Ghostwriting books for busy people with brilliant stories to tell.
Picture yourself holding your book in your hands…
A book that captures and celebrates your life story, company story or big idea… a book that could change your life… or maybe, just maybe, change the world.
Some of the books I’ve written:
The process
Working with a ghostwriter
Writing your book doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to take up too much of your time and energy. Working with a ghostwriter makes writing a book in a few months a realistic goal for most people. If you can block out a couple of hours a week for our conversation and a couple of hours to read and review the chapters I send after our weekly catchup, you’ll be surprised at how quickly it all comes together.
My job is to make it easy for you to get your stories out of your head and onto the page. I do most of the work. You get all the kudos and the credit.
Here’s my simple 5-step process to turn your dream of writing your book into a reality:
Introductory meeting
Your chance to talk about your book, why you want to write it and who it’s for. I want to know your goals for your book and I’ll tell you straight up if I can help you achieve them or not.
Outline and project plan
Based on our first meeting I’ll send you a high-level overview of your book and a contract detailing the scope, timeframe, budget and deliverables.
Legacy interviews
We meet for a number of interviews (usually 1-2 hours each) where I listen to your stories and ask detailed questions to bring them to life. How many interviews depends on your book but for a life story you should allow for 15-20 hours.
Review and edit
I’ll send you sample chapters to review for style, tone and accuracy. I’ll make edits and changes as we go before sending you the final manuscript ready to be sent to a publisher.
Publication
I can advise and support 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 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.
Most autobiographies and memoirs sold in bookstores are around 80,000 words. 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.
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
It’s your story and your truth.
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 gory details. When you work with a ghostwriter, you’re in charge of what stories you tell.
How much does it cost to write a book with a ghostwriter?
Each book is different so I don’t have a set price list. My rates are based on how complex your story is, the type of book you want, and the scope of the project. My rates* start from $25,000 up to $100,000+.
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 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.
*This 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.
If you’re on the fence about working with a ghostwriter, then can I suggest a ‘test drive’?
My mission 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’re a good fit for each other.
It will give you a much clearer idea of the process involved in working with a ghostwriter and the value I can add to your stories 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.
As part of the ‘test drive’ we’ll do 2 x 2-hour conversations where we’ll chat about some of the highs and lows in your life. You might pick a period from your childhood or teenage years that had a big influence on your values and career choices. Or you might talk about your first business venture and why you decided to go out on your own. It’s up to you.
Based on our conversation I’ll write a couple of sample chapters for you (approximately 5,000 words) and outline a high-level overview of your book. I’ll also send you a detailed proposal to write your book with the timeframe, costs and deliverables.