--- title: "Brian Writes a Bestseller (S09E06) | familyguy.co.uk" canonical: "https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e06-brian-writes-a-bestseller/" updatedDate: 2026-09-06 author: Alex Moss description: "Brian Writes a Bestseller: Family Guy season 9 episode 6 (S09E06), first aired 21 November 2010. Writer and director credits." --- # Brian Writes a Bestseller Episode 6 of Family Guy season 9 (S09E06), the 153rd Family Guy episode overall. Written by Gary Janetti and directed by Joseph Lee. First broadcast on 21 November 2010. ## Story Crates of unsold copies of Brian's novel Faster Than the Speed of Love arrive in the post and he gives up writing, until he notices a self-help title at the top of the New York Times list. Stewie talks him into producing one to prove the form is worthless, and Wish It, Want It, Do It, written in three hours, sells heavily. Brian takes Stewie on as his publicist and turns insufferable, sacking him when Christopher Hitchens drops out of a booking on Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher, Arianna Huffington and Dana Gould pull the book apart on air until Brian admits he wrote it quickly for the money, and Maher drives him off the set. Back home, Brian half apologises and Stewie tells him plainly that he cannot write. ## Production and reception - Steve Callaghan, showrunner and executive producer, announced the episode at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. Gary Janetti wrote it and Joseph Lee directed. ([Wikipedia: Brian Writes a Bestseller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller)) - The talk show scene was filmed as live action on the HBO set of Real Time with Bill Maher, with an animated Brian laid over the panel opposite Maher, Dana Gould and Arianna Huffington. ([Wikipedia: Brian Writes a Bestseller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller)) - Guest voices besides the talk show panel included Ashley Tisdale, Christine Lakin, Katie Sah and Chris Cox. ([Wikipedia: Brian Writes a Bestseller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller)) - Nielsen recorded 6.59 million viewers and a 3.3 rating among adults aged 18 to 49, down markedly on the previous week. ([Wikipedia: Brian Writes a Bestseller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller)) - Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club rated the episode B while judging the Bill Maher sequence poorly done. ([Wikipedia: Brian Writes a Bestseller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller)) ## Facts | Fact | Detail | | --- | --- | | Season | 9 | | Episode | 6 of 18 | | Overall | No. 153 | | Code | S09E06 | | First aired | 21 November 2010 | | Directed by | Joseph Lee | | Written by | Gary Janetti | | Production code | 8ACX07 | | Source | Wikipedia: Family Guy season 9 | | Wikidata | Q4035414 | | IMDb | tt1759063 | | Verification | Checked against Wikidata and IMDb: title, date, numbering and credits agree | | US viewers | 6.59 million | ## Voices | Voice | Characters | | --- | --- | | Seth MacFarlane | Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin | | Alex Borstein | Lois Griffin, Penguin Publishing Receptionist, Veterinarian | | Seth Green | Chris Griffin, Chris Griffin | | Mila Kunis | Meg Griffin | | Mike Henry | Paparazzis | | Alexandra Breckenridge | High School Checker, Female Author, Renée Zellweger | | Chris Cox | Mailman, Paparazzis | | Ralph Garman | Paparazzis | | Dana Gould | Dana Gould | | Arianna Huffington | Arianna Huffington | Principal voice credits as recorded by IMDb, which lists up to ten credits per episode, so recurring characters can be missing here. Guest voices below come from Wikipedia and TVmaze. ### Guest voices - Dana Gould as himself (live-action) - Arianna Huffington as herself (live-action) - Christine Lakin as Joyce Kinney - Bill Maher as himself (live-action), Bill Maher - Katie Sah as Jan, Receptionist - Ashley Tisdale as Kelly - Adam West as Mayor Adam West - John Viener as Man in Coma ## Links - Season: [9](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-9/) - Source: [Wikipedia: Family Guy season 9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy_season_9) - Wikidata: [Q4035414](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4035414) - IMDb: [tt1759063](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759063/) - US viewers: [6.59 million](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Writes_a_Bestseller) ## Navigation - Previous: [S09E05 Baby, You Knock Me Out](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e05-baby-you-knock-me-out/) - Next: [S09E07 Road to the North Pole](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e07-road-to-the-north-pole/) - Season hub: [Season 9](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-9/) - All episodes: [Family Guy episode guide](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/) ## Season 9: episode 6 of 18 - S09E01 [And Then There Were Fewer](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e01-and-then-there-were-fewer/) - S09E02 [Excellence in Broadcasting](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e02-excellence-in-broadcasting/) - S09E03 [Welcome Back, Carter](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e03-welcome-back-carter/) - S09E04 [Halloween on Spooner Street](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e04-halloween-on-spooner-street/) - S09E05 [Baby, You Knock Me Out](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e05-baby-you-knock-me-out/) - S09E06 Brian Writes a Bestseller (this entry) - S09E07 [Road to the North Pole](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e07-road-to-the-north-pole/) - S09E08 [New Kidney in Town](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e08-new-kidney-in-town/) - S09E09 [And I'm Joyce Kinney](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e09-and-im-joyce-kinney/) - S09E10 [Friends of Peter G.](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e10-friends-of-peter-g/) - S09E11 [German Guy](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e11-german-guy/) - S09E12 [The Hand That Rocks the Wheelchair](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e12-the-hand-that-rocks-the-wheelchair/) - S09E13 [Trading Places](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e13-trading-places/) - S09E14 [Tiegs for Two](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e14-tiegs-for-two/) - S09E15 [Brothers & Sisters](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e15-brothers-and-sisters/) - S09E16 [The Big Bang Theory](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e16-the-big-bang-theory/) - S09E17 [Foreign Affairs](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e17-foreign-affairs/) - S09E18 [It's a Trap!](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s09e18-its-a-trap/) --- Unofficial fan resource. 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