Book Genius Summer Kickstart August 2026 Masterclass + Writing Immersion
Storytelling That Sells Your Book: Building Your Author Platform and Marketing Your Work
Your Book Idea Is More Than a Book.
It's a Business.
A one-day live masterclass from a HarperCollins bestselling author — followed by a 30-day writing immersion to get your book actually written.
Enroll Now — $149 Early BirdJayne Allen
- Harvard Law School graduate · Duke University engineer
- Former entertainment attorney turned full-time author
- Wrote first commercial book in 3 weeks — nearly doubled attorney salary year one
- Self-published debut sold 20,000 copies → 4-book HarperCollins deal
- 5 published novels, 3 more under contract · 100,000+ copies sold worldwide
- Co-author of The Best Man: Unfinished Business — winner, inaugural Astra Book Award for Best Debut Novel
- TV optioned by AGC Studios · Reviewed by The New York Times Book Review
- Featured on Good Morning America · Essence · Oprah Daily · Entertainment Weekly
- Twice earned out a six-figure advance in royalties
- Mentor, We Need Diverse Books — mentee won Adult Fiction category for Penguin Random House consideration
- Taught hundreds of writers through Book Genius since 2018
The books of Jayne Allen
The Best Man: Unfinished Business
Penguin Random House
I wrote my first commercial book in three weeks.
That year, it nearly doubled my attorney salary.
I was a full-time attorney when I started writing. I didn't have a writing room, a sabbatical, or a publishing contract. I had a desk at work, a commute, a voice recorder in my car, and the grocery store checkout line.
I wrote in the margins of my legal career — during downtime at the office, dictating ideas while driving, capturing scenes while waiting in line. My book wasn't a hobby. From the beginning, I treated it like a business asset, because that's exactly what it turned out to be.
That first commercial book took three weeks to write. It started generating revenue almost immediately. Between publishing income and the consulting work it unlocked, that first year I earned almost double what I'd been making as an attorney.
But here's the part that mattered most: financial stability. I'd spent years working for startups — good money when it lasted, brutal when it didn't. Publishing income smoothed the valleys. When I wasn't in a 9-to-5, I switched focus to my 5-to-9. When COVID lockdowns arrived and I was laid off, self-published royalties replaced nearly half my lost income.
A book idea is not just a book idea. It's a business idea. And you deserve to be armed with everything you need to treat it that way from day one.
— Jayne Allen
first commercial book
earned year one
worldwide
+ 3 more contracted
I'm going to teach you everything I know — the business case, the publishing ecosystem, the platform, the revenue model — in one day. Then I'm going to write alongside you for 30 days, in real time, while I'm on deadline for my own publisher.
That's the Book Genius June Immersion.
Three months. One complete writing journey.
Each month: a one-day live masterclass + a 30-day writing immersion + a curated community. Low demand. High outcome. Each month builds on the last.
Into a Business
The Essential Building Block
Author Marketing & Platform
The Book Genius June Immersion
What you will learn — the five workshops:
Most aspiring authors have no idea how publishing actually works — or how much money is on the table. This workshop is your Publishing MBA in 45 minutes. We start with the honest answer every writer has but rarely asks out loud: how much money do authors actually make? You'll see a real author P&L, understand self-publishing vs. traditional, when to query agents vs. when to publish yourself, and how marketing determines whether your book earns or disappears. You'll leave knowing exactly how the publishing industry works and where your idea fits.
Not every idea is worth your next year of life. This workshop teaches you how to qualify an idea worth writing — and how to tell the difference between an idea and a story. We break down the three major book categories (fiction, memoir, how-to) and how each qualifies commercially. You'll learn the transformation framework that makes any story work, and the most common mistake memoir writers make that kills projects before they start. You'll leave with a clear answer: is my idea worth writing, and what kind of book is it?
You have an idea. Now let's turn it into a story architecture — live, in 30 minutes. Using the same process Jayne used to develop Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, you'll build your main character, identify the conflict that drives them, map the key moments from beginning to end, and develop your supporting storylines. You'll leave with 20–30 plot points across your storylines — a working outline you can write from.
