Advanced Alchemy is designed for Literary Alchemists who are in the midst of writing a strong draft and are seeking to polish their pages and prepare their book for publishing. 

The course is also offered by invitation only to other soon-to-be authors who are experienced writers and have a strong book idea or those who are experts in their field and are ready to translate their vision into book form.

You Will Hold Your Finished Manuscript in Your Hands

No matter who I've worked with in my 20+ years as an award-winning author, ghostwriter and book coach—from CEOs and spiritual teachers to huge-hearted people who live large and have plans to change the world—the simple act of putting a pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard) connects each of us to the very inspiration, insight and solace that we seek. Our lives are filled with gold if we mine our experience and write vital stories into being. This is true for every last one of us. What's not always clear is how to translate our lived wisdom to the page. This is the work Literary Alchemists: to dig and sift and work with both obstacles and elements to reach beyond the story you think you're writing to unearth the essential story that is only yours to tell. Advanced Alchemy will guide you every step of the way until you're holding in your hands the unforgettable book that you have written that changes both writer and reader forever.

HOW IT WORKS and WHAT YOU RECEIVE:

Class runs in two month cycles.

THE BEST OF 20+ YEARS OF WRITING AND BOOK COACHING EXPERIENCE: I will serve as your to guide to offer insights into the structure of narrative, boots-on-the-ground know-how to get you from outline to a strong first draft, craft tools, exercises in meditation and mindful awareness to explore your role as narrator, deadlines and encouragement every step of the way. 

READING WORKSHOP & CRAFT GUIDANCE: We meet two Wednesday a month from 4-6pm PST/ 7-9 pm EST for a Reading & Craft Workshop where you share your pages and get feedback from fellow Alchemists.

1-on-1 SESSIONS: Each month you will submit up to 15 pages for review. We meet for a one-hour, 1-on-1 session to discuss your work and writing process in depth. 

TWO-MONTH SESSIONS: Advanced Alchemy is designed to support the ebb and flow of working on a manuscript. Join for a two-month session to focus on finessing your manuscript, take a break if needed for the next session to dig in and write and then return for class, community and 1-on-1 sessions. Alchemy is always here to help you to complete your manuscript.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO WRITE A BOOK: Guidance is offered on everything from outline, information organization and research, honing your vision, finding your voice, scene study, character development, the role of awareness in writing and more.

A FINISHED MANUSCRIPT IN YOUR HANDS: Advanced Alchemy will help you to gain an understanding of the scope of your vision, the process and path to express it, insight into working with inner and outer obstacles, support when you want to quit, an inspired and committed community of writers. When you commit to your writing goals,  you will know the profound satisfaction of holding a finished manuscript in your hands.   

WORK WITH THE ELEMENTS

Literary Alchemy mixes three primary elements:

  • Personal Narrative

    Whether writing memoir or creative non-fiction, the terrain of Personal Narrative is much broader, more layered and more integral to our work than we expect when we begin. Our story often lives just beyond familiar territory and we are called to venture to unexpected places. I've been to these places with many writers many times—and they always return with gold. Literary Alchemy offers tools and practices for discovering the nuggets that will become the narrative building blocks of your book.

  • Awakening Awareness

    Writing a book is much more than committing words to the page in the order in which events occur. It has to do with seeing old stories with new eyes. I teach meditation, mindfulness awareness and creativity exercises that challenge assumptions about what we believe to be 'true,' move beyond the limits of our ordinary experience and into the realm of mythic imagination, where our new perspectives and stories live. These age-old practices and lessons learned from years of ghostwriting for spiritual teachers and my own decade-long practice of Tibetan Buddhism are woven throughout Literary Alchemy.

  • Straight-up Writing Craft

    The craft tools of writing are so satisfying to use when we understand what they are and how and when to use them. Whether forging a voice as unique as our own DNA or nailing the idiosyncrasies of dialogue, feeling how a story suddenly springs to life with a powerful narrative arc or at last knowing what it means to write a scene or smooth a transition, Literary Alchemy offers Craft Classes that allow you to commit your story to the page and finally write the page-turning book that yours to write.

