As a writer, it’s easy for me to see that more people need a writer’s help than they want to admit. I remember how at networking meetings people would come up with a rhyming tagline and thought they could write. They didn’t realize that it takes so much more to really write. You need passion,…
Read MoreThe following illustrates the ghostwriter’s process and expertise as a storyteller. A client recently sent to his younger brothers the most recent draft of what he wanted to be the first chapter of his memoir I’m ghostwriting. It would start at the end of the story. Both of them praised the opening story, then the…
Read MoreIn my newspaper journalism days, I learned that reporters must collaborate and cannot do their jobs in a vacuum. There was a great deal of collaboration throughout the process: I would talk to somebody who had a story idea, I would consult an editor to get permission to work on it (or the editor would…
Read MoreLast week, I wrote about four questions every ghostwriter should ask a prospect. Read it here. One could argue that those are the four most important questions because they should be asked first, but that doesn’t mean the next seven aren’t important, too. Reach out to Lee Barnathan if you need a ghost writer in…
Read MoreAnyone who ghostwrites memoirs understands how involved the process is and the need to ask questions. There has to be between six months and a year’s worth of communication between the ghostwriter and the client. The ghostwriter can’t write the story without the client’s input because the ghostwriter doesn’t know the story. The client, in…
Read MoreTime to focus, people! I recently spoke to someone seeking a ghostwriter for his memoir. He bent my ear for more than an hour, telling stories about his life. And he has had quite a life. From his time working at a top advertising company, to his time in the Nixon, Ford, and Reagan White…
Read MoreLast 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…
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