From an idea
You have a premise and a genre.
By week 16
A tested outline, your story bible, and the first quarter of your book on the page, in your words.
Incipitio Founding Authors · 40 seats
You've thought about writing a book. Now you can.
The advice book only you could write. The memoir your family keeps asking for. The thriller you plot in the shower. The children's book, the family cookbook. Incipitio is the writing studio and coach that gets it out of your head and onto the page, in your words.
40 authors get it free for sixteen weeks. All we ask is one short video a week about how it's going.
Free. No card. Applications close Sunday, December 13.
Seats40
Length16 weeks
StartsMon, Jan 11, 2027
CostFree
Your partOne 3-minute video a week
Applications closeSun, Dec 13
Why Incipitio
Months, not years. You write. It carries the rest.
Incipitio is your writing studio and coach, from the first word to release day. It remembers every decision, tells you the next step, and checks every edit, so your energy goes into the book.
LighterNo blank page, no 40 loose notes, no re-explaining your book. One next step at a time, and a story bible that remembers everything.
Faster2–4 yearsis the typical traditional publishing timeline. With a full draft, founding authors aim to be submission-ready in 16 weeks.
Affordable$2,800–$5,400is what self-publishing with professional help typically costs.FREEfor founding authors, for all 16 weeks. No card, no catch.
Industry figures from Reedsy: typical traditional publishing timeline, and what independent authors spent to publish a book in 2024. Results depend on your writing.
The deal
A real exchange, in plain terms.
You get the whole studio free and a clear finish line. We get an honest record of what it's like to write a book with Incipitio, from the people doing it.
What you get
- Incipitio, free for 16 weeks.Outline, genre pre-mortem, story bible, developmental and line edits with an independent check on every pass, reader panel, readiness read.
- A track built for where your book is,with a finish line you can see from week one.
- New tools before anyone else.As each one opens, founding authors use it first.
- A free submission to Perrine Publicationsfor publishing consideration when you finish. No fee to be considered, ever, and no obligation either way.
What we ask
- Stay with it for 16 weeks.Plan on 5 to 8 hours a week on your book.
- One 2–3 minute video every week,on your phone, answering the same three questions.
- Permission to share your videosto show other authors what Incipitio is like. We choose what's shared, and say you received free access.
- Honest feedback.Tell us where it helped and where it got in your way.
Four tracks
Start where your book is.
You write. Incipitio is your writing studio and coach: it plans with you, pushes back when something isn't working, and edits like a tough publisher. Every track is sixteen weeks.
From an outline
You have the whole book mapped.
By week 16
A complete first draft in your words, plus a whole-book pre-mortem that tells you what to fix next.
From a partial draft
About 30,000 words or more on the page.
By week 16
A complete draft and a developmental edit of the whole book, coached chapter by chapter.
From a full draft
A finished manuscript that isn't ready yet.
By week 16
A submission-ready manuscript: your words, edited, independently checked, reviewed and signed off.
Finish lines depend on your writing, and you do the writing. Incipitio edits like a tough publisher and never ghostwrites. When you finish, submit to Perrine, query agents, or publish yourself. Your choice.
How a week works
Write, run your passes, then three minutes on camera.
Same three questions every week, so you can watch your own progress, and so can we.
- What did you get done this week?
- Where did Incipitio help, and where did it get in your way?
- How do you feel about your book right now?
Dates
The calendar
- NowApplications open
- Sun Dec 13Applications close
- Fri Dec 18Every applicant hears back
- Mon Jan 11Week 1 begins
- Sun May 2Week 16 ends
- From May 3Finished authors can submit to Perrine Publications
Who it's for
Built for authors who'll do the work.
For you if
- You're writing a full-length novel or nonfiction book and you're serious about finishing it.
- You can give it 5 to 8 hours a week for sixteen weeks.
- You want honest notes, not praise, and you want your voice kept.
- You're comfortable talking to your phone for three minutes a week.
Not for you if
- You want AI to write your book for you. It won't.
- You can't commit weekly right now. The waitlist will open to you later.
- You want a guarantee of publication. Nobody honest can promise that.
Why I'm doing this
I built it on my own books. Now I want to see it work on yours.
I've written 18 books since 2008. My first three each spent six to twelve months with independent editors and still shipped with errors. For House of Vale: The Selection, my eighteenth book and my first thriller, I built a stricter, stage-by-stage process and held the book to it until it was ready.
Incipitio is built from that process. Before we open it more widely, I want forty authors to put it through a real book, start to finish, and tell the truth on camera about what works and what doesn't. That's the deal.
Patrick Perrine, founder, Perrine Publications · San Diego
FAQ
Before you apply.
Is it really free?
Yes. No card, no fee, nothing that turns into a charge by itself. When the program ends you'll see what plans will cost and decide for yourself.
Will Incipitio write my book?
No. Your story, your words. Incipitio outlines with you, edits and revises what you write, and helps you plan what comes next. It never ghostwrites.
Who owns my manuscript?
You do, all of it. We never publish, share or show your pages, in videos or anywhere else, unless you give separate written permission for a specific excerpt. Incipitio never trains AI on your book.
How will my videos be used?
To show other authors what writing with Incipitio is really like, on our site and social channels. We choose what's shared publicly, every post says you received free access, and anything about a bug or a rough day stays with us as research. You'll see the full terms before you start.
What do I need?
A computer for writing, a phone for your videos, and a free Claude account (we'll walk you through it). Plan on 5 to 8 hours a week.
What if I miss a week?
Life happens, so one missed video is fine. Two missed videos and your seat goes to the next author on the waitlist, so someone who's ready can use it.
Do I have to publish with Perrine Publications?
No. Submitting is free and optional, and a submission is considered on its merits. You can also query agents or publish yourself. Perrine also offers paid publishing services, such as cover and interior design, but they're separate from the program and never required.
What if I don't get a seat?
Everyone hears back by December 18. If there isn't a seat for you, you'll be first in line when Incipitio opens to more authors, with no video commitment.
Applications close Sun, Dec 13
Apply for a seat.
About five minutes. Applying doesn't commit you to anything.
- ApplyTell us about your book and your week.
- Hear back by December 18Selected authors get the program terms to read before saying yes.
- Start on January 11Your first session, then your first video at the end of week 1.
Application received
Thank you. We'll read every application ourselves, and you'll hear from us by Friday, December 18, whether or not there's a seat for you.