Stop Dreaming And Start Writing Your Next Book
You Are Invited To
Write-the-Right-Book Author’s Retreat
9 a.m. Friday, April 17, to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 2026
SpringHill Suites Marriott Chicago O’Hare
8101 W Higgins Rd, Chicago, IL 60631
(Suite rooms are $169 per night)
Limited to ten authors max
Let’s accelerate your author power. An authority has more impact and influence, and you can’t spell authority without the word author. But here is the catch. An authority is the author of multiple great books.
Great book writing is a team sport. Our team has created something new for you to receive our help. After years of testing, we are offering a retreat that creates momentum at a lower financial investment. This is a win-win.
As an entrepreneur, speaker, or consultant, you know that writing a book will build your credibility and help establish you as an expert authority in your field. You’ll be taken more seriously, command a higher price for your services, multiply your message, and open new doors in your career. How will it feel when they line up to have your next book signed by you?
At the “Write-the-Right-Book Author’s Retreat,” you will leave with a skeletal framework draft book manuscript. Bring your laptop and your running shoes because we are working with you to write a skeletal framework of 20,000 plus words in two days. Oh, better leave your perfection behind. We are shooting for a great first skeletal framework for your book.
You won’t want to miss out on this unique weekend experience with publisher/book architect Henry DeVries and editor-in-chief Lisa Apolinski.
Reservations accepted at 4 pm Friday, February 27, 2026
First-come, first-served. We expect a sell out.
Investment: $5,400, early bird price before March 31, 2026 of $4,500
Checklist For Planning A Publishable Book Manuscript
We start at 9 am Friday, April 17. Expect working lunches and dinners. We work Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm.
Retreat Agenda To Create Skeletal Framework
- Define audience
- Name the problem solved
- Determine bookstore section
- Decide if book is: 1) a 10-chapter proprietary process, 2) A 20ish essays book, or 3) a fable/novella
- Decide which of the eight overarching meta stories: monster, underdog, comedy solution, tragedy solution, mystery, quest, rebirth/comeback, or escape/back on track.
- Choose expert authority positioning for author
- Create trifecta working title (three or four words preferred, dot com URL available for $20)
- Determine who and what working subtitle
- Decide on main message of book
- Research Top Ten competing books
- Research five articles to cite from prominent business publications such as Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., The Economist, NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Chicago Tribune
- Create 10-20 stories to illustrate, use the six-beat formula to create stories (1. Meet main character before 2. Something happens 3. Enter the mentor, 4. Pursuit of visible finish line 5. Crossing the visible finish line 6. See the main character in after world)
- Name the Part I Why chapters
- Name the Part II How chapters
- Name the Part III What’s Next chapters
- Conduct interviews for all chapters and transcribe
- Insert recordings into skeletal framework
Future Dates
9 a.m. Friday, July 31, to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 1, 2026
SpringHill Suites Marriott Chicago O’Hare
8101 W Higgins Rd, Chicago, IL 60631
Book Planning
To write the right book you need a solid plan. With our Book BluePrint™ you get a path to follow to create the book that serves you.
Book Preparation
Our expert team of writers and editors provide book coaching, developmental editing, and ghostwriting services.
Publishing
Our editors will take your manuscript through all the steps to produce a book that will serve you well.
Promotion
You can turn to us to shine a spotlight on your book with websites, social media, video, article placements, and PR.