Posts
Memoir versus Autobiography: What’s the difference?
The Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) receives many requests each month from authors looking for help with their memoirs – only some really mean autobiography. So what’s the difference? A memoir is an exploration of a particular point in time in a person’s life – a moment, or a life-changing single experience. A Marine might…
5 Tools Every Ghostwriter Needs
To be a successful ghostwriter, you need to have strong writing skills. That’s a given. But just as important as your ability to string words together in a pleasing manner is your ability to organize and manage all the information needed for your client projects. You can’t be a top notch ghostwriter if you…
5 of the Biggest Myths About Ghostwriting
5 of the Biggest Myths about Ghostwriting Many people have heard of ghostwriters but may not be exactly sure what they do and how they work. Ghostwriters are writers who work behind-the-scenes to craft documents on behalf of their clients, typically anonymously. Most people get that. But there are some common misconceptions about ghostwriters and…
Why Staples Should be Our Business Role Model
Why Staples Should be Our Business Role Model “That was easy” has become Staples’ trademarked tagline. A few years ago the office supply chain produced little red “easy” buttons as a promotional gimmick, but the gimmick struck a chord. “That was easy” has evolved into Staples’ brand promise. A promise that when you do business…
Guest Post: Public Speaking – Why Some of Us Love It
Thanks to Rich Mintzer for todays guest blog post. According to a Gallup poll, 40% of people are afraid of public speaking, or have glossophobia, as it’s called. I’m sure you’ll also find a large percentage of people who aren’t afraid, but simply don’t feel confident in their speaking abilities. Then there are those of us…
How ghostwriters are paid
How Ghostwriters Are Paid The Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) gets inquiries on a daily basis from individuals with terrific stories to tell but who need help turning them into a book. Some are memoirs about triumph over adversity, others are rags-to-riches tales, or important lessons learned in the C-suite. They all sound interesting. Some might…
RadarOnline Reports Real Housewife of New Jersey Star Uses Ghostwriter
RadarOnline Reports Real Housewife of New Jersey Star Uses Ghostwriter Ok, so which one of us has been ghostwriting Teresa Giudice’s blog and books? Come on, fess up. (I sure hope it is an AOG member!) No one should be shocked that Giudice may have had help with her blog – most celebrities simply…
Ghostwriters: For blog ideas, and laughs, turn to Portent
Ghostwriters: For blog ideas, and laughs, turn to Portent I enjoy writing – I really do – but the pressure of coming up with topics I think will be useful to fellow ghostwriters and freelance writers can add to my stress. So when I lamented my lack of 30 days of blog posts for the…
Why Time Is More Valuable Than Money
Why Time Is More Valuable Than Money When ghostwriters are asked to quote a fee to write or edit a client’s project, the assumption is that there is pure multiplication going on: your hourly rate times the amount of time you anticipate the work will take equals the cost of the project. The process seems…
Who Is Your Role Model?
Who Is Your Role Model? With two teenage children, I find myself thinking frequently about who they’re hanging out with and looking up to. Who are their role models? Who are their heroes? Today I caught myself thinking about this and it occurred to me that I worry more about my kids’ role models than…
Ghostwriters: Can card sorting help you organize a large project?
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Most of you know that in addition to overseeing the Association of Ghostwriters, I also run my own ghostwriting and freelance writing business. My business name is Layton & Co., Inc., and although I’ve billed through my corporation for decades, I’m just now setting up an online presence for it.…
Ghostwriters: What are your clients’ odds of getting published?
I was just having this discussion with a friend the other day, wondering where people ever got the impression that attracting a traditional publisher is easy. It’s never been easy to convince the likes of Random House, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, or Simon & Schuster, to name a few, to publish a particular…