173: Fake It 'til You Make It, and Other Life Lessons - Interview with A.J. Jacobs

Hey there word nerds!

I am having the biggest fangirl moment of all time because today I have author A.J. Jacobs on the show!

I was first introduced to A.J.’s work back when I was just an itty-bitty baby writer, and heard him give a talk on “faking it until you make it.” DIY MFA was barely a twinkle in my eye at that point, so to say I hadn’t yet made is a massive understatement. His talk was a lightbulb moment for me, and from there on “fake it until you make it” became my mantra. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now A.J. is here to talk about his latest book It’s All Relative, which follows the same vein of experimental journalism as his other works showing in great detail his quest for “self-improvement” in the most hilarious of ways.

Listen in as we chat about his books, the structure he uses to write them, and maybe you'll get your own lightbulb moment from A.J.!

In this episode A.J. and I discuss: Nailing down your hook, and how to structure your book around a concrete goal. A.J.’ personal techniques for brainstorming and finding the “sticky ideas.” How to find your writing groove to get through the daily grind. Tips on preparing for a speaking presentation vs. writing something on the page. Ways to balance writing about your own life and other people’s (without annoying anyone or getting yourself in trouble). Plus, A.J.’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/173