You have your outline. Now — what makes it a book, and how do you get there in 30 days? This workshop demystifies the writing process: word counts, the reality of first drafts, why writing is 80% editing, and why overwriting is the most common trap. We cover how to turn each outline point into a scene, what you need in a first draft vs. what can wait for editing, and how to hire a developmental editor once you have a draft worth developing. You'll leave with a clear 30-day writing roadmap and the mindset to actually finish.
The bonus session covers the ethical use of AI in your writing practice — what AI can and cannot do for you as an author, what's protectable as a business asset, and how to use AI practically without compromising your copyright. Then open Q&A: bring your real questions about your idea, publishing path, or timeline. You'll leave with your individual June writing plan, daily goal structure, and full understanding of how to use every tool in the immersion.
Secure your spot · Price increases to $197 on May 15
What the 30-day immersion includes every single day:
- A daily writing prompt structured to move your manuscript forward
- A daily progress tracker — click to log your writing goal for the day
- A daily personal video from Jayne, filmed while actively writing her own novel for her HarperCollins publisher — inspirational, honest, and straight from the field
- 1-year membership to the Book Genius online community ($99 value) — writers supporting writers, all summer
- 30-day recording access to all masterclass workshops
The Insurance Policy for Your Outcome.
Standard access gives you everything you need to write your book. VIP is for the writer who wants to make absolutely sure they do. If you've started and stopped before — if you want someone in your corner — this is the closest thing to 1:1 mentorship available at this price.
"My last writing mentee went from first manuscript to winning the We Need Diverse Books Adult Fiction competition — now being considered for a book contract with Penguin Random House. That is the level of attention VIP receives, in a group setting, at a fraction of the cost of private mentorship."
- Weekly live Q&A livestream with Jayne — ask anything, get direct answers from a working HarperCollins author
- 2× weekly Zoom writing sprints — write live alongside the VIP cohort with accountability built in
- Live manuscript editing during Q&A — submit your pages for real-time feedback in front of the group
- Priority DM access for 30 days — a direct line to Jayne throughout the entire month of June
30 seats only. VIP enrollment closes after the first week of June — join at the start or not at all.
Simple, transparent pricing
- One-day masterclass (May 31)
- 30-day writing immersion
- Daily prompts + tracker
- Daily video from the field
- 1-yr community ($99 value)
- Everything in early bird
- + Workshop recording
- Everything in standard
- Final pricing tier
- Weekly live Q&A
- 2× Zoom writing sprints
- Live manuscript edit
- Priority DM · 30 days
All 3 months bundle — $497 · Save $174 vs buying separately ($671 total) · July + August alone = $474. Add June for just $23 more.
Each month is also available as a standalone. Join one, two, or all three.
Most writing courses are taught by people who wrote one book, once, years ago.
I am writing a novel right now — for my HarperCollins publisher, on deadline. Every video I send you in June comes directly from the field. Not from a recording I made in 2022. From the actual experience of being a working author with a real contract, navigating the same creative and professional challenges you will face.
- Author of the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted trilogy — HarperCollins/HarperPerennial
- Author of The Most Wonderful Time — HarperCollins
- Co-author of The Best Man: Unfinished Business (with Malcolm D. Lee) — winner of the inaugural Astra Book Award for Best Debut Novel
- 100,000+ copies sold worldwide across formats · Translated into Portuguese for release in Brazil
- Black Girls trilogy optioned for television development by AGC Studios
- Twice earned out a six-figure advance in royalties
- Currently under contract for novels 5 and 6 (own name) + 2 more co-written novels
- Mentor, We Need Diverse Books Revisions Workshop — mentee won Adult Fiction category for consideration of a book contract with Penguin Random House/Storehouse Voices
- Taught hundreds of writers through Book Genius since 2018
- Harvard Law School · Duke University Pratt School of Engineering
- Former entertainment attorney · Entrepreneur · Turnaround strategist
Writers who've been in the room
This is for you if...
