Ghostwriting for Business Leaders

Who do I work with?

I’ve been working with word and telling other people’s stories for over 20 years.

I’m from Ireland originally but I’ve lived in New Zealand for 20 years and I’ve worked with people in NZ, Australia, Dubai, Germany, Ireland and the US.

I ghostwrite life stories, memoirs, company stories and business books for founders, owners, entrepreneurs, CEOs, business leaders and aspiring leaders. Some of the clients I’ve worked with on book projects include:

How long does it take to write a book with a ghostwriter?

That depends on the kind of book you want to write and who you’re writing it for.

If you want to publish a book with a mainstream publisher and sell it in bookstores and on Amazon, you should allow for 4-6 months.

Most autobiographies and memoirs sold in bookstores are around 80,000 words. I also write shorter life stories of 20,000 to 40,000 words that can be done in a couple of months.

Things to consider include:

— How much research is needed;
— How many people need to be interviewed;
— The scope of the book.

Here are two examples:

Recently, I wrote my Dad’s life story in six weeks. His book is 20,000 words and includes stories from my Mum and my siblings about our father.

I also worked with an 85-year-old Croatian emigrant to help him tell his story. His book took two months from start to finish and is 33,000 words.

Neither my Dad nor the Croatian wanted to see their face on a book in a bookshop.

Most people don’t but there’s something very powerful about taking time out to reflect on your achievements.

You have a lifetime of memories* yet it might only take a couple of months working with a ghostwriter to document and preserve them.

*That doesn’t mean you have to share all of the skeletons in your closet. When you work with a ghostwriter, you’re in charge of what stories you tell.

It’s your story and your truth.

How much does it cost to write a book with a ghostwriter?

It depends on a lot of different factors including the type of book you want, how much research is involved, how many people I need to interview to get the material we need to write your book, and the final word count.

Each book is different so I don’t have a set price list. My fee to write your book is based on a per word project rate*, invoiced monthly. The books and life stories I’ve written range from 20,000 to 80,000 words.

If you want to find out more and get a ballpark timeframe and cost for your book, then get in touch for a chat. This is a no-strings-attached, obligation free opportunity for you to tell me about your hopes and dreams for your book. I’ll answer any questions you have about the ghostwriting process and tell you straight up if I think I’m the right man for the job.

*My per word rate is for a finished manuscript and doesn’t include publishing costs. I can however help you with a book proposal for a major publisher, introduce you to independent publishers, or advise on self-publishing a small, custom print run for family and friends.

How do I know if you’re the best writer to tell my story?

You don’t.
So if you’re on the fence about working with a ghostwriter, then can I suggest a ‘test drive’?

As a ghostwriter, my goal is to work with interesting people with interesting stories to tell. A ‘test drive’ is an opportunity for both of us to figure out if we are a good fit for each other.

We chat about your book for a couple of hours. We’ll work on a high-level overview of the stories/chapters to include in your book and based on our conversation I’ll write one sample chapter for you (approximately 3,000 words).

I’ll also send you a rough chapter-by-chapter overview of your book, and a full written proposal with the timeframe, costs and deliverables.

A ‘test drive’ will give you a much clearer idea of the process involved in working with a ghostwriter and the value I can add to your words and ideas.

It will also give us both a good idea of the scope of the project so I can tell you how long it is likely to take and how much it will cost.