Book Is the Hook

Why do you want to write this particular book... and how do you know that desire will last? Luke Burgis, author of Wanting, joins Eric Koester to explore the ambitions we borrow from other people and the work that remains meaningful after the excitement fades. They discuss solitude, recognizing patterns in fulfilling experiences, measuring writing time rather than word count, and the collaborators...

Beth Comstock and I explore what it takes to make innovation repeatable inside an organization: the environment, permissions, experiments, and leadership behaviors that turn ideas into movement. This is about building conditions for creators, not waiting for a perfect idea. If innovation depends on a few heroic people, your system is not yet doing enough of the work.

Gabby Bernstein and I talk about writing before you feel ready, finding a core message, teaching through lived experience, and building a repeatable author practice. The draft is not the finished product; it is where the message becomes visible.

Adam Braun and I talk about the difference between making something impressive and making something other people can participate in. We also get into the organizational choices that helped Pencils of Promise grow, why a book can become a gathering point for a mission, and what changes when an organization stops forcing an old format into a new medium. If your team has meaningful work that needs mo...

Martin Atkins is a punk-rock superstar drummer, creative entrepreneur, author, and relentless builder. In this episode, he shares why creators should stop waiting for permission, make multiple things, and use feedback instead of endless strategy to decide what comes next. We also discuss the professional leverage of a book: not just as a product that sells copies, but as an ambassador that travels...

Do you need to know everything about your book before you start writing? Jean Hanff Korelitz says no, and in fact, knowing too much might be the problem. In this live, in-class conversation, bestselling novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz shares a clear and often contrarian perspective on writing, creativity, and the reality behind finishing a book. Jean explains why over-planning kills surprise, why mos...

How do you write a character that readers can’t stop thinking about, even when they shouldn’t like them? In this live, in-class conversation, novelist Caroline Kepnes shares how she developed the voice behind You, and why character begins with perspective, not plot. Caroline talks about her path from journalism to television writing to novels, how each medium shaped her craft, and why writing ofte...

Great storytelling isn’t about charisma. It’s about empathy. In this live, in-class conversation, Miri Rodriguez, storytelling leader at Microsoft and author of Brand Storytelling, explains how writers find their voice, connect with audiences, and design stories that actually land. Miri shares what it was like launching her book during the pandemic, negotiating marketing support with her publisher...

Why do some books quietly spread for years, while others disappear after launch week? In this live, in-class conversation, Bob Burg, co-author of The Go-Giver, explains why stories and parables connect on a deeper level than traditional how-to books, and why the most successful messages travel heart-to-heart. Bob shares his approach to writing benefit-driven titles, building genuine relationships...

Why do some ideas catch on, while others disappear? In this live, in-class conversation, Jonah Berger, author of Contagious and The Catalyst, breaks down the real mechanics behind virality, influence, and change. We talk about Jonah’s STEPS framework, why “customer focus” matters more than originality, and why writers need to understand their audience before they fall in love with their topic. Jon...

Writing is solitary. Revision is relentless. And you have to be able to sit with your own work long enough to make it better. In this live, in-class conversation, comedian and author Maysoon Zayid shares an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to write with honesty, humor, and resilience. We talk about how to take criticism without breaking, why memoir can be harder than fiction, and why Mays...

What does it mean to be free, even after unimaginable suffering? In this live, in-class conversation, Dr. Edith Eger, Holocaust survivor, psychologist, and author of The Choice, shares profound wisdom on trauma, healing, and the power of response. She explains why “the opposite of depression is expression,” why you cannot heal what you don’t feel, and why perfectionism keeps people imprisoned long...

Writing a book doesn’t come with a progress bar.   In this live, in-class conversation, Dan Pink explains why long projects feel so disorienting, how writers lose their sense of momentum, and what actually keeps people motivated over months and years.   He shares how his research into motivation shaped his own writing habits, why routines matter more than inspiration, and the simple end-of-day rit...

Most advice sounds good on paper. But that doesn’t mean it works for you. In this live, in-class conversation, Gretchen Rubin explains why universal solutions fail, why habits need to be customized, and how self-knowledge is the real foundation of behavior change. She breaks down her Four Tendencies framework, shares how she uses her own experience as a testing ground, and explains why trying thin...

What happens after you achieve the dream you trained for your entire life? In this live, in-class conversation, Apolo Ohno, the most decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history, shares what it was really like to compete at the highest level, and what came next when the Olympic chapter ended. Apolo talks about the mundane, repetitive road behind elite performance, the identity crisis that follows ret...

Creative blocks aren’t a lack of talent. They’re usually a lack of permission. In this live, in-class conversation, Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, explains why simple, repetitive practices like Morning Pages are still the most effective way to unblock creativity. She breaks down how perfectionism shuts writers down, how the inner critic loses its power through daily practice, and why s...

Most people think success starts with a great idea. Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, says that’s wrong. In this live classroom conversation, Marc breaks down why ideas rarely survive first contact with reality, how iteration actually works in the real world, and why the best founders and authors learn by trying things that don’t work. He also shares how writing his memoir forced him to confro...

Writing isn’t about talent, motivation, or finding the right system. In this live, in-class session, Seth Godin challenges the way most people think about writing. He explains why writer’s block is a myth, why bad writing is part of the process, and why committing to a practice matters more than waiting for clarity or confidence. Rather than focusing on publishing or outcomes, Seth pushes writers...

Writing a book is hard, and Simon Sinek thinks that’s the point. In this conversation, Simon joins Eric Koester for a candid, unscripted discussion about what separates meaningful books from forgettable ones. He breaks down why most ideas don’t deserve book-length treatment, why chasing bestseller lists misses the mark, and why depth, not speed, is the real value of authorship. They also explore h...

Most people wait for the “right time” to tell their story. That’s usually the reason it never lands. In this episode, Eric Koester sits down with Roy Choi, acclaimed chef, television personality and the author of L.A. Son, to talk about what actually makes a personal story work, and why forcing meaning onto your past almost always backfires. Roy shares how his darkest periods didn’t become useful...

Most people don’t fail because they aren’t talented. They fail because their ego can’t survive the early stages of being bad at something. In this episode, Eric Koester talks with Matt Thomas, world champion in chessboxing and founder of Brawl for a Cause, about what actually creates commitment when the work gets uncomfortable. Matt has taken hundreds of everyday people through a 90-day fight prog...

Most people don’t fail at big projects because they lack talent. They fail because they never protect their attention. In this conversation, Eric Koester sits down with Cal Newport, Georgetown professor and author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, to break down what it actually takes to finish meaningful, career-defining work in a distracted world. Cal explains why passion is overrated, why con...

Tyler Hayes built and sold startups, then went all-in on building a mission-driven company in public. In this conversation, we break down the real “cheat codes” behind productivity and creative output, not hustle fluff. We talk about why focus beats more hours, how constraints create speed, and why audience and distribution matter as much as the work itself. If you’re writing a book, launching a p...

Chuck Palahniuk doesn’t believe authority comes from research. He believes it comes from saying the thing everyone knows but nobody has dared to say out loud. In this conversation, the author of Fight Club explains why emotional truth has replaced factual expertise, how writing scenes like songs creates momentum, and why reading your work out loud to real people is the fastest way to improve it. W...

We’re taught the same job-search script: polish your resume, apply online, wait. It’s also the script that keeps smart people stuck. In this episode, career specialist and recruiter Kate Johnson breaks down what actually moves careers now: portfolio proof, real relationships, and the ability to market yourself without sounding desperate. You’ll learn: Why “applying online” rarely works, and what t...