✍🏽Your favorite writing teacher’s favorite writing teacher

As a writer with a business degree, I understand both sides of the creative life: we want to create cool shit, and we also want to make a living.

I teach ethical, sustainable approaches to storytelling, media strategy, and self-promotion.

I’m the author of Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze, co-author of The Sobriety Deck, and co-founder of (parentheses) botanical beverages.

LET’S CHAT

  • Quickie touch base to see if working together is a good fit.
    Book a 15 Minute Meeting

  • My rate is $200 per hour. I offer discounts for bulk sessions.

    We can hop on a call to see what feels right to get started. 

    Work With Me On:

    • Book Proposals (edits, critiques, brainstorming sessions, etc...)

    • Media Strategy (press, brand building, product positioning, retail outreach, etc...)

    • Book Deals (traditional publishing vs self-publishing, writing a book proposal, finding an agent, etc...)

    • Card Deck Deals (traditional publishing vs self-publishing, writing a card deckproposal, finding an agent, etc...)

    • Find Your Thesis (have a bunch of research and don't know what to do with it? I got you.)

    • Writing Life (writer's block, writing prompts, brain storming, blogging, newsletters)

    • Freelance Writing (pitching editors, negotiating rates, finding your voice)

    • Goal Setting (let's create tangible, actionable goals so you can take the next right step)

    Book a 60 Minute Coaching or Consulting Session

    • get featured on podcasts

    • establish yourself as an expert

    • learn DIY publicity instead of paying a publicist thousands of dollars a month

    • learn how to position your product/expertise to grab media attention

    • pitch essays and press releases to editors

    • get your product in stores and pop-ups

    • connect with gatekeepers who will help spread the word about the cool shit you’re doing

    • identify different ways to pitch traditional media (news, tv, magazines) and new media (podcasts, newsletters, social media)

    🗞️ BOOK A MEDIA STRATEGY SESH

    • swap likes and comments for an email marketing campaign that people actually click on

    • move your existing blog or email list into a newsletter platform

    • create a content calendar that feels inspiring but not feel overwhelming

    • collaborate with likeminded newsletter writers to spread the word about your work

    • distill your ideas into quippy copy that keeps readers engaged without feeling too salesy

    📧 BOOK A NEWSLETTER SESH

    • create a sustainable marketing plan to launch your book, podcast, or product

    • get your hard work featured in the media, on podcasts, and with like-minded folks who will smash that order button

    • draft a compelling press release and learn who to send it to

    🚀 BOOK A LAUNCH SESH

    • quick glimpse at my retail strategy tips

    • get your books, beverages, and other goods sold in stores

    • email shop owners a brief one-pager that explains why your product belongs in their store

    • create and nurture retail relationships by scheduling in-store events to connect with the community (which results in repeat sales)

    🛒 BOOK A RETAIL SESH

    • traditional publishing vs self-publishing

    • book proposal audits + coaching + editing

    • find a literary agent who’s obsessed with your book

    • ensure your voice is heard and your work reaches its intended audience

    • card decks are having a moment in publishing. read all about it!

    📚 BOOK A PUBLISHING SESH

    • have a bunch of research and ideas floating around your head but don't know what to do with it? i got you.

    • let’s break it all down into manageable pieces

    • identify the main themes or questions your research/idea addresses

    • organize your findings into categories, which will help you see connections and gaps in your knowledge

    • get your ideas published!

    ✍🏽 BOOK A THESIS SESH

    • swap likes + comments for an email marketing campaign that people actually click on

    • learn how to make sense of what your business does and who your target audience is

    • identify how to reach your audience through focused media strategy and content creation that doesn’t feel cringey (hint: i’m going to nudge you to start a newsletter!)

    • clarify your “why me, why now” in your brand messaging

    • pick my brain!

    📣 BOOK A MARKETING SESH

    • pitch editors and write killer subject lines so they actually open their email

    • negotiate your rates to get paid for your work

    • mix your unique story idea with zeitgeist appeal to write the perfect pitch

    • check out my column, Behind the Pitch.

    💻 BOOK A PITCH SESH

    • learn tangible tips to bring your project to life

    • dream big, but also keep it real. let’s break down your big ideas into action items you cross off your to-do list

    • get over imposter syndrome so you can just fucking do the thing you wanna do

    🎯 BOOK A GOAL SESH

  • “Tawny will help you sell your book proposal. She knows the game, and she will teach you how to play it.”

    Paulina Pinsky,
    co-author of It Doesn’t Have to be Awkward

  • "...If you want to actually sell your book, there’s no one else that I’d rely on to teach me the 101.”

    Irina Gonzalez,
    Editor, Journalist, and Author of the Parenting In Hard Mode Newsletter

  • "...When Tawny’s proposal arrived in my agent inbox and I opened it, it was like that scene in Pulp Fiction when they open the briefcase and all golden light shines out. It was perfect...."

    Eric Smith,
    Author & Literary Agent

  • "...She will help you focus your vision and tap into insider knowledge of the publishing world."

    Gemma Hartley,
    Author of Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward

  • "...Her expertise not only helps writers to craft impactful narratives but also to navigate the complexities of mental health with sensitivity and insight."

    Sophie Saint Thomas,
    Author of Reproductive Rites

  • “The publishing world is a minefield, ... she's learned how to navigate this clusterfuck of this industry, ... so you can actually get published and your voice heard.”

    Zachary Zane,
    Author of Boyslut, A Memoir and Manifesto

  • “Tawny is such an excellent resource for someone navigating publishing and proposals for the first time...having Tawny's help saved me weeks if not months of research and helped me feel extremely clear and prepared...Very grateful for her expertise!”

    Mariana Louis,
    Archetypal Tarotist

  • "Tawny Lara is a book marketing genius! ... thanks to her one-of-a-kind promotion strategies, from in-person events to social media campaigns. Any author can learn a lot from her success!

    Jordyn Taylor

    Author of Wicked Darlings and The Paper Girl of Paris

Tawny Lara, AKA The sober sexpert, is also available for public speaking.

Available for Panels & Speaking Events

To Book Tawny for speaking events please reach out to dubbs@thankyouforcomingout.com