Member Spotlight: Samantha Shubert

How did you land your first book ghostwriting project?

I’ve been in publishing for a long time, serving as a proofreader, then a copy editor, then a production editor, then a copy chief, then a freelance editor, and eventually a book coach. At some point, I realized that ghostwriting was something I was already doing, the end of a natural progression.

The thing is, I had never loved the world of conventional publishing. The work could be fascinating, but the pay was always terrible. And it usually involved schlepping to some office in Midtown Manhattan.

In 2016, I met a book designer, Susan Hood, who felt the same way. Together, we decided to start a company, Remarkable Life Memoirs, that played to our strengths: We would privately publish memoirs and family histories for non-writers who wanted to preserve great stories. No agents, no book deals, no marketing campaigns for them, and no Midtown offices for us.

I started calling myself a ghostwriter on the founding of our company. But by then, I had been ghostwriting for years. I just didn’t know it.

What is your favorite type of client?

People who are passionate about their family histories, who want to think about legacy and connection, who want to explore questions like “Who are we?” and “Why does that matter?”

A lot of RLM clients are Jewish families, and their sagas span centuries, continents, languages, cultures, you name it. It helps that I’m Jewishly knowledgeable and understand the complexities of our history. (It also helps that I know what I don’t know and find colleagues to fill those gaps.)

I’ve been surprised at how many clients want to do some of the writing or research themselves. For them, I’m more a developmental editor or coach than a ghostwriter. Again, the title is not really important. Collaborating closely makes these projects emotionally intense but satisfying for everyone.

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

“Tell me about your grandparents.” Relationships with parents can be complicated, but grandparents almost always open a door into foundational memories. Those show me right away how a client thinks and what’s important to them.

What are the best parts of this career?

Getting paid to be curious. I was pretty hopeless as a newspaper reporter when I was young, because I never wanted to admit to ignorance. Now, I’m quite comfortable asking people all kinds of questions. It’s more of an education than my actual education was. I’m never bored.

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

I’m a competitive powerlifter, I hold multiple state records, and I can probably squat you.

How can people reach you?

Through my freelance website, SamanthaShubert.com, or through my company’s website, RemarkableLifeMemoirs.com.