Write everyone writes. But being someone capable of transmitting, and having a person who doesn’t know you open your book and empathize with you and laugh… That’s being a writer.
— Francesc Miralles
Francesc Miralles (@frmiralles) has a degree in German Philology and a postgraduate degree in Publishing, he has worked for several years as a translator and editor of self-help books, and between co-authorships, works for third parties and his own works, he has written a total of more than a hundred books of practically all the genres: youth narrative, novel, non-fiction… and a long etcetera.
Of all the titles that Francesc has published, Ikigai stands out especially, which is a book he wrote with Héctor García (also known as Kirai), and which since its publication has been translated into more than 60 languages and has sold more than 2 million copies. Worldwide.
In addition to having an extensive career in the publishing world, Francesc has taken his first steps in the world of theater; he has been a member of 4 musical bands, with which he has composed and published several albums; and has worked as a literary sherpa, advising new authors with the publication of his first manuscripts.
Currently, Francesc combines writing books with collaborations in different media and conferences around the world.
In our conversation, Francesc and I cover his entire career, from his failed beginnings as a journalism student and a rather dispersed youth until today, who is a recognized writer and international speaker, and we talk about topics as interesting as…
- When did Francesc start writing for the first time, and why did he stop shortly after starting, despite the fact that his first texts were very successful?
- Why Francesc left everything to go to work as a volunteer in southern Croatia, which at the time was at war
- How were Francesc’s beginnings in the publishing world and why he left a good job as an editor to start writing
- How long did it take for Francesc to get to the point where he could make a living just writing?
- What is it for Francesc that determines whether or not a book is a bestseller?
Francesc is a star, and he is also a person worth knowing, super generous and with a heart that does not fit in his chest, so I think this is an interview that you cannot miss.
But hey, I prefer not to anticipate anything else and let you discover it yourself, so without further ado I leave you with the great Francesc Miralles.
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quick index
0:00:44 – Presentation of the guest
0:02:55 – Start of the interview
0:05:28 – How it contributed to bring rooibos to Spain
0:10:53 – Why did he choke on his studies in his adolescence?
0:12:21 – What was the first thing you wrote and why did you start writing?
0:13:17 – Why he spent 10 years without writing almost anything
0:17:51 Why did you decide to study journalism?
0:19:24 – Why did you have an urgent need to travel when you were young?
0:22:46 – Why did you decide to start English philology after leaving journalism?
0:24:58 – How did your passion for German originate?
0:31:03 – Why did you decide to take a gap year just when things were going better for you?
0:32:15 – Why did you choose a country that was at war as your destination for your gap year?
0:38:09 – His experience in the second refugee camp in which he was
0:40:22 – His time as a student at the University of Münster (Germany) and his return to Barcelona
0:42:01 – What are “egg cups” and why are they called that?
0:48:38 – How did you come up with your first opportunity to work as a translator?
0:50:11 – About the profession of translator
0:53:29 – How Francesc learned to write well
0:57:13 – What did you sew the position of table editor
1:00:35 – Why his boss noticed him and offered him an editor position
1:02:03 – How working as led him to write and publish his first book
1:06:38 – Why was he so passionate about the publishing profession?
1:07:40 – Why was there a bad atmosphere in the publishing house?
1:15:22 – At what point does he say “I am going to be a writer”?
1:17:37 How do you get your first novel published?
1:23:31 – At what point do you manage to make a living from writing?
1:37:50 – His secret to being so prolific
1:44:09 – Where do you get the ideas for your books and your characters?
1:46:55 – The process that follows when writing
1:52:11 – How and why you start working as a ghostwriter
1:55:24 – What is the process for writing a book for someone else?
2:00:10 – How to write a book between two people
2:02:47 – What determines whether or not a book is successful?
2:07:56 – How is the work of a literary consultant
2:10:56 – What are the most common mistakes that novice writers make
2:12:26 – On the difficulty of earning a living only selling books
2:15:38 – His career in the world of music and theater
2:17:52 – What do you spend your time on nowadays?
2:20:52 – What is a normal day in your life like?
2:22:42 – Your current relationship with work
2:28:51 – Your relationship with money
2:33:33 – Your priorities at this point in your life
2:34:25 – How satisfied are you with your new books?
2:34:49 – Your future plans
2:36:58 – What 3 books from your extensive bibliography do you recommend to listeners?
2:40:08 – What 3 books by other authors do you recommend to listeners?
2:41:13 – Final message
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