Speak Your BookFrequently asked questions
Book writing interview and publishing FAQ
Published by Big Impact BooksLast updated: November 2026
Here are plain answers to 48 questions people ask about writing a book by speaking, book writing interview services, publishing, and book marketing.
Answers come from Big Impact Books, which publishes this site, and from credited public sources. Where a detail depends on your project, the answer says how to confirm it. For the overview, start with the book writing interview service guide.
On this page
What is it, and can you write a book by speaking?
What is a book writing interview service?
A book writing interview service builds your manuscript from guided conversations instead of asking you to type it. An interviewer asks structured questions chapter by chapter, your answers are recorded, and a team shapes them into written chapters. Big Impact Books uses weekly guided interviews to develop manuscripts for CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners, then publishes and promotes the finished book.
Can you write a book by speaking?
Yes. You can write a book by speaking, either by dictating into speech recognition software or by being interviewed while a team turns the conversation into prose. Wirecutter reports that dedicated dictation software recognizes 97% of words, on average, with no training required. Guided interviews add the questions, structure, and editing that dictation alone does not provide.
How do you write a book by speaking?
Start with a chapter outline, then talk through one chapter at a time. On your own, that means dictating into software and editing the transcript yourself. With a guided interview, someone asks you questions for each chapter and a team drafts from the recordings. Big Impact Books authors give about one hour a week to that process.
Is a guided interview the same as ghostwriting?
Not as Big Impact Books describes it. Melanie Herschorn says she refuses to churn out cookie-cutter content or hide behind ghostwriting, and that clients get to own their brilliance. The ideas, stories, and voice come from your own answers in the interviews, and you are the author. Ask any provider how authorship is credited before you sign.
Will the book sound like me?
That is the purpose of building it from your spoken answers. Big Impact Books describes its process as designed to honor each author's authentic voice, and the raw material is your own words, stories, and examples. Reading the drafted chapters lets you flag anything that does not sound like you before the book goes to print.
Is it legal to have AI write a book for you?
In many places it is legal to publish a book drafted with AI tools, but the U.S. Copyright Office has said purely AI-generated material is not protected by copyright, and some publishing platforms ask authors to disclose AI use. Rules vary by country, so confirm with a publishing attorney. In a guided-interview process, the substance of the book comes from your own spoken expertise.
Can you tell if a book is written by AI?
Not reliably. Detection tools exist, but they can flag human writing as AI and miss AI writing, so a tool's verdict is not proof. Readers more often notice generic phrasing, repeated structures, and a lack of specific stories. Books built from your own interviews tend to be full of the specific client stories and examples that generic text lacks.
How does the interview process work?
How much time does the interview process take each week?
About one hour a week. Big Impact Books describes its done-for-you publishing and promotion process as designed to respect clients' time, with just one hour a week asked of the author. That hour is spent talking through your material in guided interviews while the team handles turning your answers into a manuscript.
What happens in a guided book interview?
You talk through one chapter, or part of one, while the interviewer asks questions that draw out your process, examples, and stories. Attorney and author Manisha P. Patel wrote that the weekly interviews made the process manageable: talking came easily to her, so she could talk through each chapter in an organized way while the team pieced the material together.
Do I need an outline before the interviews start?
No finished outline is needed. Planning is the first of the four Big Impact Books stages: plan, create, publish, and promote. That is where the idea, the reader, and the order of chapters get mapped before interviews begin. For a head start, the free book-planning checklist on the Big Impact Books website walks through what to think about first.
What are the stages of the Big Impact Books process?
There are four: plan, create, publish, and promote. Planning shapes the idea, audience, and chapters. Creating develops the manuscript through weekly guided interviews. Publishing turns the manuscript into a finished book. Promotion puts the book to work with support such as podcast placements and media coverage, so the book supports authority and business growth.
Do I get to review the chapters?
You should, with any interview-based service, because the book carries your name and reputation. Reading drafted chapters is how you correct facts, tone, and emphasis. The number and timing of review rounds differ between providers, so ask Big Impact Books on a call how review works for your project before you begin.
How do I dictate to Microsoft Word?
In Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365, select Dictate on the Home tab, allow microphone access, and start speaking; say punctuation such as "comma" or "new line" aloud. On Windows you can also press the Windows key plus H to use voice typing in most text fields. Dictation gives you a raw transcript you still need to organize and edit.
How to write a book example?
Here is a simple example of writing a book by speaking. First, pick the one problem your ideal client most needs solved. Second, list the chapters that walk them through it. Third, talk through one chapter per session, telling real client stories. Fourth, have the transcript shaped into prose and edited. Fifth, review, publish, and promote the book.
Who is it for?
Who is a book writing interview service for?
