks so much.
—Karen DePinto
I’ve registered for almost all of your classes, but I’m seldom able to watch in real time and so don’t have the opportunity to provide feedback. Just want to say I’m so impressed with the quality of the classes and the topics are always useful. I really appreciate what you do! Thank you!
—B.K. Jackson
All of your webinars are high quality, practical, understandable, comprehensive, astute and affordable. I love hanging out with other writers, enjoy being in the company of professionals whose goal is not to impress, but to help, to elevate, to inspire and empower writers at all levels to achieve their aspirations.
Not once have I heard you or any presenter talk down to or negatively about anyone. We all have the same experience of starting with a blank page/screen; it either works or doesn’t work—no sense of good or bad.
—Colleen Patrick
Online classes taught by Jane with partner organizations
May 15 & 22: The Traditional Publishing Landscape: What Authors Need to Know Today with Jane Friedman
Hosted by Australian Society of Authors: Join leading industry expert and US author Jane Friedman to gain clarity and trends-oriented information about the international traditional publishing landscape you need to know as you pursue publication—from where the industry stands in 2026 to what it takes to secure a book deal, whether at one of the big global trade publishers, or at one of the thousands of vital independent publishers, university presses, or literary houses that take on less commercial work.
May 21: Working with Small and Independent Publishers with Jane Friedman
Hosted by Inked Voices: In this class, we’ll look at how to assess small and independent publishers and whether a particular press is a good fit for you and your next project. We’ll cover how to assess a press’s distribution and your potential for bookstore placement (and sales!) and what their track record looks like in getting books reviewed and into readers’ hands. We’ll also look at how small presses can potentially power your career even if they don’t offer the conventional benefits of a larger house. By the end of class, you’ll know the questions you should be asking any publisher before moving forward with your submission or contract.
June 25: What It Takes to Sell Your Memoir (or Hybrid Memoir) with Jane Friedman
Hosted by Writer’s Digest: While it is possible to sell a memoir today without being a celebrity or having a large platform, your work will mostly likely sell based on the appeal and marketability of its story or premise. In this class, we’ll walk through the real-world factors that determine whether a memoir can find a traditional publishing home, drawing on what recently announced book deals (and their authors) tell us about the current market. You’ll learn the common reasons memoirs don’t sell—not to discourage, but because an honest reality check is what memoirists need to avoid frustration and lots of wasted time. We’ll also look at the importance of small and independent publishers, including university presses, because they represent the most likely home for memoirists without a sizable platform or known name.
July 9: Today’s Key Book Publishing Paths with Jane Friedman
Hosted by Writer’s Digest: Over the last decade, the publishing industry has undergone tremendous evolution due to the growth of online retail and digital books, as well as the power of any author to publish their work at the click of a button. But which path is right for you and your book—and how do you sift through the increasing number of hybrid publishers and services that make a lot of promises, but cost you a lot upfront?
Jane discusses everything you need to know about how book publishing operates today, in plain English, to help you understand the pros and cons of every major publishing path available. She’ll cover traditional publishing and what projects are well-suited to being represented by literary agents; the capabilities of mid-size publishers and independent publishers; how to evaluate small presses, micro-presses, and digital-only presses; what “hybrid” publishing is (or thinks it is) and how to evaluate such companies; and all forms of self-publishing and e-publishing practiced today.
Aug. 6: The Writer’s Survival Guide to Contracts, Legal Issues & Other Business Basics with Jane Friedman
Hosted by Writer’s Digest: If you’ve spent most of your writing life focused on the craft and left the business stuff for later, you’re not alone. The problem is that “later” has a way of becoming “never,” and in the meantime, contracts get signed without being read, money gets left on the table, and avoidable mistakes accumulate. (Jane knows from first-hand experience and realized some of her mistakes when she went to apply for a mortgage as a self-employed writer!)
Most writers never receive or pursue a business education. They don’t know what they can negotiate—or that they even have the right to. They’re uncertain whether they should set up an LLC, what expenses they can deduct, or what to do when something goes legally sideways.
These are not exotic concerns for advanced writers. They’re the nuts and bolts that affect writers at every career stage, and not knowing them can cost you money and opportunities. This live webinar offers essential, often-skipped knowledge: contract language that you’ll see over and over again, common legal issues writers face, and business and tax considerations. There’s no need to be intimidated; most writers simply lack information. You have all the smarts and skills you need to handle the business side of your career, and Jane will make it clear when you’re better off hiring other professionals to assist you.