Welcome to Your Best Writing Year Ever

We’re bringing together aspiring thriller, suspense, mystery, and crime fiction authors so that you can write your best book ever while querying confidently!

Table of Contents

1. How We Get It Done
2. The 5 Most Important Benefits
3. “So is this a Writing Conference or a Writing Community?” …Yes!
4. Meet Some of Cohort #1
5. Sample Weekly Plans
6.  Who is This Community For? And Who is it Definitely NOT For?
7.  What Do Industry Professionals Think About Communities?
8.  What if You Were to Piece the Value of this Community Together on Your Own?
9. The Thriller 101 Community is Perfect for These Kinds of Writers
10. By The Numbers…
11. “Okay, but why should I work with you?”
12. All the Benefits
13. Guest List

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Overview

This is a writing group that prioritizes community, learning, implementation, accountability, and feedback.

We have a 100% retention rate – Not a single writer from Cohort 1 has left the community.

How We Make Sure This is Your Best Writing Year Ever

Daily

• Community access: Answer polls, share resources, discuss wins and struggles.
• Critique Partners: The community platform will recommend writers who are writing similar stories to yours, helping you find the best partners for your story.
• Accountability Buddies: Find your people and hold each other accountable! Keep up with your goals and make your writing dreams come true.

Weekly

• Community Write-Ins: Opportunities to participate in video calls with the community to stay focused and get your writing done!
• Goal Check-Ins: Goal setting and accountability check-ins will drastically improve the likelihood you achieve your writing and publishing goals. 
• Feedback Groups or Guest Experts Every Week: See more below

Monthly

• 2x Per Month Industry Experts: Every month, you’ll be able to attend live presentations from industry experts on a live meeting. The replay will be available for anyone unable to attend.
• Implement Lesson: Over the next few days, you’ll decide what from the presentations to add to your writing practice and what to leave out. After all, there’s more than one way to write a book!
• 2x Per Month Pain Points & Hot Seat: Meet to discuss a specific problem a member in the group is having and come together to help that member overcome it.
• 2x Per Month Feedback Groups: Meet with a group of writers who will give feedback on your writing.

Yearly

• 3x per year Agent Pitch Events: Pitch 4 agents in a low-residency model that prioritizes you! (Only $40 to join the pitch event!)
• Pre-Pitch Practice Sessions: Anyone who signs up for a pitch event receives a free practice pitch session where they can pitch their book in a live video conference format to simulate the real event. You’ll then receive feedback so you’re ready to go!

Here’s what one agents said about our past pitch session:

Thank you so much for inviting me to this pitch event…all of us, hands down, agreed these pitches were the best we have received from any pitch event. Whatever you’re doing in your Storyteller’s Society group is working. Your authors were professional, prepared, and passionate. Well done!

– Amy Nielsen, The Purcell Agency

Enrollment closes on February 22nd-or sooner if spots are filled (Note: We closed early for Cohort 1!)

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The 5 Most Important Benefits You Get When You Join The Thriller 101 Storyteller’s Society

1️⃣ Exclusive Access to Industry Experts Through Presentations and Workshops

2️⃣ Pitch Your Book Directly to Agents in Our Exclusive Agent Pitch Contests with

• Pre-Pitch Practice so You Nail Your Meeting 

3️⃣ Personalized Support to Elevate Your Writing Through: 

• Writing Accountability Groups & Meetings
• Manuscript Critique Opportunities by connecting with other community members (The platform I chose will help identify the best critique partners for you and your story that’s why I chose it 😉)

4️⃣ Networking & Community Connections Through Community Interactions, Author Guests, and Small Group Workshops

5️⃣ Accountability and Progress Tracking

• Goal-Setting and Progress Monitoring
  Set your writing goals, track your progress, and receive accountability support from your cohort group and writing coaches.
• Rewards for Positive Engagement
  Earn rewards for participating actively in the community and contributing to others’ success, such as free resources or bonus content.

Enrollment closes on February 22nd-or sooner if spots are filled (Note: We closed early for Cohort 1!)

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This is Like a Writing Conference Paired with a Community

We’re bringing together aspiring thriller, suspense, mystery, and crime fiction authors so that you can write your best book ever while querying confidently!

