What is Ghostwriting?

and a note about dog moms

What is Ghostwriting?

Someone with a great idea or a powerful story (that’s you) partners with a talented writer (that’s me) to produce an excellent book. You bring the idea, the voice, and the message. I bring skills and knowledge about writing and publishing to best serve your vision.

In other words, we both get to do work we are passionate about!

You tell your story while continuing to live your story.

I help you tell that story in a way that will change lives through business development, fostering a legacy, or contributing to a community.

You have a story to tell.

An idea to spread.

A lesson to teach.

But you

don’t have time to write it down,

hate writing,

are terrified of the white page,

want community,

feel stuck,

are overwhelmed by the process,

wonder if your idea is any good.

That’s where I, your friendly ghost step in. As a ghostwriter, my job is to get your story onto the page in your voice, capturing your vision, and magnifying your message. Together, we produce a book you will be proud to put your name on.

And yes, it is your name on the cover. If you are my client, you are the author.

I have been working as a ghostwriter now for just over a year. I wrote two full books last year and am seventy-five percent of the way through a third book. I have worked on editing, revisions, and developmental edits for three other books. Some will be published with traditional publishers, some will be self-published, and some are for the author alone.

Some acknowledge my participation in the project, others might not.

Yes, I love writing under my own name and am proud of the work I produce. But I also love helping other people tell their stories well and clarify their ideas through writing so they can be more broadly disseminated. I’m proud of that work, too. I’m always happy when beautiful stories and good books launch into the world, whatever part I get to play in that process.

Ghostwriting feels like a gift I can offer someone and it feels like a chance to play, writing in a wide variety of voices and perspectives.

If you had a ghost to help you accomplish a dream, what would your ghost do?

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A Note about Dog Moms

I have never been a fan of the dog-baby comparison.

But when you have a dog, what do you say about her? How do you talk to her? Am I a dog-mom? Dog owner? Do I say to her, “Come to your owner!” when I call her?

It is the same way I feel about authors calling their books “my book baby.” It isn’t a baby. You didn’t push it out or have it cut out (done both, with humans not books). The book won’t barf in your bed. The book won’t go to college and cost you all your arms and legs. The book won’t eat your socks.

The dog might barf in your bed. But she likely won’t go to college.

My point is - I guess I’m a dog mom now.

And I’m not very good at it,.

I am a pretty okay human mom. Ask my kids for verification or dispute.

I’m not a great dog mom. I’m not as patient, not as snuggly, not as playful.

Granted, I’m working now and starting school and when the kids were born all I had to do was figure out how to survive and thrive in the Horn of Africa and learn two languages and teach English a couple of times a week.

She’s cute, y’all. That’s her saving grace.

But does that make me a dog mom?¹

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Do you have a story to tell and want help writing it down? Find out more on my website.

1. The book is Subversive Witness: Scriptures’s Call to Leverage Privilege by Dominique DuBois Gilliard.