  • Cultural Narrative

    We are living in a time of unprecedented change when the stories we have assumed to be true about identity, what has value and whose story matters is undergoing radical revision. Our words matter. The stories we tell ourselves and each other matter. And every writer has a role to play shaping the evolving narrative of our times. Literary Alchemy explores our basic assumptions and invites us to drop the stories that no longer serve to write the stories that we most need to hear.

  • Community

    Of all the tools offered in Literary Alchemy, our community of writers might just be the most powerful. Writing a book requires courage, endurance and perseverance—traits much easier to cultivate in the presence of others on the same journey. Whether untangling fraught family stories or exploring ways to craft hard-to-express experiences on the page, Literary Alchemists are devoted listeners who offer encouragement and comradery as we create an intimate and safe space to explore the terrain of your book.

alchemy: ˈal-kə-mē

noun. the process of transmutation by which to fuse or reunite with the divine or original form.

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Hi, I'm Kristin Kaye...

Writer. Teacher. Lover of alliteration. Meditator. Tree Dreamer. Alchemist.

My love of story has spanned decades, coasts and industries—from theater in New York and writing interactive TV pilots during San Francisco’s tech boom to completing an MFA in Creative Writing and penning a few books along the way. My work as a writing coach and ghostwriter has covered a wide array of topics from business and design to spirituality, self-help and Tibetan Buddhism. Ghostwritten articles have been placed in Fast Company and Business Week among many others and books have been accepted for representation with literary agents. I have also taught workshops and events at schools, colleges and organizations across the U.S. including the American Library Association, National Science Teachers Association, California Academy of Sciences, California Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators and the Young Artists Institute at Southern Oregon University. (Photo by Margot Duane)


WINNER 2018 International Books Awards: YA Fiction

FINALIST 2019 Indie Book Awards: Regional Fiction

 

One of 5 Books to Read to Prep for Earth Day – BuzzFeed

One of 10 Books to Keep You Woke in 2018 – Bookstr

In brilliantly onomatopoeic prose . . . [Kaye] relates the protagonist’s tale of redemption in delightfully sparse language, like a long poem in which small details matter, every word counts, and images are so cogent that they anchor readers in the fictive reality like tree roots . . . A superbly written tale filled with realistic, engaging, and quirky characters. —Kirkus Reviews 

Kaye’s first novel captures the way a teenager sees the world while also giving Jade a unique voice….Jade’s tree dreams weave her reverence for nature with the fraught and tenuous webs that connect all of us to it. Through her, readers feel the sway of the big trees, how they move “with so many other things, like another language.”     — Booklist

Kristin Kaye’s coming of age novel artfully places her young heroine in the midst of the burning questions facing the entire world, such as climate change and culture wars. At the same time, she manages to weave her into a discovery of the ancient human connections to both trees and dreams. This is a work of wit and imagination that informs as it inspires; it also marks a trail of encouragement for the mutual lives of people and trees. —Michael Meade, author of The Genius Myth and Why the World Doesn’t End


FINALIST 2006 Oregon Book Awards: Creative Non-fiction

The history of women's weight training rounds out this sassy, poignant memoir. ~ Utne Reader 

Not long out of college and trying to figure out what to do with her life, Kristin Kaye found herself writing and directing a Broadway show about female bodybuilders. In telling the tale of this show and the women who were in its cast, she persuades us of their humanity while at the same time showing the less appealing aspects of women’s bodybuilding. Kaye tells her own story honestly and amusingly, but always keeps the bodybuilders at the center of the stage. ~ OBA Judge Jonathan Yardley

Kaye weaves together the story of her bittersweet directorial debut/meltdown with a darkly humorous look into the world of female bodybuilding [and has] ended up creating the most up-to-date journalistic history of the sport available. ~ The Willamette Week


transmute: tran(t)s-ˈmyüt

verb. to change or alter in form, appearance, or nature and especially to a higher form.

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GOLD from ALCHEMY ALUMS

Literary Alchemy gave me tools, accountability and confidence to make being a writer a reality. 

~ Tressa, Oregon
I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

~ Karen, Arizona

I don't usually buy online courses, but there's much more here than just a course. Literary Alchemy not only gave me the tools, accountability and confidence to finally make becoming an author a reality, but it changed how I hold my power and the way I see writing. You'll be guided into the actual pages of your book. You'll finally get it done and be ready for publishing. You will grow as a human being and connect with other people you didn't realize you needed until you are cheering each other on through writing, reading and learning together. I've made lifelong friends here. Take this course and anything else this goddess offers.

