Rooted Writers Mentorship
A group coaching program for you to embrace, plan, and write a novel you’re proud of
The world needs your story. Now, more than ever.
With so much hatred and fear in the world, we need stories from people who are writing for good, connection, and change, one reader at a time.
You may not be a fancy-pants influencer or leader, but if you have a story you need to tell, that means someone in the world needs to hear it.
You are the the most important part of your story.
It’s not your protagonist, it’s not the reader, it’s not the plot. It’s you.
Because every part of your novel comes from you.
You provide the meaning, impact, purpose, and, yes, all of those amazing ideas that make the story mean something.
The more you embrace what lights you up, who you really are, and what you have to offer, the stronger your novel will be and the more it will change your reader.
That’s why the foundation of the Rooted Writers Mentorship is self-discovery. Because we need you to write brave truths that will challenge bias, foster empathy, and nurture hope.
In fact, the writers who most enjoy the Mentorship are just as excited to learn about themselves through their writing as they are to finish their damn book. They’re willing to write slow and deep, knowing it’s not just the characters and plot they’re discovering, it’s themselves.
Writing a novel is hard as hell.
It’s lonely. It’s confusing. It’s never-ending.
And it feels like no one can help, because they don’t know all the details of your story. And even if they did, they wouldn’t really get it.
I mean, who spends so much time making up people in their head?
Then, once you finish (if you finish), you get nothing but confusing feedback, rejection letters, or even worse, silence.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
There’s a community of writers who get it. The ups and downs. The middle-of-the-night ideas that keep you from sleeping. The long-held wounds that inspired your story but are too scary to put on the page.
There’s a system for building your novel in a way that ensures it’s holding together, saying what you want it to say, and impacting your reader on a heart-level.
There’s support for the doubt, procrastination, and overwhelm so common to the writing journey.
Welcome to the Rooted Writers Mentorship
The Rooted Writers Mentorship helps folks with a story they need to tell grow brave stories that can change the world, one reader at a time.
The Mentorship isn’t about writing a book in 90-days, getting an Amazon Bestseller tag, or following the hottest publishing trend.
No, the Mentorship is for writers who are deeply connected to their stories, who want to know themselves better through the writing process, and who are writing because they want to make the world 300-pages better.
If you’ve been looking for support, community, and guidance so you can finally write a novel that makes your reader feel seen, the Rooted Writers Mentorship is the place for you.
“I've been in a few writing groups in the past, but this is the first one I've found where everyone is really coming together as a community to support each other.
This is also the first group where I've felt comfortable expressing my queer identity, and felt able to open up about the true core and reason for this piece.”
Science Fiction Writer
The Mentorship is a one-of-a-kind program designed to give you the knowledge, feedback, and community you need to write a book that makes your reader feel seen and helps them to see others.
After all, story is the most powerful tool we have to change people.
Writing is slow, circular, and requires a shit-ton of courage.
That’s why we don’t rush the process.
The Rooted Writers Mentorship is a year-long program because your book matters that much. It deserves the time, space, and focus to become its strongest self. To be honest, most writers take more than a year to write their book because we don’t believe in arbitrary deadlines that don’t fit our lives and needs.
Rooted Writers let their stories grow at their own pace.
Using the Story Tree Process, we grow your story from the ground up, with you as the roots of your Story Tree.
The Mentorship is right for you if you:
Are a deep thinker and feeler
Would proudly describe yourself as a bookish weirdo
Hold one or more marginalized identities or know what it’s like to not quite fit in
Understand the life-changing power of story
Have a personal connection to your book and need to write it
Want to grow with a community of like-minded writers
Are done trying to write fast and are ready to write deep
Value making an impact over gaining accolades (though those would be nice too)
Want to learn more about yourself and others through the Enneagram personality system
Plan to write a book with strong characters and emotional depth
Understand the value of thinking about your story before you write
“The ability to SHARE and talk about the story at all is huge for me. It is terrifying (I feel almost ashamed whenever talking about it?? It’s SO difficult) but this whole process and this kind, supportive group has done wonders for me.”
Michelle Carpenter
Alignment Check
My first priority is to protect the safety of the Rooted Writers Mentorship so that folks feel able to be themselves and write their stories without fear.
I take this job seriously.
The Rooted Writers Mentorship is dedicated to developing stories that can change the world by creating more empathy and connection with ourselves and others.
Writers in the Mentorship are committed to building a world where all people are safe to be who they are (trans people!), love who they love (LGBTQIA+ people!), and pursue life without fear or oppression (Black Lives Matter!).
