Why a Criminal Defense Attorney Chose Fiction Over a Legal Book with Ron Chapman

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life.  Criminal defense attorneys aren't typically known for writing philosophical Holocaust novels. Then again, Ron Chapman isn’t your typical criminal defense attorney. Published under the pen name R. William Chapman, *Empyrean* is a true departure from Ron’s two nonfiction books. Fight the Feds and Truth and Persuasion may have Ron build his authority but *Empyrean,* which will be arriving this fall, helped build his soul. Ron spent two years on *Empyrean*, writing roughly 300,000 words to land on a final 78,000. He calls himself a "pantser," Stephen King's term for a writer who lets characters decide what happens rather than working from an outline. One of the main characters, he told me, has become part of how he thinks through his own days. As a criminal defense attorney, Ron has found that fiction gives him an outlet nonfiction and legal work never did, a way to work through the frustrations of his job and his time as a marine on paper instead of carrying them silently. We get into why he turned away from traditional publishing in order to keep creative control, why agents kept asking him to make the book "the next *Hunger Games*" and why he thinks authority today comes from letting people see your actual flaws rather than polishing a bio. He also explains that he’s using a different author name for *Empyrean* so that it can stand on its own, disconnected from his identity as a lawyer. In this episode: - Why Ron chose the Holocaust as a subject, and how a childhood visit to a concentration camp shaped the project - The reason he's publishing *Empyrean* under a pen name instead of his own - Why he turned away from traditional publishing to retain full creative control over the book - His case for why raw honesty, not polished marketing, is what actually builds trust with an audience - Why he believes the short feedback loop of platforms like Substack is bad for serious writing, and why the slow grind of writing still matters **Want to know more about my company? Legacy Launch Pad Publishing is a boutique hybrid publisher for entrepreneurs and established founders. We help clients create books that build authority, attract opportunities and grow businesses. More info** 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com **Want to ask me how to build authority with your book to generate seven-figure returns, speaking opportunities and high-value clients?** 👉 **https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/pocket-anna** **Interested in working with a selective hybrid publisher that focuses on strategy, authority and long-term business growth—not just publishing a book?** 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/apply **And if you just want to know more about me,**  👉 **www.annadavid.com** Remember, if there's anyone in your life who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them!