Member Spotlight: Tim Vandehey

How did you land your first book ghostwriting project?

I was a copywriter when I fell into ghostwriting accidentally way back in 1999. One of my long-term copywriting clients asked me to write a book for him about his branding business. I had never written a book before, but I said yes, hung up the phone, had a small panic attack, and then figured it out. In retrospect, the book wasn’t very good, but it was a starting point. I wrote two more books for that same client, and the third one, “The Brand Called You” was quite good and quite successful, and that kickstarted my career. In short order, I got an agent, ghosted my first book for a major imprint, and I was off to the races.

What is your favorite type of project or client?

I’ve ghostwritten more than 70 books, so at this point in my career, I’m really looking for books that are out of the ordinary and that challenge me. I’m a journalist by experience and by temperament, so I love books that require deep research and a lot of digging to find the hidden patterns and meanings behind the material. On May 12, I had a book come out about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 called “Redeem a Nation”; that was a complex, challenging book that I absolutely loved developing and writing.

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

I don’t think I have one favorite question. Every client is different, so every interview is different. But I think the most important question I ask clients during an interview is, “How do you want to publish this book?” That’s important because the answer shapes a great deal of the work going forward. If a particular client is seeking a traditional publishing deal, then we are very likely working on a book proposal, and that brings up further questions about platform, audience, conceptual novelty, and so on. If the client intends to publish through a hybrid, that changes the nature of the project. So I’d say that’s probably my most rewarding question because it shapes what I do.

What are the best parts of this career?

I honestly don’t think there are any bad parts to it. The best aspects are probably the control of my time and earnings, the freedom to work when and how I want, and the freedom to choose who I work with. But every aspect of ghostwriting is stellar: the opportunity to get to know a huge variety of fascinating people, the travel, getting my work published (sometimes by major houses, sometimes multiple times in a year), the pay (which can be quite good), and of course, being able to make a living as a professional writer, which is a dream for many but a reality for me. I’m very lucky.

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

I’ve been a professional vocalist for years. Currently, I sing in a choir that performs rarely-heard works by composers from marginalized groups, in a group that sings Renaissance music, and in an a cappella vocal jazz quintet called Nightshade.

How can people reach you?

They can call me at 805-216-1164, email me at tim@pacificwhim.com, find me on LinkedIn, or visit my website, www.timvandehey.com. I have two daughters, so I also respond to voices shouting, “Daaaad!”