Elizabeth Smith
Bio
I’m a ghostwriter and developmental editor who helps visionaries, leaders, and creators transform their expertise into books that capture attention and change minds for years to come. With two decades in traditional publishing, I specialize in working with passionate experts who have game-changing ideas but need a strategic, collaborative partner to bring their vision to life on the page.
My background is unconventional (in the best way!). I graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, taught for twenty years, and began boxing at fifty-five, teaching me storytelling, deep listening, and grit. This combination shapes how I approach every collaboration: with empathy, precision, and the determination to see your story reach its full potential.
I am drawn to projects where substance meets style—from transformational leadership books and mission-driven memoirs to coffee table books that tell compelling legacy stories and brand narratives. My experience with highly designed, bespoke publications at Rizzoli and HarperCollins has trained me to envision the complete package and marketing strategy from the first word, working seamlessly with authors, designers, and publishers.
Recent collaborations include partnering with a horse training innovator whose methods transformed the industry, working with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, crafting a microbiologist’s Beautiful Bacteria, developing redemption narratives, and writing aspirational lifestyle books. I’m drawn to stories that bridge personal transformation with professional expertise—whether that’s an entrepreneur’s journey, a designer’s philosophy, or an innovator’s breakthrough.
I thrive on coordinating complex stakeholder relationships while preserving the author’s authentic voice. I’ve managed multi-author collaborations, institutional publications, and licensed publishing projects, ensuring deadlines are met and collaborators feel supported.
I maintain a creative flow between Brooklyn and California’s Mojave Desert, bringing both New York precision and desert expansiveness to every project.
My ideal clients are the people whose dinner party stories leave everyone saying, “You need to write a book!” I work with CEOs who know they have a book in them, experts who’ve been told this countless times, and visionaries with powerful stories who need a strategic partner. If you’re passionate about your expertise and tired of watching others publish the book you know you could write better, let’s talk!
Expertise: Memoir, transformational narratives, coffee table books, luxury brand stories, art and design monographs, institutional commemoratives, redemption stories
Publishers: Rizzoli International Publications, HarperCollins, BenBella Books, TeNeues
Location: Brooklyn, NY / Yucca Valley, CA (work with clients globally)
Email esmithwrite@gmail.com