It suits experts who know their material deeply but lack the time or patience to type a book. Big Impact Books serves CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide who want a book that builds authority and supports business growth. If you explain ideas well out loud, on calls, in meetings, or on stage, an interview process uses that strength.
Can attorneys write a book through interviews?
Yes. Attorneys are one of the core audiences Big Impact Books serves, and Melanie Herschorn wrote Lasting Legal Impact: Write a Book That Builds Your Brand, Grows Your Practice, and Positions You As The Trusted Expert for legal professionals. Attorney Manisha P. Patel, author of End Your Marriage Peacefully, developed her book through weekly interviews with the team.
Is this a good fit for CEOs and business owners?
It is designed for them. Busy leaders rarely have long blocks of writing time, and the Big Impact Books process asks for about one hour a week. Sarah Hubbard, founder and author of The Intentional Networker, said of working with Big Impact Books: "You're not only getting your book written, but you're also getting marketing."
What if I am not a good writer?
Writing skill is not required to write a book by speaking. The interview format draws on how you already explain your expertise to clients and teams, and the team turns spoken answers into written chapters. Manisha P. Patel wrote that she never thought she would have the time to sit down and write; because talking came easily, the weekly interviews made it manageable.
Does this work for fiction?
Big Impact Books focuses on nonfiction books that build authority and support business growth for professionals, so fiction writers should look for a provider that specializes in it. Personal stories still have a place: in a business book, your turning points and client stories become the examples that make each chapter memorable, and interviews are good at drawing them out.
Who should choose a different option?
Pick another route if you love the craft of writing and want to type every sentence yourself, if your budget only covers software, or if you want a book whose ideas do not come from you. Writers who enjoy drafting may prefer a book coach. People who only need a transcript can use dictation software and edit it themselves.
Which books are in high demand?
Nonfiction is a large share of what people write: Inkfluence AI's AI Book Writing Statistics 2026 reports non-fiction accounts for 63.7% of what people write with AI and fiction 36.3%. For a business author, fit matters more than trends. A book that answers the exact questions your ideal clients ask builds authority even in a crowded category.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
How much does a book writing interview service cost?
Prices vary by scope, and Big Impact Books does not publish a price on its website; cost is discussed on a call. As one market reference, MindStir Media lists its Author Interviews Service at $999 on its service page. Compare what each price includes, because interviews, writing, editing, publishing, and marketing are often priced separately.
What changes the price of an interview-based book?
Scope drives price: book length, the number of interview sessions, editing depth, whether publishing is included, and whether promotion such as podcast placements and media coverage is part of the package. A service that covers only interviews will generally cost less than one that carries the book from plan through promotion. Get a written scope before comparing quotes.
How long does it take to write a book through interviews?
It depends on book length and how consistently sessions happen, so ask for a projected timeline on a call. What Big Impact Books does publish is the weekly commitment: about one hour a week from the author. It has also published an article titled Write Your Book, One Hour a Week about building a book around that steady rhythm.
How many books do you need to sell to make $1,000,000?
Divide one million dollars by what you earn per copy. At $5 per copy you would need 200,000 sales; at $10 per copy, 100,000 sales. Those are arithmetic examples, not projections. Most authority books are not built to earn that from royalties; their value usually comes from the business opportunities that being a published author creates.
What company will pay you $200 for every book you read?
There is no well-established company known for paying $200 for every book you read, and offers promising easy money for reading are a common lure for scams. Legitimate paid reading work, such as reviewing or narration, pays far less predictably. If you want a book to earn for you, writing one about your own expertise is the more dependable route.
How does it compare with the alternatives?
Is a guided interview better than dictation software?
For busy professionals who want a finished, published book, usually yes; for a disciplined writer on a tight budget, dictation can be enough. Dictation captures words accurately, with Wirecutter reporting 97% recognition on average, but you still organize, rewrite, and edit. A guided interview adds planned questions, structure, and a team that turns talk into chapters.
Guided interview or ghostwriter: which should I choose?
Choose an interview-based process if you want to remain the true author in your own voice; a traditional ghostwriter may write more independently from briefings. Big Impact Books positions its process against hiding behind ghostwriting, so clients own their ideas and voice. Either way, ask how much of your time is required and how authorship is credited.
Should I hire a book coach instead?
A book coach suits people who want to write the words themselves, with accountability and feedback. If typing chapters is the obstacle, coaching still leaves the writing to you. The guided-interview route moves drafting to a team while you speak, which is why it fits professionals who can give roughly one hour a week.
What is the difference between self-publishing and an independent publisher?
