Member Spotlight: Jen Singer
How did you land your first book ghostwriting project?
I had interviewed an ex con about a particular type of therapy he’d tried, for a Next Avenue piece. It turns out, he’d been trying to write a book for several years. He liked my style of writing, and so, I became a ghostwriter, though it was more of a collaborative writer/editor role. I started by asking him, “If your life was a movie, where would you start it?” That led to opening the book with a harrowing arrest scene and the words, “My biggest regret in life is that there are people who are worse off for knowing me.”
Keep in mind that I’d already publishing five books of my own at that point, so I knew something about structure. But it was years of blogging that had taught me how to grab people by the lapels with just a few words.
What has been your secret to building a steady stream of ghostwriting clients?
I have worked as a speechwriter and writing coach for a public speaking school, and plenty of speakers wind up writing books, so that’s been one stream of clients. These days, most of my clients are referred by other clients or other writers. That might have taken longer to build if I hadn’t worked with so many different speakers, building up my reputation and my skills. Most ghosts have a few clients a year, but I’ve had multiple per month, so I learned quickly how to distill a message and also how to work with everyone from CEOs to fighter pilots to Olympic athletes to patient advocates to survivors of all types.
What do you wish clients understood about the ghostwriting process?
Most of the work comes in the editing. They call me “Machete Jen” for a reason: I can process and hone information quickly and efficiently. That’s as important as the ability to write, which I also do quickly and efficiently.
How would you describe your favorite type of project and client?
I’ll let my own website ghost this for me: My clients have all lived a great story. Maybe that’s why we get along so well. I work best with people who have been changed by something they did or something they endured and then survived, and now they want to share what they’ve learned to help others.
What are the best parts of this career?
The look in my clients’ eyes when we reach the (often buried) burning message that matters most to them and they feel safe enough to share it—and to let me articulate it for them.
How can people reach you?
Home – Jen Singer (jen-singer.com) Click on Contact.
Or send a message through: (32) Jen Singer | LinkedIn