• Write Your Best Book – Accelerate your writing with support and accountability.
• Small Pitch Sessions – Pitch directly to agents quarterly with confidence (3x per year at $40 per event) and skip the slush pile.
• Industry Expert Access – Exclusive workshops and insights from agents and bestselling authors.
• Personalized Support – From feedback and critique to tailored guidance, your writing can improve drastically.
• Make Life-Long Writing Friends & Develop Important Industry Connections

The Best Elements of Both, All in One Place

Writing Conference

Community

How We’re Similar to a Writing Conference ✅ Guest Experts ✅ Free Resources How We’re Better ❌ Not overwhelming or forcing you to choose which sessions to attend ❌ Traditional conferences overload you with information in a short period of time. Why Storyteller’s Society is Better than a Traditional Community 👍 You’ll get implementation time as well as support, so you can actually develop as a writer and avoid sliding back into old habits.

How We’re Similar to a Other Communities ✅ Networking Opportunities  ✅ Surrounding yourself with like-minded people How We’re Better ❌ Not like social media – where people post constantly about their own books for marketing purposes ❌ Larger communities lack a curated cohort who all have the same goals Why Storyteller’s Society is Better than a Traditional Community 👍 With a small cohort, you’ll have support in achieving your goals. People will actually know your name! And the people in this community are committed to success.

Meet Some Storyteller’s Society Members

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Sample Weekly Plans

Here’s what a month in the community might look like…

Imagine how much further you’d be on your writing goals if your month looked like this 👇

Week 1

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Goal Setting Post	Guest Expert Workshop	Question Prompt to learn from others	“Write-In” – Cohort Writing Time	Goal Check In

Week 2

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Goal Setting Post	Cohort Feedback Meeting	Question Prompt to learn from others	Guest Expert Community Question	Goal Check In

Week 3

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Goal Setting Post	Guest Expert Workshop	Question Prompt to learn from others	Guest Expert Community Question	Goal Check In

Week 4

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Goal Setting Post	Cohort Feedback Meeting	Question Prompt to learn from others	“Write-In”Cohort Writing Time	Goal Check In

Who is This Community For?

✅ You’re a serious writer who wants to make your next book your best book yet

✅ You want to find talented and helpful critique partners

✅ You’re querying or will be querying soon

✅ You desperately want to hold a copy of your book in your hands

✅ You want a publisher’s marketplace deal

✅ You want your own ✨ VAGUE PUBLISHING TWEET ✨

✅ You want to be able to say “I’m an agented author”

✅ You want to be part of a supportive community

✅ You know that surrounding yourself with like-minded people will benefit you and your career

✅ You want to learn from experts

But most of all…

❌ You’re sick of waiting for your publishing dreams to come true

❌ You don’t want to be on this journey alone anymore

❌ You’re tired of traditional querying where you’re always waiting to hear back and never getting personalized responses

❌ You don’t want to feel overwhelmed by the process of writing your newest manuscript

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What do industry professionals think about communities?

Jessica Payne, Author “It really is community…It is being a part of a community. And if you are an unagented unpublished writer, now is the time to start that.“	Liz Alterman, Author “…the value of finding a writing community that is supportive and encouraging, but also honest…I wouldn’t be anywhere without the valuable insight and the people who are honest…I have a dear friend and I’ll joke that she’s like my secret weapon…I love her honesty and I feel like she really.is invested in making my work better, and I try to do the same for her.“	Lori Galvin, Literary Agent “I do look for that and I do ask about that. Maybe you don’t have to have been published, but do you have some sort of writing community? Are you in a writer’s group or do you have beta readers?“

Sandy Lu,Agent “…and [a client] made a lot of friends in the mystery and thriller community. So she was nominated for an Anthony Award for the first novel last year for a different book.“	Amy Nielsen, Agent & Author “If you don’t have a writing community, it is the number one [piece of advice]. And I think that’s a really important part to your success as an author. Because they’re going to be there for you on the hard days and they’re going to encourage you on the good days. They’re going to be honest with you, but also give you the tools you need to improve.”	Chantelle Amieé Osman, Editor at Lake Union “And the thing is that I want that one person on my team who is super passionate about my book, who couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to talk to other people about it. That’s the person I want on my team.“

What if you were to piece the value of this community together on your own?

