Writing Workshops with Susan Brown, PhD

Susan Brown, PhD

5-Week Intensive Masterclass on Zoom for Fiction and Memoir Writers: The Secrets of the Greatest Writers with James Joyce scholar and master teacher, Dr. Susan Brown

Monday evenings, March 3 to March 31, 2025
6:00 to 8:00 PM ET
Class is limited to 14 participants
$450

Reading Session on Zoom (optional) from 8:00 to 9:30 PM
Optional individual introductory meeting with Susan (before workshop)
Optional one-hour individual consultation with Susan (during workshop)

​Bring your fiction and memoir writing to the next level with James Joyce scholar, editor, and writing coach, Susan Brown, PhD

In this market, your memoir and novel have to read like the classics. In a five-day intensive workshop with master teacher Susan Brown, PhD, take your writing project to the next level by applying the literary secrets of Western culture’s greatest authors. Dr. Brown brings decades as a college creative writing professor, writing coach, and book editor to her workshops.

To register, email Susan.

Susan Brown, PhD

Andy Ross, Literary Agent

Preparing a Non-Fiction Book Project for Submission
Writing Effective Query Letters and Book Proposals with literary agent Andy Ross and editor Dr. Susan Brown

Monday evenings, June 2-30, 2025
6:00 to 8:00 PM ET
Class is limited to 14 participants
$750

For more details go to Susan’s website and/or contact susansutliffbrown@gmail.com to register.

Class from 6:00 to 8:00 PM EST on Zoom
Feedback Session from 8:15 to 9:30 PM

​You know you need a query to submit to an agent. But if you have a non-fiction project or a memoir, you are going to need a magnetic and well-organized book proposal as well. It’s like a business plan and is the document agents and publishers look at to decide whether they will make an offer. A good proposal is one that answers the questions an agent or an acquisition editor will be asking.

In a five-week intensive master class, Susan S. Brown, PhD (who writes proposals) and literary agent Andy Ross (who evaluates them) will guide writers through the query letter and non-fiction book proposal process.

Using prompts and models, we will encourage writers to prepare drafts of the overview, marketing materials, comps section, chapter outline, and sample chapter. We will also offer tips on the perfect query letter. With Andy, we will be learning what book publishers and literary agents really want, the steps to getting published, how agents evaluate submissions, researching the right agent for your project, elements of the book contract, and self-publishing. The workshop will include a one-hour private consultation with both Andy and Susan (separately) during the workshop.

Andy Ross opened his literary agency in 2008. Prior to that, he was the owner of the legendary Cody’s Books in Berkeley for 30 years. His agency represents books in a wide range of non-fiction genres including narrative non-fiction, science, journalism, history, popular culture, memoir, and current events. He also represents literary, commercial, historical, and upmarket women’s fiction, and YA and middle grade fiction and non-fiction. Andy has participated and taught classes in numerous writers’ conferences including San Francisco Writers Conference, Kauai Writers Conference, San Miguel de Allende Writers’ Conference, Nebraska Writers Conference, and organized and conducted writing intensive workshops with Linda Watanabe McFerrin in Santa Fe, Provence, Kauai and in Scotland. Andy is also the author of The Literary Agent’s Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal and the popular blog, “Ask the Agent: Night Thoughts About Books and Publishing,” which has received over 600,000 unique views.

The authors Andy represents include: Daniel Ellsberg, Fritjof Capra, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, Susan Griffin, Leonard Shlain, Gwen Strauss, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Anjanette Delgado, Mark Goldblatt, Tawni Waters, Randall Platt, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, Mary Jo McConahay, Gerald Nachman, Michael Parenti, Paul Krassner, Milton Viorst, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Michele Anna Jordan, and Scott Ostler.

The Andy Ross Literary Agency https://www.andyrossagency.com
andyrossagency@hotmail.com
510-238-8965
Blog

Susan Brown began her career preparing successful non-fiction book proposals for authors represented by two New York City literary agencies. She has also developed an intensive master class entitled, Begin Your Memoir by Drafting a Book Proposal. Based on Susan’s 35 years as a sought-after teacher, book editor, and writing coach, she will now guide writers to produce their own proposals, including writing a winning overview (pitch), well-constructed chapter outline, and mesmerizing sample chapter. All of Susan’s clients and students are quick to note her warmth, honesty, and sense of humor as well as her ability to help writers clearly “see” their book.

To register for the Workshop with Susan and Andy:

Please email Susan at with your name and email address or call her to confirm there’s a space. The price for the workshop is $750. To reserve a spot there is a non-refundable deposit of $75. Balance is due May 2.

Susan Brown, PhD

James Joyce Meets Judith Krantz: Write a Literary Blockbuster

Monday evenings October 6th to November 24th, 2025
6:00 to 8:00 PM EST on Zoom
Reading Session on Zoom (optional) from 8:00 to 9:30 PM
Class is limited to 14 participants
$650

Are you the writer who can merge the emotional depth of The Scarlet Letter and inspire the record profits of Valley of the Dolls? Or write a book that joins the psycho-sociological themes of Mrs. Dalloway with the page-turning suspense of The Godfather? This workshop will show you why you want to be that writer and how to begin. The last time a canonized literary novel was also a mega blockbuster occurred over seventy years ago when The Catcher in the Rye and Lolita both sold over 20 million copies. These writers achieved what Dr. Brown will guide you to attempt in this workshop: merging the goals of serious literature (thematic depth and high-level craft) with the bestselling formulas of mega-blockbusters in the commercial genres (romance, sci-fi, historical fiction, horror, fantasy, etc.). For many of you means transforming an existing project. With models, prompts, exercises, and feedback sessions, study the secret handshakes of the masters and the money-makers and learn to combine the best qualities of both without sacrificing quality. Give readers what they’ve always wanted: prize-winning and meaningful literature that’s also a page-turner.

Register for the Literary BLOCKBUSTER Zoom Workshop

Please email Susan with your name and email address, or call me to confirm there’s a space and to schedule an introductory meeting so I can learn about your goals and your project. The price for the workshop is $650. To reserve a space there is a non-refundable deposit of $75. Balance is due September 6, 2025.