The first thing to know about me is my name, Michael Miller, and the fact that I’m a prolific and best-selling writer. I’ve written more than 200 books over the past three decades, on a variety of topics from computers to music to business. Readers say they like my casual, easy-to-read writing style and my ability to explain a wide variety of complex topics to an everyday audience. Not to brag, but my books have collectively sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.
I’m also an accomplished drummer, composer, and arranger. I was able to combine my love for and knowledge of music with my writing talents to produce a series of best-selling music instruction books in Alpha’s Complete Idiot’s Guide series. I’ve written about all manner of music-related topics, including music theory, music history, composition, arranging, drums and percussion, and the music business in general. (My Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory is one of the best-selling music theory books in history, with more than 250,000 copies sold)
My portfolio also includes numerous books about computer, technology, and social media topics, including several books written expressly for older readers and endorsed by AARP. I’ve also written business books about marketing and other related topics, as well as a handful of non-fiction books for young adult readers. In addition to all this, I continue to contribute articles to a variety of websites and publications, and have been known to take the occasional speaking and consulting gig.
Where did it all start? Well, I went to college at Indiana University, starting off in the Jazz Studies Program in the School of Music but ending up with a Marketing degree from the School of Business. After graduation, I worked for seven years in my family’s retail business, then spent twelve years in various positions at Macmillan Publishing, then one of the world’s largest publishers of reference books. My final position there was Vice President of Business Strategy (VP of BS, a fitting title), where I helped guide the company’s strategic direction and influence the shape of the computer book publishing industry. I left the corporate world in 1999 and have been a freelance writer since then. I also play drums for my church every weekend and continue to listen to (and analyze) a lot of music.
I currently live in the Twin Cities area with my wife, several step-children, and eight grandchildren, all of whom I love dearly. I’m also a member of the Interstellar Foundation, seeking to build on the legacy of the original Voyager Golden Record project to bring the story of humankind and its music to the cosmos.
Read more about me and my books at www.millerwriter.com.