Total Value:

• Agent Pitch Contests: $160
• Practice Pitch Session: $50
• Weekly Accountability Groups: $150
• Query Letter Review: $200
• 1:1 Personalized Check-Ins (x3): $300
• Industry Expert Presentations and Workshops: $3,000
• Networking & Private Community Access: $75
• Small Group Sessions with Published Authors: $750

Grand Total: $4,685+ per year if you purchased these services individually through competitors

Don’t believe me? Go look around for yourself!

Then come back when you realize most programs are going to offer half the value at double the cost.

I’m planning on charging $59 per month.

However, because you’re my first cohort, you’re getting Exclusive Founding Member pricing. The community will be going up in price for future cohorts!

$59 per month

*As noted, the quarterly pitch contests do cost a nominal $40 fee as a way to keep prices low for members who aren’t ready to pitch.

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The Thriller 101 Community is Perfect for These Kinds of Writers

✍️ Writing

• You’re either plotting, writing, or ready to get started on your newest project.
• It’s important that you DO NOT WAIT to get to work on your next project!
• The number of books that stall on sub and end up being a writer’s second or third book is insane!
• This community will help make your next book your best book!

✉️ Querying

• You’re querying a project or you’re preparing to.
• Joining this community will help you improve your query letter, your pitch, your opening pages, and so much more
• In fact, I personally guarantee multiple full requests after our Exclusive Thriller 101 Pitch Event or your next Pitch Event is free
• You know that querying is necessary part of the process but you’re tired of being patient with the long wait times.

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By The Numbers…

• Research shows that people who invest in a mentorship are 77% more likely to achieve their goals compared to those who go it alone.
• Learning through structured programs can reduce learning curves by up to 30%, saving time for what matters—writing and polishing your work.
• Working alongside others with similar goals and deadlines helps you stay motivated and committed. In group settings, people are up to 95% more likely to complete goals when they have regular accountability check-ins.  
• Only ~1% of query letters receive agent responses. You need a secret weapon! A well-prepared pitch increases your chance of standing out.

“Okay, but why should I work with you?”

Recently, I did a few free sessions for members of the Thriller 101 Community. Here’s what they said about working with me…

“David’s feedback was incredibly helpful. He highlighted deficiencies in my query letter that I hadn’t even noticed. Thanks to his insights, I improved both my query and my manuscript, which has helped me land more requests from agents than ever before.”

— Eric W.

“David helped me improve my query and opening pages by serving as a sanity check and sounding board. His input helped me see my work with fresh eyes, and his suggestions led to improvements I never would have reached on my own.”

— Kate D.

“Everything made sense and I felt like I had direction when I went to re-write my chapter. I felt encouraged by the feedback…It was great to hear immediate feedback and discuss different routes and thoughts…Everything was extremely helpful and much appreciated!”

—Allison R.

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Don’t let another rejection letter or day of self-doubt stand in the way of your writing dreams. Join the Thriller 101 Community today and take the first step toward finally achieving your publishing goals.

Make this year your best writing year ever.

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Comparison of All Benefits You Get When You Join The Thriller 101 Storyteller’s Society

