Case study
From chaotic Google Docs to a book—and an impromptu SXSW workshop.
Ghostwriting Laurie McGinley’s Running Into the Petri Dish of Burnout
When Laurie reached out, they had years’ worth of voice notes, reflections, and half-started book drafts spread across multiple Google Docs. The ideas were powerful, but the path to a finished book felt overwhelming.
As a transformation guide and sought-after speaker working at the intersection of leadership and climate, Laurie knew they had something to say—but not the time or clarity to say it in book form.
“MJ showed himself to be reliably, repeatedly trustworthy, honest, forthright, creative, and able to explain things in a way that I am frankly incapable of, that made my spouse cry— in a good way.”
- Laurie McGinley, author
The result? Running Into the Petri Dish of Burnout, a punchy, accessible book for climate leaders navigating the emotional toll of change work. But the impact didn’t stop at the page.
Just as we were finalizing the book, Laurie landed a last-minute speaking opportunity at SXSW. With less than 30 hours to prepare, they drew directly from the book—and the years of raw material behind it—to deliver a powerful two-hour workshop. “The book organized my work in a way that I could capitalize on this unbelievable opportunity at the last minute. The only reason she gave me the shot is because I could immediately put together a coherent outline for a two-hour workshop and a coherent blurb. If I've been just trying to do that from my memory or my disorganized voice to text, I never would've gotten the opportunity.”
In short, what once felt like chaos became a resource they could draw from with confidence and clarity.
We collaborated for about six months, including a one-week sprint in their hometown, Minneapolis. Laurie handed me their raw materials—voice-to-text transcripts, notes, and essays—and I got to work shaping them into a clear, engaging, and mission-aligned manuscript.
Our process included:
Deep listening and idea-mapping: I read, organized, and synthesized Laurie's existing content to identify the core message and an accessible structure for delivering it.
Targeted interviews: We filled in gaps through structured conversations that brought out Laurie’s best insights and stories.
Fast, collaborative drafting: I wrote and refined the manuscript with Laurie’s voice and intentions at the forefront.
