Coelho talks about his relation to South America's tradition of magical realism, and difficulties met in publishing The Alchemist.

Coelho is influenced not only by grand traditions but by how he, as a writer, sees the world. In response to an audience question regarding how much of himself is in his books, he answers "One hundred percent." Although he admits to having never been a prostitute (Eleven Minutes) or a shepherd boy (The Alchemist), his unconscious mind allows him to interact with these archetypes.

Coelho explores the importance of mythical journeys, such as Homer's The Odyssey, to humanity's history. Through these journeys, inner experiences and conflicts can be worked out.

With regards the initial publication of The Alchemist, Coelho recalls his attempts to convince HarperCollins of the suitability of the book's title, which he had spent years pondering over. HarperCollins allowed the title, but cut his preface. After The Alchemist sold over 100,000 copies, Coelho insisted the preface be included.