🪧The Austen Pathway
Where Jane Austen's legacy of creative independence meets modern marketing strategy.
We help authors and creatives Master Your Marketing for sustainable sales.
As an author or creative, you know your craft. But every successful creative needs more than just talent. You need the right marketing strategy and skills to create sustainable sales and grow your business. That's where we come in.
Work with Caroline Jane Knight (Austen descendant, marketing agency CEO, entrepreneur and author) and Melissa Makarewicz (The Literary Assistant, marketing and social media expert) to:
Master Your Marketing – develop the strategy and skills to create, implement and manage your marketing to build an engaged audience, sustainable sales and grow your author business
Increase Your Sales – Use our storytelling framework to connect with your audience, turning your brand story into sales and casual browsers into loyal customers
Stay Ahead On Social Media – Our Monthly Social Media trend report with weekly workshops keep you ahead of the algorithms with actionable steps, without the stress and research
Join The Austen Pathway today for US$10 per month for carefully curated content, tools, and a supportive community of fellow creatives! Join our workshops and work one-on-one with us when you need personalised support.
Let us help you harness your storytelling to drive sales!
How It Works:
Discover Your Authentic Voice - Like Jane Austen, stand confidently in your unique creative identity
Develop Your Strategic Plan – Navigate the world of creative marketing. Create a plan to use your time and resources wisely and generate results.
Storytelling to Drive Sales – Use your power of storytelling to connect with your audience and grow a community of supportive readers. Convert your artistic vision into marketing actions that actually drive sales.
Jane Austen was an independent woman who took control of her own business. Her independent spirit shines through in her characters, especially Elizabeth Bennet.
Jane Austen built her legacy on both artistic talent and business acumen and is one of the most successful authors of all time.
The Austen Pathway is the only program that combines Jane Austen's legacy of creative independence with modern business strategy.
Created by Two Women Who Know Your Journey
Caroline Jane Knight - Jane Austen's fifth great-niece from Chawton (where Jane lived and wrote) and international business leader who combines Jane Austen's legacy of creative independence and modern business strategy to drive her own success. CEO, award-winning marketer, author and founder of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation.
Melissa Makarewicz - Known as 'The Literary Assistant', Melissa has helped countless authors turn their books into profitable businesses. Her expertise in author marketing and social media has supported New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors.
New to The Austen Pathway?
Join The Austen Pathway for $10 (USD) per month to receive our monthly Social Media Trends Report, weekly marketing articles with actionable recommendations, and join a supportive community with Caroline, Melissa and fellow creatives.
How We Support You:
Join The Pathway
For $10 (USD) a month access thoughtfully curated content, tools and insights from Caroline and Melissa, and join our community of fellow creatives.
Substack Community
Support each other, including our 'Weekly Wins' video where we share our wins for the week and ask for yours, which keeps all of us who work alone at home connected and feeling positive.
Social Media Navigator
Stay ahead on social media with our monthly Social Media Trend Report and Weekly Workshops. Stop wasting time on outdated approaches that limit your visibility and start creating content that genuinely connects with your audience and drives real results.
Group Workshops
Join our group workshops to put your learning into practice. Live Q&A sessions to answer your questions and set you on the right path.
One-on-One Coaching
Work one-on-one with Caroline or Melissa, for dedicated focus on your marketing and business, with tailored recommendations, strategies and action plans.
Audits & Feedback
Use our audit service for personalised feedback about your current marketing and social media. Ensure your current strategies are helping, not hindering, your progress.
Your Marketing Foundation for Creative Independence
With our signature Storytelling Framework and unique insights, we help you master the marketing skills needed to reach your audience and drive sustainable sales:
Social Media - Create engaging content that builds community
Email Marketing - Convert followers to buyers
Lead Magnets - Grow your audience strategically
ARC Team Building - Launch your work successfully
Community Building - Foster loyal readers and customers
Online Advertising - Maximize your marketing budget
Online & In-Person Events - Connect authentically with your audience
Meet Our Founders
Caroline Jane Knight - Jane Austen's Niece
Caroline is the fifth great niece of Jane Austen and the last of Jane's nieces to grow up at Chawton House on her family's ancestral estate where Jane herself lived and wrote. At 18, Caroline left Chawton and forged her own path, building a distinguished international career in marketing and business as a CEO, director, entrepreneur and published author.
Former large marketing agency CEO, with over 2000 employees
Gold Award recipient at the UK Field Marketing Awards
Honorary life fellow of the Australian Institute of Management
Finalist in the prestigious Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Awards
Founder and chair of The Jane Austen Literacy Foundation
Author of Jane & Me: My Austen Heritage
Founder of The Greyfriar Group; training, developing and coaching business professionals, entrepreneurs and creatives since 2013
Melissa Makarewicz - aka 'The Literary Assistant'
With over 15 years of experience in corporate marketing, sales, and author support, Melissa is dedicated to empowering authors to build their publishing business through strategic marketing, social media growth, and confidence-building.
Business owner and entrepreneur
Author assistant, specializing in marketing, social media and community building
Social Media Manager for New York Times, USA Today and Amazon best-selling authors
Social Media Manager for History Through Fiction publishing
Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community Manager (volunteer)
Certified Business and Confidence Coach
Like Jane Austen, authors and creatives are small business owners.
You wanted to be an author or creative and found yourself running a small business. Sound familiar?
Like all entrepreneurs, you need effective marketing skills to build sustainable sales. Working alone, it's easy to miss out on the latest marketing trends, strategies, and the accountability needed to implement them effectively. The internet is overflowing with marketing advice, but finding what actually works can be overwhelming and that's where we come in.
Powered by Jane Austen, Caroline Jane Knight and Melissa Makarewicz, The Austen Pathway gives authors and creatives trusted, comprehensive marketing support, so you can build and grow sustainable sales from your creative passion.
