Charles Duhigg knows a thing or two about writing books that break through. A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author of The Power of Habit, Smarter Faster Better, and Supercommunicators, his work has shaped how millions of readers think about productivity, communication, and human behavior. His books have spent years on bestseller lists, been translated into dozens of languages, and become staples for readers looking to change their lives.
But behind the big sales numbers and awards is a writer who has navigated the same questions every nonfiction author faces: How do you know if an idea is strong enough for a book? What makes a proposal irresistible to publishers? How do you build an audience when the market feels crowded? And how do you stay focused on meaning when the business side of publishing looms so large?
In our recent AMA, Charles spoke candidly about all of it. From sharpening your book’s argument to navigating advances, podcasts, and publisher expectations, he offered a clear-eyed look at what it really takes to succeed in today’s nonfiction world. He also reflected on the deeper purpose of writing and why, despite all the business talk, meaning matters most.
Here are 12 essential takeaways from our conversation. (Or click the image at the top of this post to watch the full replay.)
1. The hardest part is finding the idea
When most writers think about publishing a book, they focus on the wrong problems. They worry about whether their sentences are polished, whether their platform is big enough, or whether they know the right people in the publishing industry. But as Charles pointed out, none of that matters until you’ve nailed the core idea.
Editors and readers don’t buy topics—they buy ideas. Telling an editor you want to write about “happiness” or “leadership” isn’t enough. Those are vague subjects. What gets their attention is a framing that makes the familiar feel new: a fresh lens, a surprising analogy, a counterintuitive argument.
“If you tell an editor you want to write about happiness, they’ll say no. If you tell them you want to write about why happiness works like a muscle—that’s an idea.”
Finding this kind of idea is the hardest part of writing a nonfiction book, and also the most essential. Without it, the rest—proposal, structure, even marketing—will never quite hold together.
2. Books need an argument, not just a theme
Once you’ve identified your core idea, the next step is sharpening it into an argument. Too many proposals stop at the level of theme: “a book about leadership,” “a book about communication.” But as Charles explained, themes aren’t enough. They signal the territory you’re working in, but they don’t tell readers why this book matters now, or why it’s different from the dozen others already on the shelf.
What catches an editor’s attention is when a theme becomes a specific, debatable claim. Instead of “a book about productivity,” it’s “a book that argues productivity is less about time management and more about energy management.” An argument gives the book its hook and its urgency.
“A theme is broad. An argument is specific. Editors buy arguments.”
Framing your book as an argument forces you to sharpen its point of view. Instead of assembling a loose collection of stories and studies, you’re building a case—inviting readers to engage, to agree or disagree, and to walk away with a changed perspective. That’s what separates a forgettable book from one that sparks conversation.
3. Editors buy authors, not just ideas
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