Turn a 60‑Minute Interview into a 200‑Page Ebook

Why a single hour is enough

You are not short on ideas—you are short on time. A focused hour can surface the stories, the turns of phrase, and the judgments that make your work distinct. The trick isn’t to talk more; it’s to talk better. A tight prompt set, a ruthless interviewer, and a clear arc will capture what matters and ignore what doesn’t. When you remove the pressure to “write,” your best thinking arrives on time.

Prompts that pull out judgment

1. Origin story. When did you realize the old way no longer worked? Name the moment.
2. Belief shift. What do buyers believe now, and what should they believe instead?
3. Method. If you had to teach the fix in three steps, what are they?
4. Proof. A number, a case, and a quote—specifics that travel.
5. Objections. Risk, price, timing—in your reader’s words, not yours.

Structure that creates momentum

Readers decide to continue at the end of each section. Give them a reason. Open with a promise. Move to the belief shift so they see the world differently. Teach the method with an example. Offer two short cases. Resolve the three big objections. End with one next step. That’s it. No theatrics, no gimmicks—just a clean path through the argument.

From transcript to chapter

• Mark moments. Circle the sentences that sound exactly like you. Those are anchors.
• Rewrite for reading. Shorten sentences, add subheads, remove filler.
• Place proof near claims. Numbers and cases live next to the lines they support.

Voice fidelity in practice

Keep five to seven signature phrases untouched. Your cadence—how you pause, where you emphasize—is a conversion asset. Readers trust what sounds like you on your best day. Editing should increase clarity without sanding off personality. When in doubt, read aloud. If a sentence feels like something you would say to a friend, keep it.

A mini case from the field

A founder in fintech recorded 62 minutes on a Saturday morning. The transcript yielded eight chapter seeds. We built the first chapter from six sentences he’d said verbatim, added two short cases from his pipeline, and placed one number—days to reconcile—next to the claim it supported. The landing page converted at 31% and replies doubled within a week. Not because it was flashy, but because it felt like him.

Common pitfalls and fixes

• Too many promises. Pick one. Put the rest in later chapters.
• Generic proof. “Industry leading” is air. Use a single concrete number instead.
• Unclear next step. Offer a diagnostic, a checklist, or a short call—one only.

Your one‑hour checklist

1. Write your audience + problem + promise line.
2. Prepare the five prompts above.
3. Record in a quiet room; keep a glass of water and a timer.
4. Transcribe, mark moments, and outline the arc.
5. Draft summaries first; expand with examples and proof.

Common interviewer mistakes (and fixes)

• Leading questions. Ask, “What made that costly?” not, “Was that costly?” The former invites judgment; the latter yields yes/no.
• Over‑explaining. If you tee up each answer with a speech, you’ll capture your words, not theirs. Keep prompts short and let silence pull better sentences out.
• Chasing novelty. The lines that convert are often things you’ve said a hundred times. Old lines made new by context are better than new lines that haven’t been tested.

Transcription that preserves meaning

Use a high‑quality model and correct domain terms first. Don’t waste energy making a perfect transcript. Your goal is understanding, not punctuation. Fix names, acronyms, and technical nouns so editing doesn’t get stuck on misunderstandings.

Editorial standards that speed decisions

Adopt three rules: short sentences, numbers near claims, and one next step per section. Make these visible in your doc so collaborators use the same lens. When standards are explicit, reviews get faster, and drafts reach “good enough to ship” without ego battles.

Remember the point: capture judgment, not jargon. If a stranger can learn something useful from one page, your interview did its job. Everything else is packaging.