To paraphrase William Shakespeare: When machines do the work that we’re assigned And create the content that does abound We’ll all be free to do the things we love And leave the dreary work to be done by glove. I say paraphrase because this, I believe obviously, was written by artificial intelligence (I found it…
Read More
What makes a great book? A lot of things, actually, but to paraphrase James Carville, it’s the storytelling, stupid. Publishers I talk to are always looking for a story that is compelling, one that’s unique, relates to the reader, puts the reader into the author’s world, and evokes an emotional response. So, too, are ghostwriters,…
Read More
Just because you want to use ghostwriting services doesn’t mean the ghostwriter will want to partner with you. Like many creative types, ghostwriters want to work with people who have stories to tell that excite, motivate and inspire them. Ghostwriters like helping people tell their stories that move people to action and that which they…
Read More
I previously wrote about a ghostwriter’s need to be able to step into the client’s shoes and tell the story in the client’s voice and tone and style. To effectively do that, a ghostwriter must respect the client, the story and the information behind the story. Or the ghostwriter must decline the work. Everyone must…
Read More
Another important aspect to ghostwriting is the ability to step into someone else’s shoes and tell that person’s story in their words, voice and tone. The worst thing a ghostwriter can do is submit the writing and have the person say, “That doesn’t sound like me at all. That sounds like you.” It makes sense,…
Read More
Are you sure that person whose book you’re reading really wrote it? Chances are they didn’t, or at the very least, they got help. And I don’t mean the kind of help that an editor gives to every manuscript. I’m talking about the actual writing. Chances are, the author used a ghostwriter. Simply put, a…
Read More
Back in 2002, the independent publishing services firm The Jenkins Group released a survey that said 81% of Americans feel they have a book in them. To which noted writer and editor Joseph Epstein wrote that he has little faith in Americans’ abilities to do so. In fact, most people never get that book out…
Read More
If part of your marketing campaign includes a newsletter, it’s important to remember the importance of demonstrating social proof. According to the Canadian software company Unbounce, social proof can increase newsletter signups by 20%. However, not all social proof is equal. There is such a thing as bad social proof. Three ways social proof can…
Read More
Anyone who writes copy online will be familiar with the call to action, those few words that inspire, compel, urge or otherwise convince prospects that they need to talk to you. According to Hubspot, there are three main types of calls to action, or CTAs: basic, multivariate and personal. With the basic CTA, all visitors…
Read More
We’ve all been told how important a headline is. Now comes this from Copyblogger: Eight out of 10 people will only read the headline. Kind of puts the headline’s importance in perspective, doesn’t it? But what makes a good headline? What makes people claim that “Butt Seized by Terror Police” is a bad headline (and…
Read More