The Mentorship supports authors of all orientations, gender identities, skin colors, abilities, brains, body sizes, religions, and nationalities.
If you can’t enthusiastically agree with these values, the Mentorship is not for you.
If these values are what you want the world to move toward, welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.
How does the Mentorship work, exactly?
Part Course
Focused lessons teach you how story works and how people work, so you can find what your story needs to get unstuck and know that your book is heading in the right direction.
Part Coaching
We’ve got four calls a month where you can get direct feedback from me on your book. I want to know your story! That’s why we prioritize checking in, problem solving, and holding space for each other throughout the writing journey.
Part Mastermind
The writers in the Mentorship are fucking awesome. With this supportive, thoughtful, and engaged community at your side, you’ll never feel alone again.
“I'm so happy that there are people like you out there creating a space for people who are more sensitive and who want to see a better world. I have learned so much just from the different writers that you have had in your space, and it's made me feel like I could be so much more of myself.”
Liz Prior
Here’s what’s waiting for you as a Rooted Writer:
Phase One: Embrace Your Story
Embrace Yourself - Learn the unique traits and superpowers you bring to your writing
Embrace Your Story - Discover what your book is actually about
Phase Two: Plan Your Story
Protagonist - Build the strongest protagonist for your novel
Antagonist - Create an antagonist who truly challenges your protagonist
World - Design a world that means something
Cast - Assemble an essential, unique cast
Conflict - Shape an impactful internal and external conflict
Outline - Create a character-drive outline
Series - Map the essential pieces of every book in your series
Phase Three: Write Your Story
Mindset
Scene Structure
Show, Don’t Tell
Characterization
Tone and Voice
Phase Four: Revise Your Story
Assessing Your Manuscript
Creating a revision plan
Revision versus editing
Fine-tuning
Getting feedback
Plus you’ll get tons of support and feedback:
4 Group Coaching Calls
We’ve got four live coaching calls a month that serve different time zones. If you can’t make a call, no worries; the recordings are available ASAP.
Co-Writing Sessions
Multiple weekly co-writing sessions will help you show up for your story and yourself. No longer will Netflix, sleep, or deep-cleaning your oven distract you from sitting down with your book. Our co-writing sessions will help you get shit done.
Online Community
Our online space (it’s not Facebook!) will keep you connected and engaged with your fellow Rooted Writers. This is a place to share your wins and struggles, get feedback on your work, and generally feel the love.
“I am learning about ME, and what I want to SAY, and that DRAMATICALLY changes who my characters are and the world they live in.”
Bobby Moore
Are you ready to write a book you’re proud of?
Your Investment
$500 to enroll
Then monthly payments of $400
A minimum 12-month commitment is required, though most folks take longer than a year to finish their books. Rooted Writers have the opportunity to book one-on-one calls with me for an additional cost. 10% of your monthly payment goes to fund scholarships for underrepresented voices in publishing.
We Are Mission-Driven
Part of my mission is to support the stories of underrepresented writers in publishing. This year, we’re launching a scholarship program to bring more of these writers into the Mentorship.
Are you a queer, Black, brown, AAPI, indigenous, trans, fat, neurodivergent, disabled, or otherwise underrepresented writer? Add your name to the waitlist, and I’ll let you know when scholarship applications are open in the fall of 2024.
A Little About Me
Hi, I’m Dani Abernathy.
I’m a book coach who helps novelists write the stories they need to tell so their readers can feel seen and can see others.
I believe stories can change the world, one reader at a time, because they teach us to have more compassion for ourselves and others.
Stories are one of our most powerful tools for having less war and more love, and that’s why I’m on a mission to support folks like you as you write brave stories that tell the truth (even in a fantasy world).
I used to be an evangelical Christian (and missionary!), but that’s not my thing anymore. These days, I feel happier, more fulfilled, and more loving than I ever did before.
I've been married to a fellow dreamer since the tender age of 22, and together we have two kiddos.
My values are dignity, agency, connection, emotional bravery, and radical self-love. These values guide my life and are the foundations of the Rooted Writers Mentorship. That’s why we spend so much time embracing who you are, figuring out what you really want to say, and helping you shape the story you really want to tell.
“I feel better about myself as a writer now than I have at any other point in my adult life. I doubt I'll ever use another model [...] I've been through so many over the years, and none were even close to being this helpful. I already know that the next draft will be the best yet - and maybe the first one I'm actually happy with.”
Kahina
Ready to join us?
