
As a result, Hansen received about "100,000 words of transcribed interviews, just for the parts I knew were going to serve the book".

While gathering material for the book, Hansen tried to interview as many people as possible to get their perspectives.

Another impetus for the book's creation was that several of the cast and crew members had died, making it impossible to gain their perspectives on the film. He disliked the idea of someone writing the book about him and expressed that he would rather write about the making of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Hansen began work on Chain Saw Confidential after he was approached by various publishers interested in him writing an autobiography. The final third of the book looks into the fan reception for the movie and its legacy on the film world.

The material in the book is taken from several interviews from many of the cast and crew members. It goes into depth into the film as well as into Hansen's life. Chain Saw Confidential covers the making of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, as well as its release, reception, and marketing.
