Ghostwriting a Marketing Plan Inside a Book Proposal
When ghostwriting a book, I am sometimes asked to also write the book proposal. I remember the first time I was asked to do this. I had no idea, so I did my research. A book proposal is a plan to convince either an agent or a publisher that your manuscript should become a book.…
Read MoreWhen Ghostwriter and Client Disagree, Here’s 1 Solution
I’ve long known that a client-ghostwriter relationship can resemble a marriage at times. The client is sharing so much with so many details that, inevitably, the client gets put in a vulnerable situation. It is up to the ghostwriter to treat that information, and by extension the client, with all the care, decency, and sensitivity…
Read MoreHow to Interview Someone When Ghostwriting a Memoir
As I’ve previously written, having other sources when ghostwriting a memoir fleshes out a story with different points of view, confirms details, and helps neutralize the “unreliable narrator.” To get these details, however, a ghostwriter often needs to interview those other sources, so this is about how to do that effectively. Like with the entire…
Read MoreWhy Interview Others When Ghostwriting a Memoir
I specialize in ghostwriting three non-fiction types: memoir, business book, and expository essay. Of these, memoirs take the longest to complete. The main reason, I have found, is it takes longer to organize an outline and write about an individual’s life. With a business book or expository essay, the client often has the outline already…
Read MoreIntroduction: One Ghostwriter’s Process
Process (n) — a systematic series of actions directed to some end Why have a process? It seems like a silly question. How do you get anything done if you don’t have a way to do it? And I agree that it should be self-evident that a process is necessary. I found this on Alan…
Read More“Clicking” With Your Ghostwriter
I’ve written that partnering with a ghostwriter is great when your story is too important to leave to someone who isn’t professionally trained. It’s also extremely important to partner with a ghostwriter who gets you. Colloquially, I mean, hire a ghostwriter who clicks with you. But what does “click with” mean? Historically, it’s from the…
Read MoreThe Top 10 Developmental Editing Services
When it comes to developmental editing, different developmental editors provide different services. For example, some provide line editing or proofreading services. Some will offer coaching, in which the editor regularly meets with the writer and provides support and feedback throughout the writing process. The most important service a developmental editor offers is the manuscript critique.…
Read MoreDevelopmental Editing’s Focus
Writing a book requires a great deal of organization and focus. The same holds true for developmental editing. Throughout the process, a developmental editor will ask many questions and make sure they’re answered in ways that won’t confuse or distract the reader. These questions can be organized into broad categories. Various developmental editors will tackle…
Read MoreWhat Developmental Editing Isn’t
Last week, I introduced developmental editing and gave an overview of what it is. This week, I’m describing what it’s not. As developmental editing is its own animal, it doesn’t deal with any of the following: Copy editing. This type of editing focuses on word choice, punctuation, capitalization, style, typographical errors, and grammar. Copy editors…
Read MoreConsider Developmental Editing After Writing That First Draft
You’ve completed a first draft of your manuscript. Congratulations! Now you need it checked by a developmental editor. Developmental editing is the process where the editor critically examines the manuscript and addresses all the major issues, including style issues, sentence phrasing, and pacing. The key word is critically because the work can result in substantially…
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