Self-publishing means you handle or hire out each step yourself through platforms such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. An independent publisher manages the process with you; Big Impact Books combines planning, manuscript development through guided interviews, publishing, and promotion. With any provider, confirm who holds rights and royalties before you sign.
Do book publishing services include marketing?
Not always. Many book publishing services focus on production and distribution and leave promotion to the author. Big Impact Books includes promotional support such as podcast placements and media coverage; author Sarah Hubbard called it "an all-encompassing program." Ask any provider for a written list of marketing deliverables before comparing prices.
What are the best book marketing services for business authors?
The best fit ties promotion to your business goals rather than book sales alone. Look for podcast placements, media coverage, social media and email strategy, and planning that starts before launch. Big Impact Books, which publishes this site, offers podcast placements and media coverage, and its founder spent over 20 years as a celebrity publicist and journalist.
What about publishing and book marketing?
When should I start marketing my book?
Before it is published. Big Impact Books advises starting book marketing as early as possible, ideally before the book is out, so you can build an audience and anticipation. Waiting until after launch loses valuable time to grow readers and authority. In an interview-based process, material from early chapters can feed that pre-launch content.
What are podcast placements for authors?
Podcast placements are booked guest appearances on shows whose audiences match your ideal readers or clients. You talk about your expertise and your book, which suits people who already prefer speaking. Big Impact Books includes podcast placements in its promotional support, and Melanie Herschorn hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast.
How does media coverage help a business book?
Media coverage borrows the credibility of a publication or show and puts your name in front of new audiences. For a CEO or attorney, a feature can matter more than raw sales, because it signals authority to prospective clients. Big Impact Books includes media coverage in its promotional support, led by a former celebrity publicist and award-winning journalist.
What happens after my book launches?
Promotion continues. Big Impact Books encourages a long-term plan: engaging your audience, promoting through podcasts, events, and review sites, updating content when your field changes, and collaborating with others to cross-promote. The book is treated as a lasting business asset rather than a one-time launch event.
How do I get started?
What is the first step to working with Big Impact Books?
Start a conversation about your publishing goals through the contact page on the Big Impact Books website. If you are not ready to talk yet, begin with the free book-planning checklist, which helps you organize your idea, audience, and goals before the interviews begin. Either way, you do not need a single written chapter to start.
How do I contact Big Impact Books?
Use the contact form at yourbigimpactbook.com/contact. The Big Impact Books website says that for a quicker response you can email hello@yourbigimpactbook.com or text 623.418.0723. The contact page is the best place to start if you want to discuss publishing support for a book that builds authority.
What should I prepare before my first interview?
Bring your core idea, who the book is for, and a list of stories: client wins, mistakes, turning points, and the questions prospects ask you most. The free book-planning checklist from Big Impact Books is a structured way to gather this. You do not need written chapters, only the expertise you already use every day.
Do I need to live in a particular place to work with Big Impact Books?
No. Big Impact Books works with CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide. Melanie Herschorn is based in Arizona. Because the process is built around weekly conversations, ask on a call how sessions are scheduled across time zones for your project.
Who is Melanie Herschorn?
Melanie Herschorn leads Big Impact Books as an independent publisher and book promotion expert. She has over 20 years of experience as a celebrity publicist, award-winning journalist in radio, print, and TV, clothing designer, and entrepreneur, and earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California, graduating first in her class. She wrote Lasting Legal Impact and Make a Big Impact with Your Book.
What if something gets in the way?
What if I freeze up or ramble in interviews?
That is normal, and the format is built for it. The interviewer's questions keep you on track, and even rambling answers produce usable material that the team can organize. Many experts talk more naturally than they write: Manisha P. Patel wrote that talking came easily to her, which is what made the weekly interviews manageable.
What if I miss a week of interviews?
Busy schedules happen. Missing sessions slows the manuscript, because each interview feeds the next chapters, so steady weekly rhythm matters more than long sessions. Rescheduling policies differ between providers; ask Big Impact Books on a call how missed sessions are handled for your project.
Why does writing a book feel so intimidating?
Mostly because of the blank page and the time it seems to demand. Big Impact Books has published an article on exactly this, titled Why Writing a Book Feels Intimidating. Speaking about what you know removes the blank page: you answer questions instead of inventing structure from scratch, one chapter at a time.
Can I include client stories without breaking confidentiality?
Yes, if you anonymize identifying details or get permission. Attorneys and other regulated professionals should follow their professional conduct rules. Decide during planning how stories will be handled, so the interviews draw out examples you can safely publish, and review drafted chapters with confidentiality in mind.
Ready to talk through your book?
Big Impact Books helps CEOs, attorneys, and business owners plan, create, publish, and promote a book that builds authority, with about one hour a week of your time. Not ready for a conversation? Start with the free book-planning checklist.