You have a book in you. And a stage waiting for you.
Join Vanessa Van Edwards in San Diego for two hands-on days that show you how to write it, pitch it, speak about it, and build a real business around your big idea or story.
You have a big idea or an important story to share.
People tell you, “You should write a book.” Or, “You should be speaking.” But nobody tells you how.
How do you get a publisher to say yes?
Should you self-publish?
What goes in a book proposal?
How do speakers actually get paid?
And how do you turn one great idea into a career?
Most people piece it together from podcasts, guesswork, and expensive mistakes.
One big idea. A book and a stage.
It starts with one idea.
Every book and every keynote starts in the same place: a big idea or a story worth sharing. A book and a talk are two ways to get that one idea to more people.
A stage without a book leaves something behind.
When I was booking speakers in college, I noticed the best ones also had books. They sold them from the stage and at the back of the event, and events bought them in bulk. The book gets you on the stage, and it keeps working after the talk ends.
A book without a stage struggles.
I knew how speaking worked, but I didn’t know how books worked, or how the two went together. My first traditionally published book failed. It took me four very long years to figure out how to make them work as one career.
Day one, then Day two.
Day one turns your idea into a book and an author brand. Day two takes that same idea to the stage and shows you how to get paid for it. Then you shape the mix that fits your values and your time.
01Wed, April 28
Your big idea
Share your big idea in one sentence at the welcome mixer.
02Thu, April 29
Your book hook
Turn it into a book, and write your one-line book hook.
03Fri, April 30
Your opener
Turn your book hook into the opener of your talk.
Why learn this from me
I’m Vanessa Van Edwards, and I stumbled into this dream career while trying to be a writer. I’m a recovering awkward person who has spent 20 years building a career in publishing and speaking.
+NY Times bestselling author, with books translated into 18 languages
+5M+ students taught
+Her MasterClass, People Intelligence, became one of the top ten most watched classes of the year
+Her viral videos reached over 300 million people last year
+Featured on TIME, CNN, BBC, CBS Mornings, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, USA Today and The Today Show
+Spoken at MIT, Stanford and SXSW, and worked with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and Comcast
But here’s the thing: I’ve had wins AND LOSSES. I’ve had a book flop. I had some books hit the bestseller list and some not. I’ll show you what actually works, and what I wish someone had told me on day one.
Vanessa Van Edwards
As featured on
As heard on
The three days
A Wednesday night welcome mixer, then two full days in San Diego: Day one on Thursday and Day two on Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Wednesday night: the anti-awkward welcome mixer
No stiff mingling here. We’re going to skip to the good stuff. You’ll meet your fellow authors and speakers through anti-awkward speed networking and thoughtful prompts designed to spark real conversations. You’ll walk in Thursday morning already knowing everyone.
Wednesday, April 28: Welcome Party Mixer
1Arrivals and drinks. Name tags read “Ask me about the book I haven’t written yet.”
2Welcome from Vanessa: why the Author-Speaker path, and her origin story
3Anti-awkward speed networking: short timed rounds with a new prompt every round
4Mingling, with thoughtful prompt cards on every table
5Closing circle: everyone shares their big idea in one sentence
Day one
Turn your big idea into a book. You'll leave with your one-line book hook.
+How books really get published: traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing
+How authors actually make money, and how a book opens doors to speaking, courses, and consulting
+Vanessa's full Book Proposal Blueprint: how to write a book proposal, piece by piece
+Vanessa's writing tips from her own bestselling books, Captivate and Cues and Conversation.
+Vanessa's full Book Launch Blueprint – exactly what we did to hit the list and years of knowledge launching books.
Plus: A special guest speaker – David Fugate, Vanessa's literary agent (who sold Captivate, Cues AND Conversation) who will walk us through the ins and outs of the publishing industry.
Thursday, April 29: Day one
1Check-in
2Opening: the Author-Speaker path, and why the book and the stage work together
3How books get published: traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing, with the real tradeoffs of each
4How authors actually make money: advances, royalties, bulk sales, and the book as a gateway to speaking, courses, and consulting
5Exercise: pick your publishing path
6Lunch
7How to write a book proposal: Vanessa's full Book Proposal Blueprint (overview, market and comparable titles, author platform, chapter outline, and sample chapter)
8Vanessa's tips for writing a bestselling book
9Vanessa's full Book Launch Blueprint
10Workshop: find your big idea
11Hot seat: pitch your book idea and get feedback from Vanessa and the group
12Closing circle and overnight homework: write your one-line book hook
13Plus: Special guest speaker David Fugate, Vanessa's literary agent.
