Ghostwriter

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Personal or business memoirs
Business advice and instruction books
Business histories
Regional histories
Coaching writers and workers on writing

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Read samples feom the provider, check references, and interview her to be sure you're compatible. Collaborating on your story or your documents is an intimate process. Without rapport, it's not going to work out well. Remember, it's YOUR project, you're the driver, and your writer or ghostwriter must set ego aside to depict YOU in your best light. Contact me!

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. The biggest secret - authoring a book lends you business credibility. Saying, "I wrote the book on it," puts you miles ahead of your competition and sets you up as an expert, which you are! Writing is labor-intensive. Writing well is a talent. Putting together a good book is a challenge. I'll do it for you, you become the author and reap the benefits. As for your family memoir? What better gift could you leave future generations?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. My customers should know who is to be interviewed for the book. Photos should be gathered and sorted. Any notes or documentation should be easily accessible.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I'm a certified ghostwriter, trained at master's level. My writing takes on my client's voice, so their story is told in their words and style. I include photo work with a basic book-writing package, saving hundreds of dollars for my customers. I'm fun to work with -- best part? I do the work, you enjoy the results.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Helping people put their great ideas and their uniques histories into print.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Is my story worth writing? Yes! Every story is unique and every story has a dramatic curve. Whether we write it for a large audience or for your family or business associates and prospects, a book is an invaluable resource.

How long does it take. Writing a full length book, 100 pages or more, about you, takes between 3 and 6 months, generally. It's worth the process and we'll have a good time.

How much time must I commit? I do the intensive labor. You'll need to be available for several hours of interviews, in person or by phone over the 3 to 6 month period.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. I wrote a memoir for a 94 year-old woman who came here from Italy in 1923 as a seven year-old. She was so pleased with her professionally finished volume that she cried. Her family maintains that the voice of the book sounds exactly like her.We became great friends.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Writing is a craft, a skill, and a business. Nothing can make a better impression on your customers, constituents, or audience than outstanding writing and a polished finished project to present you in your best light. I've done that for my customers for 20 years. Have never had a dissatisfied customer.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I've been a paid, professional writer since I was 16 years old and worked for the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights, IL. It's a natural to me and I extended my writing skills by becoming educated in photography and photo editing. Some time ago, I decided I had enough bylines and credits to satisfy myself as a writer. Now, I want to help other people get their stories and ideas into print. It's a joy to me!

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I ghosted the life story of a family that came from Italy 85 years ago. They arrived poor, unable to speak English, and homeless. Through adversity and successes, they built a well-known restaurant chain in the Midwest while nurturing relationships within their large, loving family. Together, over six months, we put their story into a beautiful book, along with restored photos dating as far back as 1850. At project end, I was elated and saddened. I loved working with them and will miss that, but the book is incredible. They love it, too.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I am web master to OnText.com, a large resource site for writers. I manage the Chicago Freelance Writers Examiner site. Those require me to keep abreast of all that's going on in writing and publishing. I teach creative writing at a community college. I take courses continuously through the Poynter Institute, the largest educational venue for writers and journalists.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. Ghostwriting is growing as more qualified writers opt to work with burgeoning and beginning writers. 80% of Americans feel they have a book inside them, but writing can challenge the most tenacious of pioneers! The move from print to electronic publishing is opening the way for many more authors to be published or self-published at a reasonable cost. You should be among those authors.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. Not complicated at all. We'll look at your materials, images, story, and goals. From there, I'll create an estimate of time and cost, based on number of works, travel, time, and expenses (if any). Generally, my fee falls between $.50 and $1.00 per word. We spread payments overt the timeline of the project.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Study writing and publishing. Train for ghost certification. Develop a portfolio and pay your dues to the professional before you try to hang a shingle and sell yourself as a pro. Work hard first, as in any professional, and then develop your specialty. Use an established, knowledgeable coach.