How to Be More Fascinating: Interiority and Why Fiction Matters

My audience is built mostly of experts — coaches, consultants, educators — people who deal in information and advice. They teach people how to do things, help people make progress on stuff that matters to them, and sell their knowledge.

But here’s the catch: if you’re too reliant on just information, the practical stuff, the tips, the advice, you’re going to hit a wall. In about a year, you’ll run out of things to say — concepts to teach. Doesn’t matter who you are. You’ll burn through your material, and then your audience will have heard it all. They’re done, right?

So, if you want people to stick around for the long haul, your relationship with them needs to go beyond just the information and expertise.

That’s where fascination comes in. It might sound arrogant to try to be more fascinating, but it’s crucial. You want their interest in you to go beyond your content. They need to care about YOU, not just what you teach. That’s what I mean by becoming more fascinating.

Interiority is key here. I touched on it yesterday. If you missed it, check it out. But how do you get better at it? It’s tricky. It feels like you either have it or you don’t. But I don’t buy that. There are things you can do.

Here’s one tip: Read fiction. Yep, fiction books. There’s this weird pride some people have about only reading non-fiction, like fiction is a waste of time. Huge mistake. If you want to get better at interiority, you should consider reading fiction, especially series fiction. The kinds of books where you follow characters, settings, and plot lines over multiple installments. Each book builds on the events of the previous ones. Think Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games. My favorite is Orphan X.

The relationship you build with characters in series fiction is all about interiority. You want to know what happens next because it’s not just about what happens — it’s about how the characters grow and evolve over time.

You’re offered a deeper connection to them through the depiction of their inner world — what they’re feeling, thinking, and struggling with as they navigate the external world.

People line up for the next Harry Potter book because they need to know not only what happens next — but how Harry (and the entire cast of characters) change and evolve over time. That’s the kind of relationship you want with your audience.

So, start reading series fiction. If you haven’t read Harry Potter, give it a go. Or pick any other series that interests you. The characters in these books are the best models for learning how to use interiority to make yourself more fascinating.

Remember, if you only rely on your core content, people will get bored. They’ll move on to someone more interesting. Don’t let that happen. Be more fascinating.