Day two
Take that same idea to the stage. Your book hook becomes your opener.
+How speakers make money: keynotes, corporate workshops, virtual talks, and more
+How to dominate the stage with openings, stories, presence, and cues
+How to build a business as an Author-Speaker: your one-sheet, reel, fees, and bookings
+Leave with your own Author-Speaker action plan, built around your values and your time.
Plus: Meet Vanessa's actual speaking team – they will walk you through the ins and outs of being a professional speaker.
Friday, April 30: Day two
1Share your book hook with a new partner
2How speakers make money: keynotes, corporate workshops, virtual talks, and book bundles
3How to dominate the stage: openings, stories, presence, and cues
4Exercise: write and practice a 2-minute opener in pairs
5Lunch
6Building the business: speaker one-sheet, reel, setting fees, getting booked, and bureaus
7Hot seat: volunteers deliver their opener on stage and get live coaching
8Build your 90-day Author-Speaker action plan
9Closing and group photo
10Plus: A chat with Vanessa's speaking team.
Who this is for
Some people come for the book, some for the stage.
This workshop is for you if you:
+Have a book idea and are just getting started or have a book in the works, but need to know how to launch it.
+Want to speak on stages and get paid for it.
+Are an expert, coach, or creator ready to turn your knowledge into a career.
+Want the honest, inside view, not the highlight reel.
The event doesn’t end when you fly home.
Your work, reviewed
Vanessa will personally review up to 20 pages of your book or book proposal, or up to 20 minutes of a speech. Get the feedback you need as you expand your business.
Three months of support
As you begin to implement and questions pop up, join a group coaching call each month as you put what you learned into action.
Be in the first cohort
This is the first-ever in-person Science of People event. No past cohort to compare to. Just a private event, Vanessa, and a group of people building the same dream at the same time.
Investment5 seats left
$12,000 $10,000
for the full experience: Wednesday night welcome mixer, Day one, and Day two.
How to join: Seats are by application only. Apply now by filling out a short form so we can get to know you and your goals. Our team personally reviews every application, and if it’s a fit, we’ll email you a private link to reserve your seat.
Included
+The Wednesday night welcome mixer
+Both full workshop days + lunch on Thursday and Friday
+Special swag bag
+A review of your work by Vanessa and her team (up to 20 pages of your book or book proposal, or up to 20 minutes of a speech)
+Three live calls for the three months after the event.
Not included: hotel and travel. All sales are final. No refunds.
Our promise: You get Vanessa’s inside knowledge on how she built her Author-Speaker career, and the frameworks she uses. This is education, not a guarantee. We can’t promise a book deal, speaking bookings, or income. Your results depend on you, but we hope to give you all the tools.
Before you apply.
Do I need a finished book or manuscript?
No. You are welcome to come with just an idea.
I only care about speaking (or only about writing). Is this still for me?
Yes, but the two days are built to work together. You might realize you want a book to offer from stage after attending a day or decide to speak even if you hadn't planned on it.
Is this for fiction, memoir, or nonfiction?
All three. Children's books and cookbooks work a little differently, so this event isn't the best fit for those.
Will I be called on stage?
Only if you volunteer. The hot seats are optional, and the whole event is built to be anti-awkward.
Where is it, and what’s the schedule?
San Diego, CA. Welcome mixer Wednesday, April 28 at 5pm. Workshop Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30, 9 AM to 5 PM.
What’s your refund policy?
All sales are final. We don’t offer refunds.
Will this guarantee me a book deal or paid speaking gigs?
No, and anyone who promises that is selling you something. What you get is the inside playbook from 20 years in publishing and speaking, plus a clear plan for your next 90 days. What you do with it is up to you.
Are hotel and travel included?
No. You book your own travel and hotel. Lunch is provided both workshop days.
How do I get a seat?
Apply now through our short application. Because this is a small, in-person event and a big investment, we want to get to know you and your goals first. Our team reviews every application, and if it's a fit, we'll email you a private link to reserve your seat.
Your big idea deserves a book. Your voice deserves a stage.