The first step to joining the Rooted Writers Mentorship is simply to reach out by clicking below. From there, we’ll set up a no-pressure call to get to know each other, talk about your book, and decide whether the Mentorship is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve already written a manuscript. Is the Mentorship right for me?
Most likely. If you haven’t worked with a coach or editor on your book, you’re a good fit for the Mentorship. I find that 95% of manuscripts are missing foundational elements. The Mentorship will help you assess your manuscript, strengthen what’s there, and write a kick-ass revision. You’ll come away with a story you feel confident about so you can move forward.
Can you edit my book?
Nope! I support writers in the process of planning and writing their novels. I’m not a line editor, copy editor, and definitely not a proofreader. If you’ve got a manuscript you'd like my eyes on, let’s talk. I offer Manuscript Assessments as part of the Mentorship.
What genres are best for the Mentorship?
Any heart-centered, character-driven novel meant to impact the reader on an emotional level. My genre specialities are in fantasy, soft sci-fi, and YA, but I also coach romance, women’s fiction, contemporary fiction, and historical fiction. I’m not the best coach for middle grade, thrillers and mysteries, true literary fiction, short stories, poetry, screenplays, non-fiction, or memoir.
I’m less concerned about genre, and more concerned about WHY you’re writing. Do you have something to say about the world and how to live in it? Perfect. Do you want to make your readers feel seen or help them to see someone else? Awesome. Are you writing only to give folks a good time? Then I’m probably not the coach for you.
Will you give me feedback on my story?
Absolutely. You’ll get feedback during our weekly coaching calls and in our online community. Having a coach’s eyes on your work is invaluable to making sure you’re on the right track and that your story is developing the way you intend. Feedback is a high priority in the Mentorship, that’s why we encourage regular check-ins and hold space for figuring stuff out together on the calls.
Will other writers give me feedback on my work?
The Mentorship is not a critique group. You won’t be expected to look at anyone else’s work and no one will be looking at yours. You’re free to focus all your energy on your own novel without worrying about the (often less-than-helpful) feedback of other writers. If you’d like to exchange pages with your fellow Rooted Writers, go for it, but there’s no obligation to do so.
Do I really have to commit to a year in the program?
Yup. Writing takes time, and most people don’t give themselves enough of it. When you’re writing a novel you’re deeply connected to, you need time to rest, refocus, and heal. Too many writers rush ahead, dumping out 100k words that don’t say anything. That’s not what the Mentorship is about. It’s a year-long (or more) on purpose, so you can have the time to be intentional about your novel, show up for yourself, and write a book you’re proud of.
Will I be ready to query or publish after a year?
Probably not. In the Mentorship, we value writing slow, we honor the needs of our brains and bodies, and we remove the pressure of arbitrary deadlines. After your year in the Mentorship, you’ll feel more comfortable with yourself, connected to your fellow Rooted Writers, and confident in your book, but I can make no promises about where you’ll be in the writing process. Most writers take longer than a year to finish their books. You may be in revision, you may be drafting, or may even still be planning. But no matter what, you’re going to feel supported, purposeful, and aligned with your vision. Writing impactful fiction takes time, so give yourself the gift of writing slow.
Can I stay in the Mentorship longer than a year?
You can! You can stay in as long as you’d like at your regular monthly rate.
What if I don’t live in the United States?
No problem! Our coaching calls are scheduled to accommodate multiple time zones. Folks who live in Australia seem to have the hardest time finding calls that work with their schedule.
What times are the calls?
We’ve got four calls each month:
1st full week of the month - Tuesday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST
2nd full week of the month - Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. CST
3rd full week of the month- Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. CST
4th full week of the month - Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. CST
What time are the co-writing sessions?
Mondays from 9:00-10:30 a.m. CST
Mondays from 6:00-7:30 p.m CST
Tuesdays from 7:00-9:30 a.m. CST
Thursdays from 7:00-9:30 a.m. CST
What’s the application process like?
Joining the Mentorship has two parts: an application and an enrollment session. The application helps me learn about you and your book as well as get an idea of whether the Mentorship will meet your needs. The enrollment cession is a no-pressure conversation where we talk about your book, do a little coaching, and decide together whether the Mentorship is the right place for you.
How many people are in the Mentorship?
Because I’m committed to knowing every story in the program and coaching you along the way, we cap the Mentorship around 50 members. Once we hit that number, we can’t accept more people into the program. If you’re interested in joining, I encourage you to reach out sooner rather than later, before spaces fill up.