Gretchen Reuben is the author of bestsellers Better Than Before and The Happiness Project. Her tribe follows her both in print and online. She also produces her own podcast Happy with Gretchen Reuben, where she talks about good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft and is named an all-time best podcast on iTunes in 2015. She started her career in law when she realized she wanted to be a writer.
She says of her transformation from law to writing, “For my transition, it wasn’t one moment, it was a series of events that happened over time.” At one point, she considered that writing could be a job for her instead of a hobby. Also, at this time, she went over to a friend’s house, and after talking with her friend, she realized that she wanted the same activity for her work and fun time. With an idea in mind for a book, she came to the realization that “if I was to ever try, now was the time to try.”
Gretchen remembers the ecstasy of getting an agent because, for her, that felt like the most significant milestone in her writing career. She was thrilled that someone would put money on her writing career and ambitions.
As for her writing process, Gretchen has never deviated from her original procedure. She does not recommend this to everyone; however, this is what she has found works best for her writing endeavors. Using mostly books and a passion for a topic, she fervently engages in going down the rabbit hole of investigation.
Listen in to find out why Gretchen focuses on using stories from her own life, how she grounds her writing when using specialized terms and how she came up with her idea for her book, The Happiness Project. Learn how novel and challenge make people happier, how she finds time to write, and the easiest way to make an action a habit.
Show Notes
[01:51] Moving from working in a law office in the Supreme Court to becoming a writer. [03:21] Gretchen realizes that if she is going to make a career change, now is the time. [05:02] Toughest part of her transition when working on her book. [06:30] Her writing and research process for each of her books. [09:02] Turning research and investigative notes into readable material. [11:42] For Gretchen, taking notes is a way for her mind to connect the dots of a story. [14:53] When writing, she focuses on using clear direct language and using stories from her own life. [18:39] How being on a crowded bus after running through a rainstorm gave her the idea for her book. [21:32] What is happiness and where can you find happiness in your life? [23:30] How Gretchen finds time to write her books. [27:00] Her personality framework and how she categorizes people. [28:30] “You’ve got to have a consistent habit if you’re going to be productive” and the Four Tendencies Framework. [33:18] Advice for new writers who are in the process of writing their first book. [37:20] Engage with Gretchen on social media!Links and Resources
Self-publishingschool.com Spsfreetraining.com Circle of Profit Recorder Plus Visit Gretchen on the web Gretchen on Instagram Connect with Gretchen on LinkedIn Take the Four Tendencies QuizSPS 083: How To Turn Your Nonfiction Book Into A Children's Book (Advanced Publishing & Fulfillment Strategies) with Ellaine Ursuy
SPS 082: How To Use Guest Posting & Media To Sell Thousands Of Copies Of Your Book with Susie Moore
SPS 081: How To Turn Your Book Into A Movie with Hal Elrod (Miracle Morning Movie Behind The Scenes)
SPS 080: How This Radiologist Turned Sex Coach Launched Her Online Business To $100k in 9 Months Using Publicity with Sonia Wright
SPS 079: CASE STUDY: An Educator's Guide To Writing & Publishing An Award Winning Children's Book with Merideth Tullous
SPS 078: How To Write A Book Proposal That Gets You A Book Deal And A Big Advance with Chad Allen (What Agents & Publishers Are Actually Looking For)
SPS 077: From Writing In Prison To 4x New York Times Bestseller & 1M Copies Sold with Wahida Clark (How To Create Raving Fans With Your Fiction Series)
SPS 076: 0 to 450k Subscribers In 3 Years - Using YouTube To Grow Your Business & Sell More Books with Gillian Perkins
SPS 075: Using Publicity & Influencer Marketing To Sell NEEDTOBREATHE Albums And Grow A Treehouse Business with Seth & Tori Bolt
SPS 074: This One Quiz Funnel Will Sell More Books & Turn Readers Into Paying Customers (Better Than A Free + Shipping Funnel) with Ryan Levesque
SPS 073: Build Your Personal Brand (And Double Your Business) Using A Book with Chris Ducker
SPS 072: Writing Great Fiction Using Beta Readers...And How To Build An Author Platform On YouTube That Sells Books with Jenna Moreci
SPS 071: Extreme Ownership, The Dichotomy of Book Publishing, And Using Publicity To Help Sell 2.5M+ Copies with Leif Babin
SPS 070: Keywords, Categories, & Using Amazon SEO + Publisher Rocket to Sell More Books with Dave Chesson
SPS 069: How A Former Circus Performer Unlocked The Author Advantage & Grew A 7-Figure Editing Business with Qat Wanders
SPS 068: Using Publicity & Speaking To Sell More Books & Grow Your Business with Sloane Ketchum
SPS 067: The Most Interesting Man In Book Publishing...25 Books Published, Prolific & Polarizing Writing, And What Kanye Taught Me About Book Marketing with James Altucher
SPS 066: Myers Briggs for Writing A Book: How To Use Your Unique Personality Type (And Strength) To Maximize The Success Of Your Book with Gary Williams
SPS 065: How To Write & Publish A Quality Children's Book That Kids LOVE to Read And Parents Are Proud To Buy with Marcy Pusey
SPS 064: Fundamentals of Fiction: How To Write A Great Story & Build A Fiction Career (What I Learned From 7,000+ Calls With SPS Students) with Ramy Vance
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Everyday Millionaire
Pure Hustle Podcast
Making Bank
The Ramsey Show
Planet Money