Posts
Ghostwriters: Should You Ever Let Someone “Pick Your Brain?”
Ghostwriters: Should You Ever Let Someone “Pick Your Brain?” The email in my inbox this morning from a complete stranger asked for some of my time “to learn more about your process” and “to pick your brain about ghostwriting.” I have to admit I was a bit shocked by the question. Sure, I receive…
What Does “Bestseller” Mean?
What Does “Bestseller” Mean? Most authors and ghostwriters want to pen bestsellers, right? Because the term “bestseller” indicates that a book has sold better than others. But how much better, exactly? That’s what I started to wonder after seeing some authors in my area claim to have written bestsellers when I know (from previous conversations)…
Ghostwriters: Say “Yes” When Offered More Business
Ghostwriters: Say “Yes” When Offered More Business Ghostwriters experience the same “feast or famine” scenario that freelance writers regularly deal with. One month work is pouring in, the next, all you hear is crickets. Many ghostwriters experience a cycle of too much work, then too little, with anxiety spiking in between those two states of…
When Writing a Memoir, First Consider How to Tell It
John DeSimone is a published memoir ghostwriter and novelist. He has successfully ghostwritten more than a dozen books, taught writing at the university level, and edited several hundred others, both fiction and non-fiction. His passion is helping individuals shape their stories into compelling reads. Find out more about him at www.johndesimone.com. When Writing a…
Will Writing a Book Make You Money?
Many authors aspire to write books because they see them as potential new income streams. They expect to be able to sell scads of copies of their book to customers and generate substantial additional revenue. Some envision themselves traveling cross-country on an ambitious book signing tour, becoming independently wealthy from the sale of tens of…
Revision Hell: A case study for disaster
Richard Lowe, Jr. is a bestselling author who has published 63 books, ghostwritten 12 books, and produced several hundred articles for blogs and publications. He is the owner and senior writer of The Writing King, which provides services such as ghostwriting, book coaching, WordPress implementation, blogging and copywriting. Richard is also a senior LinkedIn branding specialist…
What Kind of Nonfiction Books are Publishers Buying?
You have an idea for a nonfiction book that will help promote your business, boost your career, or share an idea or methodology, and you’re wondering if any publisher will be interested. That’s a good question, and only a publisher can tell you for sure, by way of a publishing contract. But there are some…
The Single Biggest Reason Ghostwriters Fail
For many reasons, demand for ghostwriting services is rising. In fact, I’d say it’s the perfect storm, formed by the ongoing need for online content, the rise of the thought leader role, and the pure lack of time. Businesses, executives, doctors, attorneys, consultants, politicians, website owners, advertising agencies – you name it – all need…
Before You Write Your Book, Do This First
Authors with a book idea are generally eager to start writing their manuscript. They want to start documenting their thinking, to see words on paper, or the screen, and chapters forming. But writing a draft of your book is actually not the best place to start. Whether you intend to self-publish or to try and sell…
5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Ghostwriting
Like many in the field, I’ve been ghostwriting for a few years now. And as I look back, there are a few things I wish I had known as I was getting started: 1. Ghostwriters create more than just books. While ghostwriting a book for a tech guru was my first project, I limited my…
How to Morph from Blogger to Author
If you blog regularly for your company or your job, it’s possible you have a great start on all the content you need to write a book. That is, writing a book may not be as difficult or time-consuming as you fear. The folks at Reedsy addressed this topic in a recent article, in which…
7 Misconceptions About Self-Publishing Authors Should be Aware Of
Fifteen, even ten, years ago, the only way to have your book taken seriously was to have it published by a mainstream publisher – a name, like John Wiley & Sons, Random House, McGraw-Hill, and others. Sure, self-publishing was available, but authors who went that route were assumed to have a manuscript that was not…