Thriller 101 Storyteller’s Society	Other Offers
Networking & Private Community Access: Access to cohort group threads, messaging boards, and personalized connections with other writers in the same genre. The coolest part of this is that the platform I chose specifically for you will help us make connections by suggesting writers who write the same genre as you, and are interested in the same things as you!	No one does this as well as the Thriller 101 Community will. Exclusive writer communities can charge $20-$100 per month for access to private forums, groups, or genre-specific networks. However, many general communities don’t offer specialized thriller, mystery, or suspense support.
Exclusive Thriller 101 Storyteller’s Society Pitch Event: Pitch your book directly to agents live over Zoom. This is the best way to grab their attention, show them you’re a serious writer, and make a connection in the industry! A pitch event is how I got introduced to, and ultimately signed with, my agent! Our agents listen to no more than 7 pitches!  And (as if that weren’t great enough) we match you with agents based on your book and the agent’s interests to increase the likelihood of pitching success! We run them every few months. And what does ours cost? 20 bucks for 4 pitches. Yes, you read that correctly.	Popular pitch contests often cost between $25-$40 for a single 10-15 minute pitch to one agent. $40 per pitch x 4 agents = $160 (for four pitches) And what the other pitch contests won’t tell you…those agents are sometimes sitting through dozens of pitches that day. It’s hard to stand out when you’re the twentieth pitch!
Pitch Perfect Practice Sessions: Want personalized 1:1 feedback on your pitch before the event? If you sign up for the Pitch Event, you’ll have the opportunity to practice your pitch leading up to the event where you’ll get feedback on your pitch from other members!	Look, you could hire a genre specific book coach to review your materials and listen to your pitch. But for an hour, that could cost you between $100-$500.
Weekly Writing Cohort Check-Ins: These check-ins are designed to give you a chance to chat with other writers in the community, share wins and goals, and will help keep you on track. This is your opportunity to join a small cohort who will know your name, understand your struggles, and support you on your way to achieving your goals!  Free with your community access.	Writing accountability groups or mentorship programs typically range from $50-$150 per month to join, often without industry-specific guidance.
Industry Expert Presentations & Workshops: Multiple industry professional presentations per month that provide specific advice for thriller, mystery, suspense, and crime fiction writers! You get monthly presentations from agents, editors, and authors who specialize in thriller, mystery, and suspense—with a message that is tailored specifically with you in mind. Plus you get lifetime access to every recorded session! Free with your community access	A 12-month program offering industry expert presentations can cost thousands of dollars. I recently saw one for over $3,500! However, that program was not genre-specific, so you may find yourself needing additional resources for thriller-specific guidance.
Manuscript Critique Opportunities: Find your new writing best friends and submit work for critique to other members and participate in critique swaps. By networking with writers in this community, you’ve got builtin quality controls. You know these are serious writers who are part of the community and are working to ensure you write your best book ever. Oh, and no more aimless searching on social media or on the internet for the right fit… Did you see what I said above about the platform we’re using for this community? It will automatically connect you with writers working in the same genre/area/interests as you! This alone will surely cost hundreds of…NOPE… Free with your community access	Editors can cost hundreds or thousands for a full manuscript critique, often more for genre specialists. Community critique groups may charge $20-$50 per critique session. Or, if you wanted to go the free route, you could use social media to find someone…but how will you know if you and that person have the same goals? Are invested in learning the craft? Are developing within the same genre?
Small Group Sessions with Published Authors: Rub shoulders with published authors who specialize in the thriller genre, helping you gain deeper insight into the craft. Inside the Thriller 101 Storyteller’s Society Community there will be an author resident each month. This published author will provide insights, do a Q&A and mingle inside the community for the whole month. Free with your community access	Mastermind groups or small group sessions with bestselling authors can easily cost $500-$1,000 for access over a few months.
Workshops on Key Aspects of Writing Thrillers: We’ll meet to discuss how you’re going to use the advice shared by the experts. With us, you get these free with your community access. Members get access to live workshops and pre-recorded sessions on writing thrillers, covering topics like plot, tension, and character arcs, all tailored to the genre.Free with your community access	Workshops on writing craft and marketing can range from $100-$300 per session, depending on the instructor’s expertise and the length of the workshop.
BONUS!1:1 Personalized Check-Ins: Want someone who knows your books, your writing, and your goals? Want to just talk about your new project? Want to You receive one-on-one check-ins with me to help you stay motivated and keep on track. 3 free sessions with your community access	One-on-one coaching sessions can range from $100-$500 per hour with writing coaches, especially for genre-specific help $100 per session (3 sessions = $300).

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Don’t let another rejection letter or day of self-doubt stand in the way of your writing dreams. Join the Thriller 101 Community today and take the first step toward finally achieving your publishing goals.

Make this year your best writing year ever.

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Legal Disclaimer
The Thriller 101 Community and Storyteller’s Society are educational and supportive services designed to help writers improve their craft and advance their publishing goals. We do not guarantee representation, publishing contracts, or specific results. Participation in our pitch events does not guarantee an agent’s interest or representation.

All guidance, advice, and feedback provided by the Thriller 101 Community, Storyteller’s Society, and its affiliates, including agents and industry professionals, is for informational and educational purposes only. Decisions regarding career and writing progression remain solely with the participant, and we cannot be held responsible for any outcomes or publishing decisions that may or may not result.

The Thriller 101 Community and Storyteller’s Society are not affiliated with or endorsed by any particular publishing company or agency.