“A book is not about something. A book is for someone.” That’s the mantra that drives AJ Harper’s work, that includes ghostwriting over one hundred books (and working on many more one-off chapters and projects).

In this conversation, she shares the “life of a book” process in her writing partnership with Mike Michalowicz (ten books together and counting!), what most authors get wrong when writing the conclusion, her favorite tried-and-true question to solicit “unexpected, delicious responses from interviewees,” and how to calibrate expectations for timing around the writing, editing, and creative process.

More About AJ: AJ Harper is an editor and publishing strategist who helps authors write transformational books that enable them to build readership, grow their brand, and make a significant impact on the world. As ghostwriter and as developmental editor, she has worked with hundreds of authors, from newbies to New York Times bestselling authors with millions of books sold. She is writing partner to business author Mike Michalowicz, and together they’ve written ten books, including Profit First. AJ is the author of Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own.

🌟 3 Key Takeaways

Before you start writing, every nonfiction book needs three key elements: a transformational message, ideal reader, and a promise you can deliver on.
AJ’s Reader Transformation Sequence: Readers will engage with a life-changing book in the following order: buy, read, finish, act on, tell.
There’s a difference between story, anecdote, and case study: Stories have a beginning, middle, and an end and are told with suspense and often a transformational moment; anecdotes are smaller moments you capture as you move through the world (or from others); case studies are more detailed client examples that illustrate results.

📝 Permission: Abandon your timeline. Don’t overly obsess about deadlines, timelines, and where the book fits in your business plan.

✅ Do (or Delegate) This Next: We can all take strange comfort in knowing that no matter how many books you’ve written or how successful you are in business, “No amount of experience or preparation can save you from being nervous about the work you’re putting out into the world.”

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Finding the Word in the Words