The Modern Author
🚀 Want to write like Adam Grant or Brene Brown? The Modern Author gives you weekly templates, prompts & proven frameworks to turn your ideas into books, articles & authority. No fluff—just tactical steps to write with confidence. Subscribe now!
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Howdy howdy my fellow Writing Friends! Have you ever had an epiphany? Not everyone knows this, but the Manuscripts author community originally started when I hijacked my entrepreneurship course at Georgetown and required every student to write a book as their "startup project" that semester. Even 8 years later, saying it out loud and telling the story makes me chuckle... how dumb of an idea was that? And yet, since then, we've had 2,500 people go through a version of that experience and launch their own book. My epiphany moment was realizing it was way easier to teach people to build a book rather than write a book. And based on that simple epiphany, today 91% of first-time in our community 'build' a publishable manuscript in less than six months. Wild to think... With this week's thought leadership writing approach, I'm going to show you how your epiphany moment can be your key flex too, especially if you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or selling something. As a professor who teaches entrepreneurship and innovation, I spend a lot of time with people in startup and entrepreneur ecosystems. That means I meet a lot of business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives who discover what I do and tell me they want to write more--whether a book, thought leadership articles, or their memoir. Some then quickly tell me they don't have the time. The rest? They ask really good questions like: -- how many hours a week it would really take (5-6 hours a week), -- do I need a ghostwriter (you probably need a book architect, not a ghostwriter--way cheaper btw), -- can I leverage ChatGPT to do it (not to do it for you, but if you think of it more like an intern to help, it'll make the process more efficient), and -- how quickly they can get the book out (4-6 months to create a great draft, make it available to preorder and announce it within 6 months of starting). But perhaps the best question I get is: How do I make people care about my book Your Readers Need to have an Epiphany MomentBusiness owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone selling themselves face a unique challenge in today’s market—how to build trust and credibility through their writing without sounding too sales-y. The key is to educate, engage, and inspire your audience without overtly selling. This is where Russell Brunson’s epiphany writing approach shines. He's an entrepreneur with multiple businesses and a net worth estimated at nearly $50 million. But Russell often credits his books, particularly Expert Secrets, as the "unlock" that actually exploded his business and personal brand by offering genuine value, all without appearing to be a sales tool. That’s the secret to his success. Like many of us, he initially struggled to write something that was dismissed as self-serving or an ego exercise. How? Epiphany Bridge Framework. Russell's writing approach isn't about him or his successes... it's about his epiphany. And it's an approach that every business owner, founder, executive, entrepreneur, or leader needs to learn to turn a book into a platform. The Epiphany Bridge Framework blends storytelling with strategic content, making readers feel they are gaining valuable depth and insights into your epiphany rather than being sold to. You'll use it to take readers through your transformational journey (and potentially others with a similar transformation), drawing them in with relatable stories and actionable lessons that feel authentic and meaningful. By applying Brunson’s framework, business owners and thought leaders can create book chapters, white papers, and long-form articles that establish trust, build relationships, and ultimately inspire action. Why Russell's Epiphany Bridge Framework WorksRussell Brunson's approach works -- especially for business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives -- because it:
When to Use This ApproachThe Epiphany Bridge framework is ideal for:
This approach allows writers to leverage storytelling to differentiate their approach, helping readers connect emotionally while giving them a reason to trust you and want to work with your business. Having studied all his bestselling books, you'll see a specific approach you can apply. How to Use the Epiphany Bridge Framework in Your WritingFollow this step-by-step guide and outline to apply the Epiphany Bridge Framework to your content. You can see estimated word counts for a 5,000-word chapter or long-form article/ebook. To modify to other length content or chapters, adjust the story sections (#2, #3, #6, and #8) will each be between 500 and 1,000 words.
Writing Prompt to Design a Book Chapter Using the Epiphany Bridge Framework“I am working on a long-form thought leadership piece using Russell Brunson’s Epiphany Bridge framework. Please analyze my content based on the following structure and provide suggestions:
Ensure the content feels authentic, builds trust without being too sales-y, and provides actionable insights. Here is my content: [Insert Your Content].” What's Coming Next?I decided, after feedback on last week's post, to stick to the Saturday schedule. I'll try this for a couple more weeks, and maybe mix it up... My parents were in town last weekend -- they live in Omaha, and it makes visiting more difficult than driving over for dinner on a random Sunday. I was able to share the super early draft of Pennymores 2 with my mom, and it was a special feeling. She and Quinn (our 10-year-old) are the first readers other than my editor. Next up in my "Write Like a Thought Leader" series, I'll be breaking down the writings and chapters of: ​Barbara Minto's Pyramid Principles. Barbara is really the "OG" of thought leadership writing, and her approaches have become the standard in consulting and professional services firms. For anyone aiming to use their writing to do consulting or appeal to professional services clientele, this approach is terrific. ​Adam Grant. Yea, I'll admit I've got a 'writing-crush' on Adam. He's a very kind and very smart dude, was one of the first people to encourage me to write Super Mentors, and had very kind words when I sent him a copy of Pennymores. Adam's style is perfect for books that make the unconventional approachable, and it's why his books have led to TED Talks (aka Ideas that Spread). I'll show you how to write like Adam! Lastly, if you know Russell Brunson, forward this email to him. I feel like I should know him... and Russell if you read this, I dig your work! ;) Write On! Eric |
The Modern Author
🚀 Want to write like Adam Grant or Brene Brown? The Modern Author gives you weekly templates, prompts & proven frameworks to turn your ideas into books, articles & authority. No fluff—just tactical steps to write with confidence. Subscribe now!