What “The E-myth Revisited” Gets Right (And It's Not What You Think)

Can you add made-up characters to your non-fiction book?

Absolutely!

I recently finished reading "The E-myth Revisited" by Michael E. Gerber.

And while it contained a wealth of strategies for building an effective small business, this storytelling technique impacted me the most.?

In case you've never read it, The E-Myth Revisited has a pretty unique structure:

There are three key characters:

1. The author, who is sharing his expertise

2. You, the reader

3. The author mentored Sarah, a fictional small business owner.?

Throughout the book, we follow Sarah's ups and downs as she tries to fix her dying bakery.?

As Michael mentors her through each step in his process, Sarah has questions, doubts, insecurities, and objections - much like you, the reader.?

It's a great storytelling device, and here's why.?

Most personal development or business development books use case studies. The authors select actual people they've worked with and give a brief before and after to showcase that their method works. They usually share three or four of these to showcase that for anyone.?

The problem with this approach is it needs more depth. As the reader, you don't see the messy middle, where the person tried the fix only to break something else.?

Sure, the authors dive into those possibilities and address the objections a reader might have. However, what Michael E. Gerber does is so much more interactive.?

We see Sarah implement things and fix one problem only to end up with new ones and have even more questions.

And in his mentoring sessions and lessons with Sarah and the reader, he still draws on those traditional before and after case studies as teaching techniques. However, there's this added layer to it, these ah-ha moments where Sarah gets it, and the reader is given space to imagine their version of this and do the work.?

It also creates the illusion of time passing because, as the author speaks to the reader, Sarah's character "goes away" to implement the lesson she learned.?

And every time she returns, it's with a report "I did the thing... Here's what happened."

It's like having a mentor in your pocket.

And it's different.

How to Create Fictional Characters for Your Next Non-Fiction Book

Any business owner should already have a fictional client in mind. It's called an ideal client avatar, the person you serve best. When creating your client avatar, you're making a fictional character who needs your help. You hopefully know all about them. However, if you need to work on that, here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Give Your Character a Name

Every character needs one, and the more memorable, the better! Names carry a lot of power and subtext.

Here's a quick game:

What comes to mind when you hear Joey vs. Joseph vs. Joe? Or the difference between Sarah and Sadie?

2. Describe Your Character

Where do they live? What kind of work do they do? How old are they? How much revenue do they earn? These details will create a vivid representation of the character in your reader's mind and help them become invested in their story.

3. Create Their Backstory

Who they are, where they come from, and their challenges and dreams:

• Why are they in business??
• What keeps them up at night??
• What are their pain points??
• Do they have insecurities, fears, and objections?

Your character's backstory shapes their current situation and makes them relatable to your readers. Sarah learned everything she knew about pies from her aunt, and she wanted her bakery to be a success to give back to the community. More than that, her aunt's principles and lessons became the foundation of Sarah's brand, "All About Pies.

In the book, Michael uses a framework to describe the phases of entrepreneurship and the struggles people face in each stage. He then points to where Sarah is in her journey and how she can apply those lessons to her current situation. The reader is taken through their entrepreneurial journey as they read.

4. Craft a Story Arc for Them

What do they want to achieve or become? How will they get there? What obstacles and solutions will they encounter along the way? Keep in mind that life isn't always easy peasy. So, anticipate potential setbacks and how you can encourage your character to move through those dips.

In Sarah's case, she was juggling way too much, and transitioning from "technician" to "manager" to "CEO" wasn't smooth sailing. She dropped a few balls (or pies) along the way, and that's good. Guess what? Most readers won't get it right the first time, either. Write a book they can turn to when they try and fail —and fail again.

Creating a story arc for your character and having them experience victories and failures will provide a relatable path to success.

Creating a Purple Cow of Sorts

The E-Myth is no Pulitzer winner for its literary prowess by any stretch of the imagination. But Michael's content quickly gets the point across by stealing from the novelist's playbook and crafting a story around Sarah. It also goes against the grain of what's expected from non-fiction.

Consider that the average business owner reads two to five books on the same topic, so creating a new and exciting narrative can help you stand out from the pack.

When writing a non-fiction book, thinking beyond facts and figures is essential. Your readers don't want to be lectured or preached at; they want to connect and relate. So, don't be afraid to get creative when you write your next non-fiction book.

Sarah learned that having a process and a plan was essential to running a successful business. She rediscovered her passion for baking, found a way to make it more profitable, and created something that impacted her community.

Ultimately, it's not just about Sarah's success – it's also about the reader discovering what they can apply in their own business and when they can use it.

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