After taking Literary Alchemy with Kristin, it was an easy decision to move into Advanced Alchemy. I am beyond pleased with what I've been able to accomplish through these last two courses. My manuscript is written and complete and I am now in the process of taking the next steps toward publishing. These two courses have been invaluable and I am one hundred percent certain that I would not be in this position had it not have been for the incredibly special Kristin Kaye and my amazingly inspiring fellow Alchemists. This is a community that is filled with wise, loving and supportive souls who are not only creating art with their words but are motivated to be change-makers for a better world.
An awe-inspiring experience. 

~ Maura, California

Magic and craft came together to create story larger than our small (limited) selves. I witnessed my heart's raw longing and hidden wisdom unfold upon the pages. Thanks for the love and support from Kristin and fellow amazing Alchemists.


LESSONS for ADVANCED ALCHEMISTS

    1. COURSE OVERVIEW and IMPORTANT DETAILS

    2. FOCUS in July

    3. Coming Into Being

    4. GOAL-SETTING: Book Plan

    5. GOAL-SETTING: Monthly Plan

    1. Schedule You Session

    2. Upload Pages for our 1-on-1

    1. The Story Behind the Story

    1. Schedule You Session

    2. Upload Pages for Our 1-on-1

    1. Schedule You Session

    2. Upload Pages for our 1-on-1

About this course

  • $600.00
  • 12 lessons
  • 0 hours of video content

— ADVANCED ALCHEMY — 6-Month Book Writing Course to Hone Your Voice and Polish Your Pages July 6, 2022-August 31, 2022.

Choose a payment option that best suits your needs.

EXTRA COACHING and EDITING SUPPORT: Advanced Alchemy is designed to support your book writing progress with regular craft discussions, opportunities to share pages and monthly 1-on-1 sessions. This offers an essential foundation for completing your pages. 

And sometimes you need eyes on the full manuscript to better understand what's working, what's not and how best to sure up your narrative structure. Writers often engage me for additional coaching sessions and full manuscript reviews. I am happy to offer a 10% discount to current Alchemists on any of the services below. Please be in touch for discount code.

FAQ

  • What is the time commitment?

    Advanced Alchemy is for writers who are committed to writing the first draft of their book. The course is designed to support the ebb and flow of working on a manuscript. Join for a two-month session to focus on finessing your manuscript, take a break if needed for the next session to dig in and write and then return for class, community and 1-on-1 sessions. Alchemy is always here to help you to complete your manuscript. The course is structured to support you in setting writing goals and providing step-by-step guidance. You will need to carve out time to write, whether it is each day or in dedicated chunks of time during the week. Deadlines and consistency are key.

  • Who participates in Advanced Alchemy?

    Any writer who has already attended Literary Alchemy is invited to join the advanced class.

  • Will you read my entire manuscript?

    Advanced Alchemy offers step-by-guidance, tools and support to guide you on your book writing journey. I will read up to 15 pages of your work in preparation for each of our 1-on-1 sessions, but the course is not designed for a full manuscript review or edit. Additional 1-on-1 sessions and a full manuscript review can be booked for additional coaching and support.

  • What is your cancellation policy?

    Cancellations are accepted until 14 days before the start of class for a full refund. If you need to cancel after the cancellation period, but before class begins, and I am able to find a replacement for your spot, I will be happy to refund your course payment. If I am unable to fill the spot, then you can choose between the course fee applied as credit toward future Alchemy courses or a 50% refund. (All refunds will be issued minus applicable credit card fees.) After the course begins no refunds will be provided (including for fees scheduled on payment plans), except in cases of medical necessity or emergency.

  • Do you offer financial assistance?

    Advanced Alchemy offers a limited number of financial hardship discounts on a first come, first serve basis. Please contact me directly if you are interested.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? Email Kristin with questions about Literary Alchemy, 1-on-1 Coaching or Developmental Editing services. 



 For every-so-often updates on Literary Alchemy and events with Kristin Kaye, Please add your name to the email list.

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