- You have a book idea you've been sitting on and you're ready to stop sitting
- You have a draft that's stalled and need momentum
- You're a professional — attorney, doctor, executive — who wants to understand the business before investing more time
- You want to know what publishing actually looks like from the inside
- You're ready to treat your writing like the career it could become
This is not for you if...
- You want passive content without doing the work
- You're not willing to write daily for 30 days
- You're looking for shortcuts that skip both the craft and the business
Early bird pricing closes May 14 · 30-day immersion included free
Everything you need to know
No. The masterclass and immersion are designed for writers at every level — complete beginners to those with a draft that needs momentum. If you have a story or an idea, you can do this.
The business and platform content applies to any book — fiction, non-fiction, memoir. The daily writing prompts are structured for narrative work but adaptable across genres.
Yes. Recordings are available for 30 days after the event and are included in the Standard and Last Chance tiers. Early bird enrollees can add recording access at checkout.
Life happens. Prompts and videos are yours to access at any time. Consistent effort matters more than perfection — do your best and pick back up the next day.
Direct access to Jayne for 30 days: two live Zoom writing sprints per week, a weekly live Q&A where she answers your questions, live manuscript editing during Q&A sessions, and priority DM access throughout June. Seats are strictly limited.
Yes — each month is a standalone immersion. You can join one, two, or all three. The all-three bundle saves 20% off standard pricing.
Full refund available up to 7 days before the May 31 masterclass. Questions? Email hello@bookgenius.com.
Ready to write the book
you've been carrying?
Early bird pricing — $149 — closes May 14. After that it goes to $197, and it doesn't come back down. The 30-day immersion is included free. Your first video from the field arrives June 1.
Enroll Now — $149 Early BirdPrice increases to $197 on May 15 · Questions? hello@bookgenius.com · @jayneallenwrites on Instagram
Can you imagine writing your book alongside a bestselling author, word by word, page by page, until you've reached the end of a draft manuscript you’ve been dreaming about?
What about writing your manuscript in just 30 days, following easily attainable daily word targets?
Can you envision having the benefit of celebrating each milestone accomplishment in a group of like-minded, friendly writers eager to encourage and support you as you gleefully make progress toward your goal?
And can you see yourself hitting “save” on the latest version of your manuscript and feeling the satisfaction at that very moment--you’ve reached your first draft word count—feeling the joy and relief of having completed what 92% of other would-be-authors never manage to finish?
Can you imagine yourself as an author with a completed manuscript draft?
If you can, then you are in the right place.
By the end of this November, that image of the accomplished author, the person with the completed manuscript, increased self-confidence as a writer, and a whole new community of writer friends readily cheering them on…can be you.
Get started now!
Your Instructor
Behind the pen name “Jayne Allen” is Jaunique Sealey, an accomplished multi-disciplinary professional who started writing books as a pastime and developed it into a blockbuster career in publishing. She has helped devise a platinum-selling album release strategy (Lady Gaga’s Born This Way album), led award-winning marketing agency work, created her own bestselling novel series, and launched multiple companies from concept to revenue, including a cosmetics brand on QVC. Her unique experience-based insights have been featured by national and international platforms such as SXSW, Forbes, Huffington Post, TechCrunch, and Fox News.
Under pen name “Jayne Allen,” Ms. Sealey is the author of Black Girls Must Die Exhausted. Initially self-published, her groundbreaking debut novel was acquired by HarperCollins’ HarperPerennial imprint in a four-book deal along with sequel books, Black Girls Must Be Magic and Black Girls Must Have it All, and a standalone novel scheduled for 2024. She has been reviewed by The New York Times Book Review, and has been featured on Good Morning America, and in USA Today, BuzzFeed, Shondaland, Black Enterprise, Detroit’s HOUR Magazine, and numerous other publications. Her follow-up novel Black Girls Must Be Magic was recently named as one of the 7 Best Novels of 2022 by Essence Magazine. Her books have sold over 100,000 copies worldwide across formats and her first novel was translated into Portuguese, specifically for release in Brazil. The year after its initial release, the Black Girls trilogy was optioned by AGC Studios and is currently in development as a television series.
Also a non-fiction author, Ms. Sealey wrote and published “Piece of the Fame,” and “Regroup,” both acclaimed titles delivering her business expertise and general advice in the areas of social media, brand development and entrepreneurship. Since 2018, through her online educational platform Book Genius, she has served hundreds of largely under-represented authors with writing and marketing resources and instruction.
A graduate of Duke University Pratt School of Engineering and Harvard Law School, Ms. Sealey spent a decade as an entertainment attorney and another decade following as an entrepreneur, turnaround strategist, and marketing executive, serving as a founder and founding executive management for several companies and brands.
To make sure you get a running start and to bring you into community with a few other amazing people just like you who are eager to support one another and take advantage of the opportunity to reach the finish line…
I have created the Book Genius 30-Day Writing Challenge.
I always have another book to write, so these Writing Challenges give me the opportunity to meet a group of motivated writers and to get a move on getting that first draft done.
So, I will be writing right along with you, and setting the tone for our uplifting writing experience.
Our “crew” will have a private Facebook Group where I will check in from time to time, let you know how things are going for me—challenges, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and an honest report of my word count so that you can hold me accountable as well as each other.
In the writing challenge, I also provide a daily writing prompt for everyone just in case you have a day (or several) that you’re not quite sure where to go on your actual manuscript roadmap, starting with Day One. And guess what, the writing exercises I’ve created are specifically designed to easily get you to 1667 words (roughly 4 typed pages) in a single sitting. Not only that, but the prompts will also create writing that eventually can be re-integrated into your manuscript.
All along the month of our November 2023 Writing Challenge, you can submit questions to me directly, and pose questions in our private group.
Once per week on Saturdays in the month of November, at 12 pm ET/9 am PT, I will host a livestream where I will answer questions and teach on a topic to help bring your writing to the next level.
Here are some of the topics I covered in the November 2022 Writing Challenge:
- Developing Unforgettable Characters
- What Makes a Book Great for TV and Film Adaptation
- How to Create a “Sticky” First Chapter
- Supporting Characters that Support Your Story
- How Not to Get Bored with Your Book While You’re Writing It
- Tips For Eliminating Writer’s Block
- Creating a Writing Schedule That Works
- The A-B-C’s of Editing
- How to Create a Page-Turning Read
- What Makes a Book “Unputdownable”
- Creating Realistic Dialogue
…and More!
I am doing this because I have been there, where you are—frustrated, busy, but wanting so badly to accomplish my dream of writing a book. What I needed most was someone to cut through all the noise and help me figure out exactly what I needed to do, because I didn’t have any time to waste.
And if I hadn’t figured it out, and had people to help me along the way, I might have never gotten around to writing my book. Which would have been such a loss because the experience has been absolutely wonderful—not easy—but, incredible and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
I want that for you as well. We’re all waiting for the perspective that you have to offer!
To register, just click the Enroll button below.
You’ll be enrolled in the November Book Genius Writing Challenge.
Once you’re enrolled in the course, you’ll receive instructions on how to join the Facebook Group, which will officially start on November 1.
But first things first, go ahead and sign up, and together let’s make this the best November we’ve had in years!
Can’t wait to see you there!
Frequently Asked Questions
Logistics:
The November 2023 Writing Challenge Livestreams will take place on Saturday mornings during the month of November at 12 pm ET/9 am PT. To access the livestreams, you’ll just come right here to the course page and click on the "Saturday Livestream" Lesson for the week as appropriate. In case you miss a Livestream, you’ll be able to access it as a recording.
You’ll be able to submit questions for the weekly Livestream during the Livestream, or through the Course portal as well as the private Facebook group.
Any questions? See the FAQ's below.