You’re One Breakthrough Away
Right now, there are authors making six figures from their writing. Authors with half your talent, a fraction of your ideas, and nowhere near your dedication.
The difference isn’t luck. It isn’t connections. It isn’t even raw ability.
It’s knowing exactly what to write, when to write it, and how to position it so readers can’t put it down.
The Brutal Truth
You’ve probably tried it all:
- Writing courses that teach you grammar rules you already know
- Generic “write every day” advice that ignores your actual life
- Cookie-cutter plot formulas that make your work sound like everyone else’s
- Beta readers who give you contradictory feedback that leaves you more confused than before
Here’s what no one tells you: At some point you need a guide. You might have gone as far as you can on your own.
A guide that can steer you away from common mistakes and toward the best version of yourself and the best version of your book.
What If Everything Changed?
Imagine opening your laptop three months from now and seeing…
- A completed novel, with characters bursting forth from the page
Imagine sitting down to write and feeling…
- That you’re confident about what you’ll write today, because of what you’ve learned
This isn’t a pipe dream. This is what will happen when you commit to Bookfox Lab and soak in all the wisdom and guidance from accomplished writers and editors.
Bookfox Lab Offers
One-on-One Coaching
These mentors were once in your shoes — unpublished, staring at a blank page — and now they’ve sold NYT bestsellers, won prizes, and worked for elite publishers.
These mentors will guide you to shore up your weaknesses and to capitalize on your strengths.
They can guide you through the thicket of the most complex plot, and the bewildering array of literary agents and publishers.
You don’t have to do this all on your own.
Weekly Feedback
You need personalized feedback on your writing, rather than generalized principles.
Your writing coach will help you quickly learn from your mistakes and correct them.
With this kind of fast-paced feedback loop, you’ll improve as a writer at a vastly accelerated rate.
We’re not talking about tense and grammar. We’re talking about developmental advice — how to write a story so it makes the reader weep or laugh or leap with excitement.
The Bookfox Method
After spending more than 20 years writing, speaking, and editing, John Matthew Fox has created a system to guide writers through the process of writing a successful book.
It’s a step-by-step process which isn’t too formulaic and provides lots of exceptions and genre-dependent advice.
This method is much more comprehensive than his Youtube and 10 writing courses in Bookfox Academy. It takes deep writing principles and makes them accessible and practical.
Build a Community
The program isn’t only designed for top-down instruction, but also to build connections between fellow writers.
The people in this private community will end up being your beta readers, your fans, your champions and your friends.
These relationships can extend beyond the formal cohort period, forming the professional networks that sustain long writing careers.
This is your chance to build a tribe.
Master the Linchpin Moments
As described in “The Linchpin Writer,” every novel has a number of key moments that can make or break the story.
Part of the Bookfox Method is identifying and learning how to write these moments so your reader is thrilled rather than disappointed.
By going deeper into the material with a guide, and through doing exercises and getting feedback, you’ll do justice to these pivotal scenes.
Publication Guidance
Once you write your book, your mentor can help you with how to move forward.
First, they can give advice specific to you and your book on whether you should pursue self-publication or traditional publishing.
Next, they can also help with query letters, synopsis, jacket copy, and marketing ideas.
The marketplace of books can be bewildering, but they can guide you through it.
Bookfox Method Philosophy
There are a lot of prescriptive courses and books which will teach you rigid systems and formulas. You’ll learn what to write on page 9 and what to write on page 31 and what to write on page 94.
These paint-by-numbers approaches treat every story like an assembly line product. They reduce the art of storytelling to mechanical templates that strip away your unique voice and vision.
Bookfox Method isn’t like that.
On the other hand, there are a lot of abstract teachers of writing. These people give high-minded advice that sounds good but lacks specificity and practicality.
But inspirational quotes, deep-sounding platitudes and vague wisdom don’t help you produce a novel. Abstract advice creates the illusion of learning without providing actionable tools.
Many writers spend years consuming beautiful but useless writing wisdom, attending workshops full of encouraging nods and empty feedback like “this has potential” or “keep working on it.” They leave feeling motivated but equipped with nothing practical to improve their actual pages.
