Publishing for
the Modern Author
A full-service publishing and author development firm helping busy professionals write, publish, and activate books that support their work, authority, and long-term impact.
3500+
Published Authors
350+
National & International
Book Award Winners & Finalist
Certified
B Corp
Two-Time
Inc. 5000 Honoree
Featured Modern Authors
Trusted by 3,000+ modern authors across business, academia, and professional practice.
David Olivencia
CEO & Investor
Founder of one of the nation’s most powerful Latino investment networks, $11M+ deployed. His book positioned him at the center of capital, credibility, and community.
Raven Jemison
President, Kansas City Current
Turned executive leadership into a published platform, now leading one of the most valuable women’s sports franchises in the world.
Scott White
Partner, CEO Coaching International
A skeptical public company CEO who used his book launch to sell 600+ tickets and expand his executive platform.
Jen Marr
Founder & Education Innovator
Generated 483 backers and $71,000+ before publication, launching her national education network alongside her book.
Navid Nazemian
Executive Coach & HR Leader
Named #1 Executive Coach by CEO Today after raising $35,000+ in workshops and keynotes before publication.
Dr. Christina Cipriano
Professor, Yale University
Translated academic expertise into a nationally recognized book that extended her impact beyond academia.
See how authors like you used their books to create real-world impact.
Hear Directly from Authors Who Finished,
Launched, and Built Real Momentum.
The Role of a Book Has Changed
For most professionals today, a book is no longer a passion project or a standalone product.
It is a signal of expertise.
→ A platform for ideas.
→ A credential that opens doors.
But the way books are traditionally written and published hasn’t kept up with how modern authors actually work.
Most publishing paths still assume: • Unlimited time •Linear writing • Minimal strategic intent beyond publication.
That model doesn’t serve busy professionals, or the outcomes they care about.
Modern Authors Don’t Write Books in Isolation
They write with intention. They Never Write Alone. They care about:
- Who the book is for
- What role it plays in their work
- How it supports speaking, advisory work, leadership, or enterprise impact
- Whether it reflects their voice, thinking, and credibility
At Manuscripts, we believe a book should be built as professional infrastructure, not a side project.
That belief shapes everything we do.
What Manuscripts Does
Manuscripts is a founder-led publishing and author development company built for professionals who want their book to do real work in the world.
We partner with authors from early positioning through publication and beyond, combining:
- Strategic book positioning and architecture
- Structured writing systems designed for busy lives
- Professional developmental and line editing
- High-quality design, production, and distribution
- Audience development, presales, and launch strategy
- AI-enabled tools that support authors without replacing their voice
The result is not just a published book, but a durable platform authors can build on for years.
A Common Question We Hear. Do you publish books, or do you help authors write them?
We do both. Manuscripts supports authors from early positioning and manuscript development through professional publishing, launch, and long-term activation.
Why Manuscripts is Different
A brief overview from our founder on how modern authorship actually works.
The Manuscripts Operating Systems
Each program is designed as a system, not a one-off service.
All books developed through Manuscripts are:
- Written by the author
- Professionally edited
- 100% author-owned
- Designed to generate ROI beyond book sales
“ ”
I didn’t need motivation.
I needed a system that fit my life.
— Ahmed Siddiqui, Executive,
Author of The Anatomy of the Swipe
& The Evolution of the Swipe
Modern Author Operating System
For professionals writing their first or most important book
A guided, end-to-end system for experts, executives, coaches, consultants, physicians, professors, and founders who want to write and leverage a serious nonfiction book, without stepping away from their career.
Modern Publishing Operating System
For professionals writing their first or most important book
A guided, end-to-end system for experts, executives, coaches, consultants, physicians, professors, and founders who want to write and leverage a serious nonfiction book, without stepping away from their career.
Codex – AI Tools for Authors
Our proprietary Author IntelligenceTM platform
Codex supports authors with structure, drafting, repurposing, and deployment—trained on their voice and ideas, not generic prompts.
Enterprise & Corporate
Books and frameworks for organizations and leadership teams
We partner with companies, institutions, and leadership teams to develop books, frameworks, and thought-leadership platforms that scale internally and externally.
3,000+
Authors Published
90%
manuscript completion rate for authors who enter the system
11-14 Months
from positioning to fully launched book
98% of Authors
who start without a system never finish
A System Refined at Scale
Our systems have been developed and refined across thousands of authors and hundreds of industries.
Executives & Founders
→ Used by leaders running venture-backed companies and PE-backed firms.
Professors & Researchers
→ Including faculty at R1 universities publishing crossover books.
Coaches & Consultants
→ Many using their book to drive speaking, advisory, and enterprise work.
These outcomes are not accidental. They are the result
of structure, sequencing, and accountability.
The Manuscripts Guides
We publish in-depth guides that answer the questions modern authors actually ask, based on real data, real projects, and real outcomes. These are not blog posts. They are reference-level playbooks.
Topics Include:
- Writing a book when you’re busy
- Building an audience before publishing
- Using AI responsibly as an author
- Designing books that lead to speaking, clients, and enterprise work
Built by Educators, Not Marketers
Manuscripts was founded by Eric Koester, an award-winning entrepreneurship professor, author, and advisor who has spent his career teaching people how to turn ideas into durable work.
Our philosophy is simple:
- Precision matters
- Structure beats motivation
- Books are built, not improvised
We exist to bring rigor, clarity, and integrity back to modern authorship.
Frequenlty Asked Questions
Manuscripts is a full-service publishing and author development firm. We partner with professionals to design, write, publish, and activate nonfiction books that support their work, authority, and long-term impact.
Our role goes beyond production. We focus on positioning, structure, editorial rigor, and the systems required to ensure a book functions as a durable professional asset.
Manuscripts operates as a modern hybrid publisher and author development partner.
Authors retain creative control and rights, while working within a structured, professionally guided publishing system. This model combines the rigor of traditional publishing with the flexibility and strategic intent modern authors need.
Manuscripts works best with experts, executives, founders, coaches, consultants, physicians, professors, and leaders who see a book as an extension of their work, not a standalone project.
Our authors are typically busy professionals who value structure, clarity, and high standards, and who want their book to support speaking, advisory work, leadership, or enterprise opportunities.
Most authors spend 4–6 months building a complete manuscript using our structured writing system.
The full process, positioning, writing, audience development, presale, publishing, and launch, typically spans 11–14 months, depending on the author’s goals and publishing path.
This timeline is designed to be compatible with full-time professional lives.
We use AI as a support tool, not a replacement for authorship.
Our proprietary system, Codex, helps authors organize ideas, accelerate drafting, and repurpose content while preserving their voice and thinking. Every book remains author-led, editor-guided, and held to professional publishing standards.
AI assists the process; it does not substitute for judgment, craft, or originality.
If You’re Considering a Serious Book
A conversation can help clarify whether now is the right time, what kind of book makes sense, and which path will serve you best.
We’ll be honest, even if the answer isn’t Manuscripts.
Who is Manuscripts not for?
We’re not a fit for authors looking for a quick release, a hobby project, or a fully automated ghostwriting experience. Our work is collaborative, structured, and intentional.
“ ”
I spoke to other publishers. This was the first conversation that felt serious.
— Don Sandel, Founder, GoPositiv
