Book Editing

13 Great Questions to Ask About AI

By Lee Barnathan / July 13, 2026
Posted in , , , , ,

I asked a lot of questions when I took a class on artificial intelligence and ghostwriting. One of the important lessons I learned is that AI is here to stay, that ghostwriters can use it to help their processes (without outsourcing the writing to it), and that there’s a need to disclose to clients how…

AI Programs, 1 Great Ghostwriter Co-Exist

By Lee Barnathan / June 8, 2026
Posted in , , ,

I recently began a course on AI programs, specifically what artificial intelligence can do for ghostwriters. The first or four two-hour sessions dealt with how it can generate material, identify and recognize patterns, and transform a rough version into something more polished and complete. What I learned primarily was the importance of the prompt, the…

5 Great Ways to Combat AI Slop

By Lee Barnathan / May 11, 2026
Posted in , , , , ,

Today, I’m writing about AI slop. Similar to spam, it’s low-quality, high-volume copy (and images, though that’s not relevant here) AI creates to fill space, trick algorithms, clog the internet and monetize clicks rather than provide anything valuable. Ghostwriters need to pay attention to this trend…because it can make them rich. They are now being…

7 Great Ways Humans Edit Best

By Lee Barnathan / May 4, 2026
Posted in , , , ,

As part of my service, I often introduce my ghostwriting clients to various humans how edit because if they want their manuscript published, it needs to be edited, and I as ghostwriter can’t do it. One client at first declined my offer to introduce him to editors because “I’m undecided about going to an editor…

Integrity and 4 Great Ethics to Consider

By Lee Barnathan / April 6, 2026
Posted in , , , , , ,

I recently came across a Wall Street Journal article (publicized widely on LinkedIn) that spoke to one;’s integrity. It was about Hachette Book Group, one of the Big Five publishers, canceling an upcoming title, Shy Girl by Mia Ballard, over concerns that it used too much artificial intelligence and not enough human writing. Read it…

6 Great Points for Humans vs. Claude

By Lee Barnathan / March 30, 2026
Posted in , , ,

I’ve got a couple of manuscripts just about finished and ready to be edit. In one case, the client wants to have the AI program Claude analyze the 82,100-word document before moving on and hiring a human editor. His rationale comes from his time as an orthopedist. Many years ago, he was introduced to arthroscopic…

8 Great Ways to Afford a Ghostwriter

By Lee Barnathan / March 2, 2026
Posted in , , ,

I currently have two prospects who want me to act as their ghostwriter for their books. They have gone through my early screening process, and when I asked them, “If money was no object, would you be ready to move forward?” they answered yes. Cost is the most common reason a ghostwriting prospect doesn’t become…

ChatGPT Sucks! Here are 5 Great Reasons Why

By Lee Barnathan / August 18, 2025
Posted in , , ,

I was all set to write this post about a lesson I relearned—one a ghostwriter always needs to remember—It’s not my story, it’s theirs. Instead, I was reminded of the importance of avoiding ChatGPT and working with a human and not artificial intelligence when writing a book. I had a recent conversation with a client…

The 10 Parts of Every Great Memoir

By Lee Barnathan / June 2, 2025
Posted in , ,

I ghostwrite three types of nonfiction books: Memoirs, business books, and expository essays. Of these, people most often contact me wanting help writing a memoir. This doesn’t surprise me. Memoirs are among the most popular adult nonfiction books. On Amazon alone, there are more than 30,500 memoir titles. What used to be reserved for famous…

3 Solid Specialized Skills for a Ghostwriter

By Lee Barnathan / May 19, 2025
Posted in , , , ,

Last week, I started discussing how ghostwriting is expensive because it is so specialized. Read it here. I covered three skills: writing as someone else, organizing massive amounts of information, and understanding what is a compelling story. Now, I’ll tackle the abilities to interview, research, and budget time. Interview — A ghostwriter has to spend…