Member Spotlight: Kim Perez

How did you land your first book ghostwriting project?

A client called me on my 50th birthday and asked me to write a book for her. My first thought was panic, since I’d never tackled a book-length project before that. Within a month, a second client called me and asked me to write a book for him. So I found myself writing two books at once and, it turned out, I loved it.

I started my career in public relations and corporate communications, and discovered I had a knack for capturing the essence of what someone wanted to say—whether they were sharing their expertise within a technical niche or their philosophy about work and life. I became the go-to ghostwriter for dozens of experts over the years, mostly focusing on articles, opinion pieces, white papers and other types of reports.

Now I’ve written three books and still also write short-form nonfiction. I thrive when I’m able to dive deep into a subject and remain submerged there for a bit.

What is your favorite type of project or client?

I truly love any project that gives me a chance to work with someone who’s an expert in any subject. I enjoy the process of learning something new, and learning it well enough to be able to write about it.

I especially love writing about anything related to environmental sustainability and making cities safe for walking and rolling. I also appreciate projects for which I get to do some original research and/or analysis of raw data. I completed a mid-career master’s degree in sustainability, and won a prize for my original research related to urban resilience in heat waves. While working on that, I realized how much I love the entire research process: identifying a question to pursue, designing a study, carrying it out, analyzing the data, and sharing the results. One of my clients is a policy think tank and I get to do both research and writing—that’s the sweet spot!

What’s your favorite question to ask clients during an interview?

This is not quite a question, but I like to follow up with: “Tell me more about that.” It’s a good way to prompt open-ended discovery and help someone go beyond the messages they’ve prepared in advance. It often leads the conversation in directions that surprise both me and the person I’m interviewing.

What are the best parts of this career?

In my 20s, I remember a boss telling me: “You have an uncanny ability to capture on paper exactly what’s in my brain.” It was like I had discovered a superpower. I’ve heard a version of that many times since then. Sometimes clients cry because they feel seen, or because they finally understand something about themselves. It’s a delight and a privilege to be part of that.

I also just thoroughly enjoy playing with words.

What’s one thing clients might be surprised to know about you?

I love maps and experimenting with tools to create fun new ways to tell stories. This is one example of using a tool called ArcGIS StoryMaps to present original research about bus routes in Los Angeles (for think tank Investing in Place).

How can people reach you?

Visit my website or email me at kim@kimdixonperez.com