Why hire a book ghostwriter?
Perhaps you have material for a book, but have no interest in sitting down and writing it. Perhaps you're aware that your talent doesn't lie in writing, and you'd prefer to hand over to an expert ghostwriter who can take your fabulous idea and shape it into a great book.
A lack of ability, time or interest in writing needn't stop you becoming a published author. Many people hire a ghostwriter to write a book either with or for them. Just take a look at the latest celebrity autobiographies in your local bookshop – do you really think the 'author' had the time or talent to write the book that bears their name? Of course not: a publisher hired a ghostwriter like me to interview the celebrity and then write the book for them. And you'd be astonished just how many books are formed this way, with a professional ghostwriter shaping someone else's material into a book. There's really no shame in it at all – it's commonplace.
How I write
Here are the elements of writing style I apply to the books I ghostwrite:
Carefully structured: Structure is everything, I believe. A reader wants a logical structure that tells them where they are, where they've been and where they're going.
Clear: I believe readers should be able to easily determine meaning and direction of the text.
Consistent: Nothing bugs me more than inconsistencies in a book's structure, content and style.
Engaging: Writing with the reader in mind is paramount.
Inclusive: I don't write material that's offensive to others, such as racist, sexist or ageist content.
Informed: I like to keep my writing grounded and real.
My experience
The confidential nature of ghostwriting means I can't publicise my role as a ghostwriter for published books. Suffice to say that creating books is a key element of my livelihood, and if you take a wander around your local bookshop you'll come across books I've ghostwritten, though they never bear my name.
If you'd like an idea of the kind of publishers and authors I work with, take a look at the About page on my main website.
I'm experienced in writing across a range of genres: mind, body and spirit; psychology; health; business; education; family; autobiography/biography; popular culture. This isn't an exhaustive list, and I'm always happy to consider ghostwriting non-fiction books on other subject matters. The process for ghostwriting a book is the same whatever the content.
A little about me
Words aren't just my livelihood – they're my passion. From an early age I've had a pen in one hand, a book in the other, and a love for all things wordy. So life as a professional book writer, book editor and book proofreader is perfect for me.
As far back as I can remember, I've been obsessed with words. At three I was teaching teddies how to spell their names; at five taking great delight in correcting my own laboured writing with a red felt-tip; at seven keeping the first of many diaries, including such gems as, Went to the zoo toady. It poored and poored.
I had the usual childhood ambitions – nurse, fireman, lollipop lady – but the dream of being a writer and working on books was less transient. It stuck with me through school, my degree and into my career, which I built in editorial positions at a PR agency, a major publisher and two national charities. Six years ago I took the plunge and went freelance, and I haven't looked back since.
Today, I spend my days happily ensconced in my office, amid piles of books, paper and coffee cups – my idea of heaven. I live in Nottingham with my husband, my two-year-old son and a geriatric goldfish. In my spare time I write, bake inedible cakes, hunt dinosaurs at the park, build Lego castles and embark on disastrous DIY projects. I recently achieved a lifetime ambition of creating a library in my home to house my ever-increasing collection of books. I pretend not to notice that the shelves are rather wonky.
