a 4-week social media workshop for writers trapped inside a love-hate relationship with the internet
(but who still need to “build an audience” online)
CLASSES START JANUARY 20, 2025
SAVE $70 WHEN YOU APPLY BY NOVEMBER 9
ONLY 100 SPOTS AVAILABLE
“This class was so motivating and helpful. Instead of feeling like my book's success is entirely in the hands of fate, I got a front row seat to Leigh's success strategy—actionable steps to grow my audience of readers. I've begun to approach content creation with whimsy and experimentation instead of dread and embarrassment, knowing that it's all in the service of my art, which is something for which I'm willing to leap into the void.” —Lacy Mayberry
“The class was everything I had hoped for and more. I am firmly in the camp of writers who hate the internet, but the class gave me a new perspective on content creation and how to use it to work for me. I still feel quite new to the whole being a writer online thing. My novel is in the draft stage and I'm trying to set myself up for success early. It was invaluable to me to be able to make connections with both established writers and people in the same boat as me. It was also, frankly, a lot of fun!” —Aimee James
“Leigh is a singular presence in the industry: both author and augur. She is one of the first people I bring up when someone tells me they're writing a book. My debut novel is coming out next year, and Leigh is one of the resources I trust most to tell me what to do. She has a realistic understanding of the publishing industry, media landscape and entertainment context into which a book will emerge, and she takes a thoughtful, proactive approach to the problem of being an author in 2025. I love that Leigh doesn't leave her career / destiny in anyone else's hands. I can't speak highly enough of the quality of what she offers to her followers, readers, subscribers and students. She is a guiding light!” —Sonia Feldman
From The Desk of Leigh Stein:
By now you know the deal: If you want more leverage with agents and editors, you need a “platform.”
But most authors don't want to become "content creators." The phrase alone might make you cringe.
You became a writer to write...not to dance on TikTok or create funny cat Reels or apply makeup on camera.
In my experience coaching writers with their content strategy, the biggest barrier is almost always a fear of embarrassment.
Your fear of being seen trying is what’s actually holding you back.
If that’s true for you, what I want you to know is that being a beginner a public is worth the risk.
The authors I’ve worked with who have pushed through that initial awkwardness are reaping the rewards: building audiences, landing career-changing opportunities, giving interviews to major outlets about their work—and selling books.
It’s uncomfortable to be seen trying in public. But it gets a lot easier when you’re in good company.
Which is why I want you to join me in the Hype House.
WHO I BUILT THIS FOR
THE AUTHOR WHOSE LAST BOOK UNDERPERFORMED AND IS READY AND WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING NEW
THE writer who HAS BUILT A FOLLOWING BY POSTING CONTENT ABOUT WRITING AND WANTS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REACH READERS
The NOVELIST who WOULD RATHER CLEAN TOILETS THAN DANCE ON TIKTOK BUT NEEDS THIS TO BE HER BREAKOUT BOOK
The ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONAL TRANSITIONING TO A WRITING CAREER
ANY WRITER who DREAMS OF HAVING A FANDOM FOR THEIR WORK BUT CRINGES AT THE IDEA OF “SELF-PROMOTION”
The RETURNING CREATIVE who DOESN’T RECOGNIZE THE ONLINE LANDSCAPE (RIP TWITTER)
THE BUSY, TIME-CRUNCHED ARTIST WHO THRIVES WITH A BIT OF MOTIVATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
In the Hype House, I’ll take you through the exact process I use with my one-on-one clients, and show you how to create a content strategy that doesn’t make you want to jump off a bridge.
You’ll learn how to leverage your original ideas, unique perspective, and writerly instincts into a social media strategy that attracts readers—without turning you into something (or someone) you hate.
What’s included?
Live Classes
Attend classes live on Tuesday evenings for the opportunity to ask clarifying questions, be a part of a community, and start immediately on our weekly content assignments (i.e., “what to post”).
Office Hours
Join live Office Hours on Friday afternoons for personalized feedback on what you’re struggling with that week: whether that’s writing a new social media bio, filming your first green screen video, or brainstorming how to recycle content from one platform to another. You’ll tap into the wisdom of the group, and have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of writers further ahead in their careers.
Bestseller Strategy
A detailed rundown of all the marketing and content strategies I used to hit spot #27 on the USA Today bestseller list with my novel If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You, including my two pre-order campaigns, the three social media platforms I focused on and why, what I learned from doing live events in 2025, and how much I actually spent on marketing.
Detailed Launch Timeline
I’ll demystify the marketing and publicity process by sharing what I did each month to promote my book, and what my in-house marketer and publicist were doing when.
Student Directory
Browse our Student Directory to meet and follow other writers in your niche, and find collaboration partners to grow your audience.
Dream Rolodex (Template)
All Hype House students get a free copy of my Dream Rolodex template, the exact template spreadsheet I use to organize all my contacts ahead of a book launch.
hype house tuition IS $649
Only 100 spots available
Apply BY NOVEMBER 9 to secure your Early Bird rate OF $579
Last time I hosted the Hype House, all 100 seats sold out in just 13 days. You don’t want to miss out.
If you have trouble with the embedded Google form below, click here!
