I actually kind of like it that they don't read. It's funny. Some of my closest friends, some of my closest guy friends, I'll be hanging out with them. They're like, oh, I'm sorry. I didn't read your book. I'll be like, yeah, we'll be talking about something. I'll be like, yeah, I actually kind of wrote about that in my last book, you know, that blah, blah, blah, blah. And they're like, oh, I'm sorry, dude. I guess it's kind of embarrassing, but I never read that book. And I'm like, I know. It's actually probably why we're still such good friends to say you're not reading my books. A hit author on top of his game. willing to talk about issues all of us, writers' experience,

even from the rare category of someone who sold 20 million books

and writes one of the most popular self-development blogs in the world.

That was Mark Manson, the author of three number one New York Times bestsellers,

the first of which, the subtle art of not giving a fuck, is now a new movie from Universal Pictures.

I'm Linda Sievertson, and you are at The Beautiful Writers' Podcast, where the world's most beloved authors

come to chat about the magic and mayhem of writing and publishing books, even when what they

have to share is about stuff that gets all fucked up. Mark, who's on tour for the film, and I know

something about that.

He was Will Smith's writer on their juggernaut bestseller, Will, which received rave critical reviews, including from Oprah, who called it the best memoir she'd ever read.

They had spectacular sales success, before the slap.

I didn't plan to ask Mark about that or expect him to share so openly.

But perhaps I put him at ease after admitting to being in a freakishly similar situation myself as a co-author.

Penning books, don't you know, your own or those for other people, is rarely as

complication-free as it appears on Instagram. Hopefully, this conversation and others here

make your path to success, whatever your goals are, easier and more fun. Help you stay focused when shit goes wonky as it does.

For example, I recently released my book, a writing memoir called Beautiful Writers,

a journey of big dreams and messy manuscripts with tricks of the trade from best-selling authors,

the people on this show.

True to form, some shit got wonky. As my storyline includes my publishing faceplants and

outrageous funny dramas, several loved ones in my life on my book's launch day had their

own dramas, not so funny ones either,

...