One of the most common questions I get is, What does a ghostwriter do? Here’s the easy answer:
The old adage is that everyone has a book inside of them. The trick, of course, is to get it out. That’s where I can help.
Yes, strong writing is a given. But a good ghostwriter also needs to be a great listener, taking in the nuances of your story along with your writing “voice” and style. In many cases, my clients aren’t even sure what their story actually is. Part of my job is to help you find out what makes your story so compelling and weave those elements together to write a fantastic page-turner.
A good ghostwriter also needs:
- strong organizational skills to write your book from start to finish
- the ability to work closely – and effectively – with you
- the ability to put ego aside while working on your project
These are all skills I’ve developed during my professional writing career as a marketing writer and journalist. Since 1995, I have provided my clients with outstanding writing services including ghostwriting for literally thousands of different projects. I have the nose of a journalist for sniffing out the story and the flair of a marketing writer to turn that story into the incredible book it can be.
I will put those skills to work for you, helping you become the best author possible.

Story + Teller
Together, we can write
an incredible book.
I Help You Tell Your Story, and Tell It Well.
Ghostwriting is a partnership between the author (you) and the writer (me). In some ways, working with me is the same as hiring a skilled contractor to renovate your kitchen or a commissioning a professional photographer to take your headshot. You have a vision of how you would like to present yourself. You just need help bringing that vision to life. In this case, I bring your words to life.
Each project is different of course, but most fall into one of the four following categories (click on the icons to learn more):
- The Personal Interview
This is the most common approach to ghostwriting. You and I will have a number of phone meetings or face-to-face meetings (depending on your preference) to discuss your book, what you want to accomplish, who you think your audience might be, and of course to allow you to pass your story on to me.
- The Complete Rewrite
Perhaps you already have ideas and stories written down, and you just need help rewriting them and organizing them into book form. I can take all these ideas and snippets and bring them altogether. If you have written some but not all of your stories, we can work on those as well through interviews, bullet points, or other ways.
- The “Book from Scratch”
Sometimes, authors have nothing but an idea and a dream. I can write a whole book for you based on research from your existing writings or other sources, putting together an outline and then the completed chapters. This requires the least amount of input from you, but usually requires some meetings to get your ideas and voice.
- The Work in Progress
Does your project not quite fit into any of these three methods? Maybe you have some ideas written, some research already done, some recordings, some thoughts still floating in your head even, but everything is all over the place. I can help there too, bringing together your ideas and work to date, and organizing them all into one cohesive book.
The Ghostwriting Process
Writing a book is a huge undertaking. For many, the sheer thought of it is overwhelming. Luckily, I’m here to help take care of the details. A big part of what I do as a ghostwriter is guide the project from beginning to end so you don’t have to.
To start, we’ll have a series of meetings by phone or in person so that I can get a good grasp on what you want your book to accomplish, and of course to get the information we’ll write into your book. This will also give me the opportunity to learn your “voice” and style. If you’re working with a publisher or agent, we’ll likely talk with them as well to get their perspective. My goal in the beginning is to collect as much information as possible.
Then, I’ll get started writing your book. Often, the first step is to develop an outline with chapter summary so we know we’re going in the right direction. During the actual writing, I’ll send you chapters for review as I go. There are usually short meetings during the reveiw process to discuss changes and clarifications. Finally, I’ll do another complete review of the manuscript and present you with the finished manuscript – a book that you and your readers will love.
Curious to know how it will work for your book project? Contact me for a free initial phone consultation and let’s start discussing your book in detail.