# Courtney Maum
*Bestselling author, teacher, and writing coach*

Courtney Maum is the bestselling author of six books. Her latest novel, “Alan Opts Out," joins previous titles including the New York Times Editors’ Choice romantic comedy “Touch” and the memoir “The Year of the Horses,” chosen by the Today Show as one of the best reads for mental health awareness. Her work ranges widely across fiction, speculative fiction, memoir, reported memoir, satire, and romance, and she is also the creator of a celebrated Audible original, with two of her book projects currently in development with Hollywood.

Courtney is the creator of “Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book,” a groundbreaking publishing guidebook that has become a must-read for writers at every stage of the publishing journey. The bestselling Substack newsletter of the same name has grown to 40,000 subscribers and counting, and through her online teaching platform at [courtneymaum.com](http://courtneymaum.com), Courtney offers writing classes and private coaching for writers across the globe. She also runs an in-person writing workshop in New Mexico where she combines two decades of advertising-industry craft with a deep love of language to help writers boost their confidence and industry know-how.

Beyond her teaching, Courtney is an active advocate for writers through The Authors Guild, working to protect the rights and livelihoods of the people who make books. Her essays and publishing commentary have appeared across major literary outlets, and she has coached writers pursuing every path on the publishing map, from those chasing a Big Five book deal to those self-publishing a memoir for family.

Her teaching philosophy sits at the heart of everything she does. Courtney is dedicated to preserving the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands, and whether her writers arrive with a polished manuscript or the first spark of an idea, her goal is to create a space where you can sharpen your craft, demystify the publishing industry, pin down your next big project, and walk away loving the work again.

Learn more about Courtney on her website [courtneymaum.com](https://courtneymaum.com) or on Instagram [@cbmaum](https://instagram.com/cbmaum).

## Retreats led by Courtney Maum

### Creative Development and Writing Retreat with Bestselling Author Courtney Maum in Spain
May 10 - 17, 2027 · Níjar, Almería, Spain · $5,400
Instructors: Courtney Maum
[Details](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreat/creative-development-writing-retreat-bestselling-author-courtney-maum-spain) · [Book on uptrek.com →](https://uptrek.com/retreat/creative-development-writing-retreat-bestselling-author-courtney-maum-spain#book)

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**Last updated:** 2026-04-15