REWORK

The Myth of the Overnight Sensation

Feb 14, 2024

Join Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founders of 37signals, as they celebrate Basecamp's 20th and 37signals' upcoming 25th anniversaries. They discuss the success of their book REWORK, exploring the challenges faced during its creation and its impact. Learn about treating a book as a product, the compromise made during the writing process, and the book's brevity. They also share insights on the potential future of their writing about work and business.

27:01

Episode guests

Jason Fried

David Heinemeier Hansson

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Quick takeaways

The success of the book Rework is attributed to its concise and relatable content, with readers finding it easy to read and applicable to real-life situations.

The unconventional approach taken by the authors in cutting down the manuscript of Rework to half its original size resulted in a book that directly delivers their key ideas without jargon or filler content, providing a refreshing alternative to traditional business books.

Deep dives

The Success of the Book Rework

The podcast episode discusses the success of the book called Rework, which has sold over a million copies worldwide. The book, written by the co-founders of 37 Signals, Jason Freed and David Heinemayer Hanson, is a compilation of their best essays and ideas that they had been publishing on their blog over the years. The book's success is attributed to its concise and relatable content, with readers finding it easy to read and applicable to real-life situations. Despite the book industry's expectations of length and filler content, the authors chose to focus on delivering the very best ideas, resulting in a timeless and impactful product.

The Staying Power of Books

01:21

Building Timeless Content with Long-term Insights

01:44

Introduction

2min

The Timelessness and Non-Overnight Success of the Book

2min

Approaching Writing a Book like Building a Product

6min

The Challenges of Publishing 'Rework'

14min

Exploring a Potential Book Idea on Minimalist Management and Trusting Intuition

2min

This week, join your host Kimberly Rhodes along with the co-founders of 37signals, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, as they celebrate Basecamp's 20th and 37signals' upcoming 25th anniversaries. The excitement extends to the success of their book REWORK, which recently surpassed a million copies sold worldwide.

They delve especially into the chapter titled "The Myth of the Overnight Sensation," exploring the book's journey, impact, and the challenges faced during its creation. From unexpected compromises with publishers to the book's timeless nature, Jason and David share insights on treating a book as a product and how it has aged well, continuing to resonate with readers around the globe.

Jason and David also reflect on the writing process and the book's unique qualities, including its concise nature and impactful content. Tune in for a fascinating exploration of the past, present, and potential future of 37signals’ writing about work and business.

Check out the full video episode on YouTube

Key Takeaways:

[00:39] - Big news: REWORK just surpassed a million worldwide copies sold!

[02:13] - The book was definitely not an overnight success.

[04:12] - How treating books as products enhances impact, and longevity.
[05:29] - The book, initially 50,000 words, was cut in half to 25,000, which caused a conflict.
[07:06] - Hear about the compromise that was made.
[10:25] - The book's brevity, initially concerning, impressed the editor, leading to improvements.
[13:58] - How the book serves as a persuasive tool, empowering readers to articulate their thoughts.
[15:52] - David points out that the book's immediate start contributed to its success.
[18:24] - Writing a book is overrated; instead focus on consistent online writing.
[20:06] - REWORK’s success lies in compiling proven internet hits for lasting impact.
[24:39] - Any plans for another book?

Rework is a production of 37signals. You can find show notes and transcripts on our website. Full video episodes are available on YouTube and X.

If you have a question for Jason or David about a better way to work and run your business, leave us a voicemail at 708-628-7850 or email, and we might answer it on a future episode.

Links and Resources:

Books by 37signals

HEY World | HEY

The REWORK podcast

The Rework Podcast on YouTube

The 37signals Dev Blog

37signals on YouTube

@37signals on X

37signals on LinkedIn