How to Write Books That Actually Sell (David Baldacci Interview)

Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite David Baldacci, one of the most prolific writers in the world, joins us on the show today. He has written 53 novels and seven children’s books, publishes two novels every year, and has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. How does he craft great stories, develop compelling characters, and build tension? How does he approach the business of publishing? Drawing from his background as a lawyer and his time in boardrooms worldwide, what strategies does he employ to ensure his books sell and are read? This conversation explores those very questions. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:34 The "Big Pop" framework 00:03:40 Why Baldacci never outlines 00:06:03 How to write good characters 00:09:44 Plot twists aren't enough 00:13:39 Long dialogues is lazy writing 00:17:50 Character beliefs and values 00:21:36 Make stakes feel personal 00:23:55 Why family themes work 00:26:23 Scenes need two purposes 00:30:31 Where his ideas come from 00:36:28 The secret behind 53 novels 00:41:19 How to understand your readers 00:43:24 Baldacci's money rules 00:47:54 How book deals work in practice 00:53:34 Write premises that sell 00:59:22 Why lawyers become writers 01:02:32 Novels vs short stories 01:05:58 Research tips and tricks 01:10:07 Novels vs screenplays 01:13:18 Characters vs plot 01:17:29 Write about what excites you 01:20:49 Slow down the big moments 01:22:54 Never write down to kids 01:27:05 Skip the self-help books *About the host* Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. *Follow me* Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell

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