Instead, the Bookfox Method offers practical advice with flexibility.
We believe great writing emerges from the intersection of solid craft knowledge and creative freedom. You need concrete skills AND the flexibility to deploy them in service of your unique vision. Think of us as teaching you to be a master chef, not a short-order cook following recipes.
You’ll learn concrete techniques and strategies, but as a series of options rather than a one-size-fits-all formula. There is never any “right” way to write your book. There are a number of very, very good ways, and we’ll show you examples and let you select. There are also lots of terrible ways, and we’ll show you those common mistakes.
What Will You Learn?
A structured guide to plotting. This is the number one problem most writers have when writing a book. They’re not sure where to take the story, and not sure whether they’ve made the right moves. The Bookfox Method contains all the tools you need to craft your storyline, and it won’t be the same, tired cliche advice you’ve heard all over the internet.
Yes, Freytag’s Pyramid and The Hero’s Journey is great, but that’s entry level knowledge. In Bookfox Lab we’ll drill down the core pieces of how different books are structured, and what are strategies and techniques you can use to hook the reader and keep their attention.
Nameable Techniques: You’ll learn identifiable techniques like “psychic distance”, “micro-conflict”, “delayed decoding”, “suspense objects”, “tonal dissonance”, “bear at the door”, “gold coin technique”, and hundreds and hundreds more.
While teaching these techniques, we’ll offer:
- Multiple pathways: For every writing topic, we present 3-5 different proven approaches.
- Genre-agnostic methods: Our techniques work whether you’re writing literary fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, crime, romance, horror, dystopian, YA, historical fiction or thrillers.
- Exceptions to the Rule: There are always ways to break the rules and still make the reader happy.
Mastering the Short Form. To write a good book, you have to grow your skills at the building blocks of fiction. No, I’m not talking about the sentence (although sentences are a good basic place to start), I’m talking about the short form.
- Scenes
- Chapters
- Short Stories
If you can write a great scene, you can write 40 great scenes, and that’s the bulk of a good book. A scene has all the components of the story as a whole, but in miniature. There will be three steps as we study this things:
- Learn the Bookfox Method breakdown of scenes, chapters, and short stories
- Reading examples of great scenes and other short forms
- Doing exercises for your own creative work where you try to imitate those structures/techniques
Example of Bookfox Method
This is a video I did on Character Building. I try to avoid lessons you might have already heard, give lots of examples from a wide variety of books and movies, and mention exceptions to the rules. If you like the style and type of content in this video there’s a good chance the Bookfox Method is right for you.
Bookfox has appeared in:
Who Will be Teaching?
There is a team of three coaches who will be giving feedback on your work, meeting with you one-on-one, and teaching the craft lessons.
Based on your genre and writing experience, you’ll be matched up with the coach that is right for you.
Between the three coaches, their credentials include:
- Novels on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller list
- Editorial positions at the leading literary journals in the country
- Coached clients who have published with the Big Five and sold 100,000+ copies of self-published novels
FAQs
Yes, you’ll get guidance wherever you are, whether you haven’t started your novel or whether you’re a few chapters in.
But this program will work best if you’re writing new material as you’re learning the Bookfox method and techniques.
No, this program is customized to help you improve your skills, no matter whether you’re a fledgling writer or seasoned veteran.
We are currently focusing on fiction writers, though in the future we will expand to offer help with screenplays, nonfiction and other genres.
No, we provide flexibility. The initial commitment is for three months, and after that point, it’s on a month-to-month basis.
If you’re finished with a rough draft of your book, it would be best for you to get developmental editing for the entire thing. We offer that! We have several editors on our team that can help you.
However, Bookfox Lab works best when you want to generate new material, especially if you haven’t begun your novel or if you’re a few chapters into it.
Most other programs have pre-recorded videos without feedback on your work.
We offer one-to-one coaching, and personalized feedback on a weekly basis, plus live craft talks as well. It’s very hands on and very time intensive, but it will absolutely transform your writing.
