If you can write, don’t hire a ghostwriter. Hire an editor.

If you can write, don’t hire a ghostwriter. Hire an editor.

Since I published my book, people are coming out of the woodwork asking me to ghostwrite for them. Ghostwriters are expensive and are often unavailable. So you should think carefully if you really need one, or if you need a developmental editor. Here’s a table of tasks that developmental editors and ghostwriters for nonfiction books…

The two crucial questions every ghostwriter must ask

The two crucial questions every ghostwriter must ask

Ghostwriting is full of potential pitfalls. Asking two questions can help you avoid them and get your pricing and process right. What you will read in this post is based on my own experience ghostwriting two nonfiction books and many proposals, and from war stories from other ghostwriters. The two questions you must answer before…

“Will you be my coauthor?” and other questions about collaborating on books

“Will you be my coauthor?” and other questions about collaborating on books

A friend and fellow author recently asked me to be his coauthor on a topic close to his heart. I said no. Quickly. It has nothing to do with him. It has to do with the nature of coauthoring. What a coauthor is, and why I won’t be yours I’ve coauthored three books. Here’s the…

About your book idea: do you need an editor, a ghostwriter, or therapy?

About your book idea: do you need an editor, a ghostwriter, or therapy?

Last night, I was talking to an established author who is helping out a couple friends who want to write a book. “They have a great story but they aren’t sure if they need an editor or a ghostwriter,” he said. That’s a pretty good question. If you’re an emerging thought leader and think you…