‘America’s Next Great Author,’ Kanopy’s First Original TV Series, Seeks to Find the Next Literary Sensation
Ahead of the release of its first original documentary film, Kanopy is also getting into the reality competition series game next. The free streaming service has announced that America’s Next Great Author, its first original television series, will begin production this year and premiere in 2026.
The show will feature aspiring authors pitching for a chance to become the next big thing in publishing and is created by award-winning The Crossover author Kwame Alexander.
The logline for the series reads, “America’s Next Great Author, Kanopy’s first original series, is the first reality show that puts aspiring authors in the spotlight, anchored in the belief that stories connect us all in a deeply divided world. The program is driven by the premise that everyone has a story to tell – research shows that 81% of Americans say they want to write a book.”
The subject matter is germane to Kanopy, of course, as the streamer is an ad-free platform provided for free by libraries and universities that is available to those with library cards to participating locations across the globe.
In a press release detailing the series, Kanopy described the format of the series as follows: “Like American Idol, America’s Next Great Author begins with casting calls across the United States, where aspiring authors have one minute to pitch their book ideas to a panel of celebrity judges. After the audition round, six winners are chosen. They will live together in a house for one month, competing to complete 50,000 words as they face life-changing challenges, with the help of celebrity mentors, transforming them from talented amateurs into top-notch professionals.”
The grand prize for the series will include a “significant publishing deal.”
In a statement, Kwame Alexander said of the new series, “We are here to literally make people’s dreams come true. There’s a massive audience of people who not only want to read books, but who want to write them. From BookTokers to Boomers and everyone in between who has a story to share and a gift to tell it, America’s Next Great Author is a show whose mission is to inspire and develop storytellers who are usually not given a seat at the table.”
Potential contestants can sign up for information on upcoming casting calls for the series and find additional information at AmericasNextGreatAuthor.com.
Kanopy’s first foray into original programming comes this week with the release of Banned Together, a documentary premiering on the streamer on April 25 that covers the current hot-button issue of book banning in schools. The feature-length film’s description is, “The story follows the headline-making, inspiring journey of three students in Beaufort, S.C., who fight back when 97 books are suddenly pulled from their school libraries. With a cast of visionary teenagers, banned authors, parents, teachers, advocacy leaders from organizations including the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and more, as well as political officials (including Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland), Banned Together pulls back the curtain on book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools.”
Banned Together, April 25, Kanopy
America’s Next Great Author, 2026 TBD, Kanopy
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services