If you’re thinking about writing a business book (or hiring a ghostwriter to do it for you), you might assume that you want either expository writing or persuasive writing. Expository writing is when you explain a concept or share information, such as, “There are many types of funding available, including angel investors.” Persuasive writing is when you try to convince the reader of your point of view using facts, such as, “Surveys show that consumers strongly prefer products with a free return policy, which you should strive to institute in your marketing plan.” You then back up your claim with a real-life example, such as a verified success story from a well-known entrepreneur.
These are both valid and useful approaches. But as a professional ghostwriter of many best-selling business books, I can tell you that some of the most successful management and leadership books are built around narrative and creative writing, particularly in the form of fictional stories. Fables, if you will. This is because for thousands of years, stories have been recognized as the most effective way to teach somebody something. Think about Aesop’s fables, or stories from the Bible that provide moral instruction. One of today’s most successful business books is Who Moved My Cheese?, a short fable about the way people react to major change in their work and life, featuring two mice and two “Littlepeople” as they hunt for their missing cheese.
If you’re going to write a fable that teaches a lesson, you can populate your story with either humans or animals – or even a combination of both.
Human Stories
I’ve ghostwritten many business and leadership books that feature fictional human characters confronted with a challenge, and which explore how they respond and rise above it (or not). The story might revolve around a manager who gets promoted to a leadership position, and he or she feels they’re not prepared to take on the responsibility. Other stories involve an office facing a crisis, such as a sales slump or a threat from a competitor, and how different people in the office respond. One manager wants to try to increase sales, another advocates for a new product, a third says they should sell out to the competitor, and so on. Having a cast of conflicting characters allows the author to work through various scenarios and solutions in an entertaining way.
The very first fictional business book I ever helped develop was in 2009, and it was called Dangerous Law Practice Myths, Lies, and Stupidity, by Judd Kessler and others. Mr. Kessler was in the business of selling law firm software, and the book took the form of a series of short stories revealing common law practice mistakes in their operations and how the proper software would prevent them. It’s a fun and easy-to-read book, and after nearly 15 years it’s ranked #75 in Amazon’s Law Office Marketing & Advertising (Books) category. Not bad!
Animal Stories
If you take your crisis or conflict out of the human realm and make your characters animals, you can often get more freedom to explore your topic. A terrific example of this is The Path to Leadership by my valued client, Ronnell Crittendon. Here, a young lion named Maximus is disappointed when the Council passes over him and names another lion to lead the pride. Maximus goes away to sulk, and meets Busy Beetle, who has no time for Maximus’s whining. Busy Beetle urges Maximus to embark on a journey to see Ancient Raven, and along the way Maximus learns many valuable lessons about life and leadership.
Another highly recommended animal leadership book is simply called The Bee Book: A Tale of Leadership and Change. My clients Paul Rigby and Craig Smith have turned their little fable into a best-selling book and a global business enterprise. Here, a hive of bees is faced with a catastrophic change in their environment: Farmer John has plowed under the vast field of wildflowers on which the hive depends. Nothing but barren dirt remains. If they are to survive, the bees in the Sola hive need to take quick action. But are they capable of adapting to the challenges presented, or will they be stuck in a world of paralysis and complacency? The main characters – Buzz, Stripes, Hover, Greybee, Queen Luna, Queen Sola, Mr. Wingit, Zippy, and others – represent typical employees in any organization, with a variety of attitudes and responses to the challenge. Like Who Moved My Cheese?, The Bee Book is short – you can read it cover to cover in about an hour – and it’s written in language that anyone can understand. But its simple lessons lend themselves well to group discussions and to learning.
There are many more! And by the way (not to sound snarky), but you cannot get a fictional business book – especially one featuring animals – from Chat GPT or any other AI algorithm. A fable is just not in their training to produce. If you want to use AI to write boring blog posts and other internet SEO filler, that’s fine – but authors who want to make a difference and impact their readers always hire a professional ghostwriter or editor.