We’ve also brought on the best and most accomplished editors and authors we can find, and they are worth every penny.
“Genesis will be published tomorrow AND it got a starred review from Kirkus and will be in the list of Kirkus’s November edition Best Indie Books of the Month! I just wanted to say that I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you so so so much for all your help.”
Bellamy Westbay, author of “The Infinity Series”
“I’ve completed reviewing all your recent notes and wanted to express how much I’ve learned from your deep insights. The first round of notes, many months ago, was quite daunting, and some were real brain-busters. However, I persevered, chipping away until it felt right. This morning, I sent the novel to my agent, who is familiar with all your notes. Wish me luck!”
George Bloom, author of “The Zookeeper’s Son”
“You have been a HUGE help and cheerleader for me. If I didn’t take that leap of faith by sending you the book it would still be in a folder on my computer. I was convinced the book sucked and I had no business writing a novel. Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
Steven Gellman, author of “Somewhere in Nowhere”
“I’m just writing to tell you I have a contract with Random House for the book you helped me with! Thank you for being so excited about my work. You made me a better writer, and I am going to recommend you widely.”
Susan Doherty, author of “Ghost Garden”
“Your developmental editorial work is excellent. Another client of yours already said this I think, but it bears repeating: I have most definitely learned more about improving my writing from you in the process of revising this one story than from any other avenue I’ve attempted. I’ve been to three or four writers’ conferences/workshops over the years, and participated in three writers’ review/critique groups, but none of the feedback from any of those sources comes close to matching your insight and guidance.”
Jim Roberts, author of “Of Fathers & Gods”
“Despite having an MFA and access to many authors, John has been the most accessible and helpful to me over the years. He always responds and addresses my questions with professionalism and kindness. He is truly one of a kind and his courses are timely as are his posts. He has his finger on the pulse of all that is current in the ever-changing world of publishing. He’s a writer’s gift in an uncertain world where scammers prey on newbie authors. Thanks John!”
Joni Marie Iraci, author of “Vatican Daughter”
Three Steps to Join the Program
Apply Using the Form Below
We’re not trying to gatekeeper with the application process. It doesn’t matter whether this is your first book or your fifth.
We want to learn more about you so we can pair you with the mentor that’s right for you.
We’re also looking for commitment — this isn’t a fair-weather program. You’ll have to buckle down and be ready to learn and write.
We’ll Contact You
We’ll want to know more about you, and to answer any questions you have.
We will probably want to see a writing sample so we can get to know your writing style better.
We’ll Invite You
If everything seems to be a great fit, we’ll invite you to join Bookfox Lab when the next cohort starts.
Since we have cohorts that begin periodically throughout the year, it might be a few weeks to a few months away.
The next start date is currently set for October 15th, 2025.
The Hidden Price of “Someday”
Why is it important for you to act now?
Well, you could keep on doing what you’re doing — cobbling together bits and pieces of advice from across the internet, but that’s probably not the best path forward.
While you’re muddling through the writing life, other writers are getting feedback, publishing their first novels and building their author platforms. They’re earning royalties while you’re still “getting ready to start.”
You also don’t want someone else to write something similar and beat you to market. Now is the time to act.
What Delay Costs You
You might feel shame about admitting that you’ve wanted to write a book for so long, but haven’t gotten to the finish line.
Maybe you read a published novel and think, “I could have written something better.”
Picture yourself five years from today. Will you be an established author with multiple published works, a growing fanbase, and the creative fulfillment you’ve always craved? Or will you still be that person with the “great book idea” who never quite got around to writing it?
The choice you make today determines which version of your future self you’ll become.
Pricing
Invest in Your Writing
Bookfox Lab costs $3600 for the first three months, and $1100 a month after that.
For this price you’ll get the intensive, personalized attention which will help you make a book you’re proud of.
Other programs, particularly from universities, can cost $35,000 – $50,000 a year, and you only get personalized feedback a few times a semester, so Bookfox Lab offers a tremendous value in terms of one-on-one attention.
Apply Now
The next cohort starts October 15, 2025. To apply, fill out all the information below, and we’ll contact you.