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The world is divided

Stories connect us

We all have a story to tell

Get ready for nationwide auditions!

Four judges. One minute. That’s all the time these talented amateurs get to pitch themselves and their story. Finalists from these high-voltage live events in small towns and big cities move onto the next round.

Finalists are then put under one roof and have 30 days to write a book. As the countdown clock ticks, these amateurs also face soul-searching challenges alongside celebrity mentors that will shape them into professional authors.

One winner receives the most coveted prize: a book deal with a cash advance.

Sign up for info on casting calls, show updates, and how YOU can become America’s Next Great Author.

Sign up for info on casting calls

AMERICA’S NEXT GREAT AUTHOR is dedicated to including writers who aren’t normally given a seat at the table in mainstream publishing. The series will feature writers from communities and cultures all across America who bring their unique voices to readers and the world of literature.

Kwame Alexander

is an Emmy® Award-winning producer, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and internationally renowned inspirational speaker. He will be inspire, edify, and motivate our storytellers from pitch to publication. Kwame is a poet, educator, publisher, and author of 44 books. He is the Executive Producer, Showrunner, and Writer of the Emmy-award winning series, The Crossover, based on his Newbery-Medal winning novel of the same name. He is also the Executive Producer of the new PBS animated series, Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Band, based on his beloved children’s book.

Arielle Eckstut + David Henry Sterry

Arielle & David, AKA "The Book Doctors" are the authors of the definitive Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. They are also the creators of Pitchapalooza, which has become one of publishing’s most sought-after events and which they've presented hundreds of times all over the nation. Dozens of amateur writers have become professional authors as a result. Pitchapalooza has been featured in, among others, The New York Times, the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal. Arielle was an agent for thirty years at the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency and is the author of ten books. David is the bestselling author of sixteen books. In addition, he was a professional actor for twenty years. He appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows and over 1,000 commercials.

Arielle Eckstut + David Henry Sterry, Co-Creators

Arielle and David are the co-founders of Can Do Entertainment, a production company that champions independent writers and artists during a time of mass conglomeration in the media business. They are also co-founders of The Book Doctors, a company that has helped hundreds of writers get successfully published. Arielle is the author of ten books. David is the bestelling author of 16 books. His last book appeared on the cover of The New York Times Book Review.

Kwame Alexander, Co-Creator

Kwame is the founder of Big Sea Entertainment, a company dedicated to creating innovative, highly original, top-quality children’s and family entertainment. He is the co-showrunner and Executive Producer of The Crossover TV series forthcoming on Disney+ based on his Newbery-winning novel in verse. He also has deals in development with Sony, WGBH public television, and Jim Henson Productions, among others. His musical, Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Bloom debuted at the Kennedy Center in 2021.

Grant Faulkner, Executive Producer

Grant Faulkner is the co-host of the Write-minded podcast, which is the most popular podcast for writers. He’s the co-founder of Memoir Nation, the Flash Fiction Institute, and 100 Word Story, and the former Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). He’s a frequent speaker on creativity topics in addition to publishing a wide assortment of books on writing and several collections of fiction and essays.

Sydnye White, Executive Producer

As a documentary and non-fiction television producer, Sydnye has spearheaded, created and overseen thousands of hours of programming distributed on such networks as PBS, Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, National Geographic, BET, and TV One. Her work as co-producer on TLC’s Great Books: The Autobiography of Malcolm X garnered her a national Emmy nomination. Sydnye is passionate about using ideas, words, sounds and images to create stories that open minds and touch hearts.

Bonnie Berry LaMon

Bonnie Berry LaMon is an entertainment attorney who represents a wide range of award-winning authors, screenwriters, directors, and recording artists. As a producer, additional credits include feature films such as Dough Boys, One Bad Habit, and Nikita Blues. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Berry LaMon also holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She writes middle grade fiction, and is currently co-authoring a novel-in-verse with Newbery award-winning author Kwame Alexander.

Sarah Grace McCandless

Sarah Grace McCandless is a writer and producer focused on bringing stories to life across multiple mediums. Producing credits include podcasts (Why Fathers Cry), live storytelling series (Mortified, Backfence), and branded content for Nike, Starbucks, Disney, Lucasfilm, Discovery, NBCUniversal, Dark Horse Comics, and more. Sarah Grace is also the author of two novels, Grosse Pointe Girl and The Girl I Wanted to Be, both published by Simon & Schuster.