You talk, I write

How I can help you as a ghostwriter

There are a lot of brilliant people with a lot of good ideas that never see the light of day. Why? They don’t have the time and energy to write them down, and writing doesn’t come easily or quickly to most people. Even for those who write well and enjoy writing, other priorities tend to get in the way of actually sitting down and getting an article done. That’s where I come in.

I have been ghostwriting since 2016. I have worked with many clients in fields ranging from substance use disorder to technology’s role in society to nutrition to surgery. One of my favorite aspects of ghostwriting is learning new things from my clients as I help them tell their stories.

My basic method goes like this: you tell me what you want to write about and the audience for whom you’re writing, and we make a general outline. This is true whether it’s a blog post for your professional website, a journal article or a book. Then comes the fun part: you talk, I write.

I learned to type on a manual typewriter in the third grade, and I can type verbatim. As you let your thoughts flow freely, I write them all down. Don’t worry about making it make sense or flow: that’s my job. Just talk. Tell me what you want your readers to know. I’ll ask you some clarifying questions to make sure that your readers get any missing information. Then you get to go on with your day, and I get to work.

I turn your thoughts into coherent, cohesive paragraphs that flow in an order that will work for your intended audience. If questions come up, I’ll circle back to you and you answer at your convenience. We can communicate however you want: email, text, zoom, raven, carrier pigeon, you name it. I create a draft and send it to you.

You read the draft and make any changes you want. Remember, this is entirely your product. Your name goes on it, and it should say exactly what you want it to say. If you decide we left some things out, we can have another chat where we fill in the blanks.

Once we have a completed draft, I’ll proofread it a few more times and then it’s yours. You publish it under your name, you pay me a reasonable fee.

My clients are completely confidential. Lots of people feel uncomfortable about using a ghostwriter because they don’t want people to think they didn’t do the work. You did do the work: it’s all your ideas. You just don’t need to spend your valuable time doing the messy process of cleaning up the ideas and creating a polished product. You should be out there doing what you do: seeing clients, arguing in court, taking care of patients, saving the world, whatever. You do you. I make you sound as good as you are.

“But I’m so disorganized!” you may be thinking. You’re my favorite kind of client! I love to help people organize their thoughts. Think of it as hiring someone to organize your closet: you picked and bought all the clothes and shoes, you just need someone to put them in order. I am an expert at kindly guiding the organizing process so you don’t feel pressure but we get things done.

Many of my clients want to spruce up their own professional websites with a regular blog entry. Some are working on a book. Others are publishing in a journal in their field. I can do both popular and academic writing. I am published both in popular venues and medical journals under my own name. I’m happy to write under yours, and can write in APA or AMA style.

Most of all, we have a lot of fun. Writing doesn’t have to be a stressful, painful process where you sit and stare at the blank screen. When we work together it’s like you’re explaining your ideas to someone smart who wants to know what you have to say. It’s more like a coffee date with a colleague.

I also work with an incredible graphic designer who will make your work look as good as it sounds. They have an amazing sense of how to turn content into the right color and shapes, and a wide background in design for all kinds of organizations.

My rates are reasonable and negotiable. I usually charge by the product, not the hour. If you’re interested, let’s talk.

Your friendly ghost(writer),

April