The Don’t Write That Book Podcast is your behind-the-scenes look into crafting a book people love and what it takes to make that book a perennial bestseller. Your hosts, bestselling author, Mike Michalowicz, and award-winning editor and publishing strategist, AJ Harper, demystify all aspects of developing, writing, editing, publishing, and marketing your book. Through frank conversations drawing on their 14-year partnership, Mike and AJ aim to inspire you to write a better book and step into authorship.
Each year, roughly four million books are published. Four million. Considering that staggering number, how can an author hope to make it—make a living, make their mark, make a difference? First and foremost, by avoiding the “better business card” and other shortcut approaches to writing and publishing a book.
In their podcast, Don’t Write That Book, writing partners Mike Michalowicz (Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan, and more) and AJ Harper (Write a Must-Read) offer a rare behind-the-scenes look into what it really takes to write a must-read book—and sell the heck out of it. Building on their decades of experience in publishing, Mike and AJ share frank conversations and deep dives about every aspect of authorship in the hopes of inspiring you to write a better book—the book you were called to write.
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00:00
(music starts)
00:03 Mike Michalowicz:
Hey, there you are listening to Don't Write That Book; we'll explain in just a minute why we titled it that way. My name is Mike Michalowicz and I'm joined in the studio with AJ Harper.
00:13 AJ Harper:
Hello.
00:14 Mike Michalowicz:
We wanna introduce ourselves. We’ll tell you a little bit about the show. So I am the author of ten business books. These are prescriptive non-fiction books and throughout my journey, which. I've done in partnership with AJ; we've written every single book together. I've discovered what works, what has extraordinary impact, and I've been blessed and fortunate and worked my butt off to have my books perform well. And we've hit one out of the park with Profit First. Just this week was in the number twenty ninth best selling book on all of Amazon. We… I'm here cause. I wanna share with you my thoughts and insights around authorship to elevate the game and to serve you. We'll talk about that second… But AJ why don’t you introduce yourself and what you do.
00:56 AJ Harper:
So in addition to writing books with you, I was a ghost writer for ten years, always with prescriptive non fiction, which we've been sharing that term…
01:04 Mike Michalowicz:
Yeah.
01:05 AJ Harper:
It's books that help a person make their life or work better. Simple as that. And, uh, I retired from that except for working with Mike to teach authors the methodology. I use to write books that actually deliver on the promise. So I teach a workshop, I've worked with hundreds of authors and I also wrote my own book, which is called Write A Must Read.
01:27 Mike Michalowicz:
You must read Write A Must Read.
01:28 AJ Harper:
(laughs)
01:29 Mike Michalowicz:
You must attend her workshops, they're amazing and you conveniently left off that you owned a publishing house that you sold. (laughs)
01:35 AJ Harper:
That’s true.
01:36 Mike Michalowicz:
(gibberish) She owned a publishing house, in the fiction space.
01:38 AJ Harper:
Yes.
01:39 Mike Michalowicz:
And sold it.
01:40 AJ Harper:
Yes.
01:41 Mike Michalowicz:
I can't think of anyone who brings more knowledge or experience, hands on experience, and work with more authors making extraordinary books than you AJ. Now when we put the show together it was with the intent, and continues to be, that there's many books out there but they're not many great books out there. And I think many authors are called to right great books and this is the opportunity to do just that. I don't want anyone to fall for that you buy a book and, Er.. or thirty days later have a book or finish this weekend and just you know right this amazing book kinda this book in the box mentality. We want to guide you to writing the book that you feel called to write that will transform the world.
02:22 AJ Harper:
And you can!
02:23 Mike Michalowicz:
And you can!
02:24 AJ Harper:
That's the cool thing! You can write a better book.
02:27 Mike Michalowicz:
Now we'll give you a piece of direction…Check out episode one, that's where you should start. So if you're joining us in the middle of our series, that's great, but go back to episode one to get an understanding the foundational element of this and then perhaps you'll start the binge. Just like I've been binging Ted Lasso, you should do the same. I think this, as a podcast, we'll transform you if you follow in sequence. That’s all I got AJ.
02:50 AJ Harper:
I think that's good, but I think it's important to mention when we say don't write THAT book we do want you to write a book; we want you to write a fantastic book that you're proud of, that you want people to read, that you're excited to share with others.
03:03 Mike Michalowicz:
Yeah, don’t write THAT book… Write THIS book. And we will tell you what we mean by this book…
03:06 AJ Harper:
(laughs)
03:07 Mike Michalowicz:
Alright! Start listening to our episodes! Bye!
03:10:
(Only music plays and fades out)