“Leigh Stein's course empowered me to become a writer who treats their writing as a small business. Her concrete lessons on content creation gave me the tools to create, develop, and maintain a platform on social media that will support the release of my forthcoming novel. This course is a content-rich experience jam-packed with actionable takeaways. 10/10 recommend.” — Kat Lewis
THE HYPE HOUSE CURRICULUM
Class happens on Zoom every Tuesday beginning January 20 from 8 - 9:30 pm ET. These classes will be recorded, but students are strongly encouraged to attend live.
There will also be four Office Hours on Fridays from 1 - 2 pm ET, beginning January 23. Office Hours will be a group coaching call, where I’ll take your questions about the content you posted that week, and help troubleshoot problems that come up. These Office Hours will also be recorded, but I’ll only be able to answer questions from students who attend live.
WEEK 1: LEAN INTO YOUR OBSESSIONS
What obsessions fuel your writing that might also spark meaningful online conversation? Who is your dream reader and where can we find her?
In Week 1, we’ll identify your primary audience and organize your unique obsessions into content pillars, so you know what to post—and for whom.
Live Tuesday, January 20 (8 - 9:30 pm ET)
WEEK 2: FIND YOUR COMPS
Who has the writing career you wish you had? Just as you’ve likely been influenced by writers who came before you as you drafted your latest manuscript, you can look online for writers creating content and connecting with their audiences in ways that inspire you.
In Week 2, we’ll study other creators—not to copy, but to analyze and understand what makes their content effective.
Live Tuesday, January 27 (8 - 9:30 pm ET)
WEEK 3: LEVERAGE THE ATTENTION ECONOMY
All professional writers are competing for the scarcest resource: attention. And just like crafting an attention-grabbing first five pages, most online attention can be boiled down to crafting a really great hook.
In Week 3 of the Hype House, we’ll practice optimization techniques for increasing views, subscriber counts, and any other metrics that matter to you.
Live Tuesday, February 3 (8 - 9:30 pm ET)
WEEK 4: CREATE A SUSTAINABLE GAMEPLAN
You know from writing that even the greatest strategy or idea doesn’t work if you can’t keep up the effort.
In our fourth week of the Hype House, we’ll conduct a post-mortem, analyzing your experiments and figuring out the easiest way to turn what works into a series.
Live Tuesday, February 10 (8 - 9:30 pm ET)
BONUS: BESTSELLER STRATEGY
Our final meeting on Tuesday, February 17, will be a behind-the-scenes look at everything I did to hit #27 on the USA Today bestseller list with If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You. I’ll share which tactics drove the most pre-orders, how sales for this book compared to my novel Self Care, what I learned about live events in 2025, and how much I actually spent on marketing.
Live Tuesday, February 17 (8 - 9:30 pm ET)
APPLY TODAY
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ONLY 100 SPOTS AVAILABLE
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APPLY TODAY 〰️ ONLY 100 SPOTS AVAILABLE 〰️
Submit your application by November 9th to be eligible for the early bird discount.
The Hype House Manifesto
In this house we believe…
Making content is how you make friends
The point of creating content is to drive people to your art
You don’t have to go viral to achieve measurable results
Your content is not for everyone (just like your book is not for everyone)
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t want to be in a group. Can I hire you to work with me 1:1 on my content strategy?
If you’d like to engage me for your upcoming launch, click here to learn more about my coaching services.
Won’t creating content take all my precious writing time?
Let me be clear: In the Hype House, I’m not going to force you to become a TikTok star. This is a commitment of five hours a week or less. You don't have to learn video editing, you don’t even have to be on camera! Our primary focus in the Hype House is leaning into your strengths—you’ll learn to work smarter, not harder, repurposing content and engaging with readers and writers online.
What if I don’t want to share my personal life on the internet?
You don't have to! In fact, you don’t have to share anything you’re not comfortable with. In the Hype House, we'll come up with content pillars or topics that you'd LOVE to talk about in public. Think “What would I love to be on a panel or podcast talking about?,” not “What post am I dreading my in-laws seeing on Facebook?”
Won’t creating content remove all the cool writer mystique I’ve carefully cultivated?
I get it: Self promotion can give you the ick. I find it cringe, too! That's why I've learned how to build my audience through valuable content, not through self-promotion. In the Hype House, I'll teach you what most writers get wrong about content creation. I'll show you how to sneak little ads for your book inside of valuable content, like hiding broccoli in the mac and cheese. Don’t think QVC. Think Oprah.
Do I have to do an embarrassing gimmick?
If you follow me, you know I pulled a satirical prank on Instagram to promote Self Care. But good news: You don't have to. Just like I wouldn't tell you what book you should write, I won't tell you what to post. Your content ideas are going to come from you, not from me. I’ll give you tools and frameworks you can use to generate ideas and turn them into content, during our time together in the Hype House—and beyond.
Can you teach me how to become an influencer?
This is not a course about how to make income from brands. My philosophy is all about creating content in order to build an audience for your art—not so that you can get brand deals.
Will you talk about how to deal with online harassment?
Unfortunately, that is beyond the scope of this class.
What if I can’t attend classes live?
During the first Hype House cohort, I observed that the students who were able to participate live made the most progress. I recommend treating this course as you would an in-person one, with dedicated time on your calendar to attend live, ask questions, and do the homework. I understand that things will come up that might prevent you from attending live, so that’s why classes are recorded.
What if I have zero experience using social media?
This is not a beginning social media class. I expect that my students have some experience posting content but would like to grow their audience of total strangers (beyond friends and family).
What if I write for children or young adults?
The Hype House is for authors of adult trade books (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry).