Blog - News and Updates from the World of Ghostwriting and Self-publishing

Has something big happened to you? By this, we mean truly BIG: the sort of story that, if you told it at a party, would have everyone’s mouth hanging open in shock, would have people saying, “You have to write a book about this! You just have to!”

If such a story is part of your personal experience, perhaps you’ve considered writing an exposé. Also known as a tell-all, an exposé is “is a movie or piece of writing that reveals the truth about a situation or person, especially something involving shocking facts” (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/expose).

Before you begin your exposé, here are a few things to consider:

• Personal satisfaction. It can be therapeutic to get a harrowing experience onto the printed page. Nothing can completely take away trauma, but seeing the story in written form can help with the healing process.
• Key players. Does the story involve anyone famous? If so, are you portraying that person positively or negatively? A story associated with a celebrity undoubtedly has the potential to attract many readers, but it’s important to consider the risk involved in exposing a celebrity, especially if they will be portrayed in a negative light.
• Audience. Again, this is easier if the story involves someone famous. Nonetheless, exposés about particular circumstances or locations—a story set at a Fortune 500 company, for example, or one about something that happened at an Ivy League university—can also be big sellers, even if the key players are not household names.
• Possible litigation. Whether your story involves celebrities or everyday folk, someone is bound to recognize the circumstances of the story—and possibly themselves in it. This is often true even if you use pseudonyms rather than real names. Depending on how the person(s) is portrayed, you’re opening yourself up to a potential lawsuit. For this reason, it’s highly recommended that you seek legal counsel before publishing an exposé.
• Levels of support. Hopefully, your friends and family will be supportive of the project. You might find support in surprising relationships. One tell-all author reported that an octogenarian relative became her biggest supporter!

In addition to the above, it’s important to recognize that your story, while interesting party conversation, might take on an entirely different (and often more challenging) quality when you have to relive every detail as you write the book. You might find the writing process extremely taxing. It can be difficult to power through.

In this situation, a professional ghostwriter can help. The ghostwriter will interview you, going over details and letting you take as much time as you need to discuss what happened. The ghostwriter will then organize what you said into a compelling, evocative narrative that unveils the story in a way that can be understood and appreciated by your audience.

Is it time to tell this story? If you’d like help, please contact us. We want to hear what you have to say, and we’re here to help you reveal your big story to your chosen audience.

Chances are you’re aware of AI (artificial intelligence) and its rapidly expanding usage. Everything from college essays to song lyrics to architectural renderings can—and are—being created by AI. Given that, it’s no surprise that many people are exploring the idea of writing a book using AI.

The temptation is understandable. ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, costs no money to use. Microsoft and Google are also developing AI tools that presumably will be free. To use an AI tool, all you need to do is enter a few prompts, and the tool generates content. Given enough prompts, an entire book could be written this way. AI is highly intelligent, and if appropriate prompts are given, chances are the resulting content will be coherent, readable, and engaging.

For would-be ghostwriting clients, this probably sounds too good to be true. After all, content generated via AI—unlike ghostwritten content—is fast and free. Who wouldn’t choose such a path over the traditional ghostwriting process?

If you’re pondering it, here are a few points to consider:

• Can AI create the nuances that a successful book requires? Last month on the blog [The Author-Ghostwriter Relationship], we talked about the relationship between Prince Harry and his ghostwriter, J.R. Moehringer, as they worked together on the prince’s memoir, Spare. In writing this book, Moehringer did not take Prince Harry’s words verbatim and use them to generate pages in a book. Rather, Moehringer’s years of writing experience helped him shape a compelling and discerning story. Key moments are highlighted. Details are powerful and pitch-perfect. Scenes end where an experienced writer knows they should. Much of this happened because of the very human relationship that developed between Moehringer and Prince Harry as they worked together on the book.
• Where does the material come from? ChatGPT generates content based on material it finds online. But there is no sourcing—which means the content that ChatGPT creates could come from anywhere, and there is no way to cite it. Your AI-generated book could very well be full of plagiarized content. If that occurs, after your book is out in the world, there’s a possibility you’ll find yourself the defendant in a copyright infringement lawsuit.
• Will publishers and book retailers accept the book? Whether you decide to self-publish the book or seek an agent and a traditional publisher, the opinions of those in the book industry about AI-generated books will likely be in flux for a long time to come. What isn’t acceptable today could eventually become acceptable. Conversely, as more is learned about this tool, what is now accepted might in the future be rejected. Because so much is still unknown, an AI-generated book runs the risk of having a very short shelf life.

These questions and others will continue to arise as more AI tools are developed and more people use them. The short answer to whether AI can write your book is this: Yes, it can. But the more important question is: Do you want it to?

If you’re unsure, please get in touch. We’d love to discuss your book idea, the possibilities for getting the book written, and how our team of seasoned ghostwriters can help you tell the unique story that only you can tell.

Recently, J.R. Moehringer wrote an article for The New Yorker about his experience ghostwriting Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare. The piece explains Moehringer’s professional history (he also ghostwrote memoirs for Andre Agassi and for Phil Knight, the founder of Nike), as well as his relationship with Prince Harry.

The article begins by relating a disagreement between the author and the ghostwriter. Moehringer is trying to dissuade Prince Harry from including a line that Moehringer feels is unnecessary. Moehringer wants to craft a scene that closes out impactfully, leaving the reader stunned at what occurred. But Prince Harry wants to include the words he spoke that actually ended the scene—words the prince was proud of himself for saying.

The two go back and forth, and eventually Moehringer understands why the words are important to Prince Harry. But just as significantly, Prince Harry understands why the words aren’t an impactful way to end the scene. Moehringer helps his author understand that memoir isn’t only about its subject (a significant event or events in the author’s life)—it’s also, and perhaps more importantly, about creating a story that engages a reading audience.

This type of situation might give many potential ghostwriting clients pause. If you hire a ghostwriter to help you tell your story, is the ghostwriter going to try to convince you that the story should be told their way? In the end, will you feel like your book is more about your ghostwriter than about you or your subject?

It’s a legitimate concern. However, we can view this scenario differently. What happened is that Moehringer, as a professional, gave Prince Harry his professional opinion. Prince Harry had an amazing story to tell, and Moehringer’s job was to help him tell it. But the ghostwriter’s job was also to ensure that the story was told in a way that the author would not have been able to tell it, had he chosen to write his book on his own.

This is the power of ghostwriting. You have an amazing story, but you know it’s not within your skillset to tell that story in the most impactful way. As an author (if you have a book ghostwritten for you, you are an author), you want readers to continue thinking about your book long after the final page is turned. You want them to rave about it to their friends and in online reviews. Word of mouth sells more books than any paid promotion ever can—which means the more readers who love your book, the more you will engage additional readers.

A talented ghostwriter will help you do exactly that. The ghostwriter will, first and foremost, listen to you. Just as Moehringer listened carefully to Prince Harry’s reasons for including the prince’s desired final line, a seasoned ghostwriter will listen to everything you have to say about your story. The ghostwriter will take detailed notes, ask questions, and thoroughly review every conversation you have. Then, as the ghostwriter crafts your story, they’ll work with you to ensure that the story is told in your voice and that key details are included. Just as importantly, the ghostwriter will make sure your story is written powerfully—in a way that only an experienced storyteller can write it.

Thinking about working with a ghostwriter is a brave step to take. If you’re considering it, please get in touch. We’d love to get to know you and pair you with one of our knowledgeable ghostwriters, who will help you tell your unique story and maximize your audience. We look forward to joining you on this journey!

Did you grow up listening to your parents’ and grandparents’ stories? Many of us did. We’ve been regaled with tales of the “good old days,” which are generally remembered with nostalgia and often focus on happy over not-so-happy events. This might lead us to wonder if life really was as great back then as our elders would have us believe.

If you’re curious about whether a propensity for remembering positive circumstances is common, you might find it interesting to note that research data validates this tendency. An article from the American Psychological Association discusses, “the ‘socioemotional selectivity’ theory that, as people get older and become more aware of more limited time left in life, they direct their attention to more positive thoughts, activities and memories.”

That being said, most of us know that our family members’ pasts also include struggles and painful memories. Stories of this type are often expressed as teachable moments—but they have the added value of giving our relatives’ history dimension and authenticity.

Have you recorded a family member’s stories? Many people either write down an elder’s stories or record their family member relaying stories orally. We often do this with the idea that “this would make a great book.”

If you’ve had this thought, you’re right. It would make a great book.

This is not to suggest that your family member’s story will become an overnight bestseller. In fact, if the story was made into a book, you and/or your relative might choose not to sell the book at all. Some families simply want the story put into book-length form, with the ability to print copies to share within the family and among friends. Others, in contrast, plan to publish the book, sell it online, and possibly look into avenues for selling additional print and/or electronic copies.

Whichever path you choose, a book based on your elder’s life story makes an incredible gift for the elder. And while most of us are currently enjoying warmer weather and springtime flowers, the timing is perfect to get started on a book-length project. With at least 4 to 6 months required to write and produce most books, a book that’s begun soon can likely be completed before the holiday season.

There are several possibilities for writing the book. These include the elder writing it, you or another family member writing it, using a storytelling app to automatically generate a book, or using a ghostwriter.

If no one in the family is able to write the book, you may have considered a storytelling app. These are common online and have become popular in recent years.

However, using a ghostwriter provides distinct advantages over a storytelling app. Unlike an app, which only collects recorded stories and binds them “as-is” into a book, ghostwriting provides a customized, professional experience. A seasoned ghostwriter will conduct interviews, organize your relative’s stories in a cohesive, logical sequence, and edit the material appropriately.

If you’re looking for something beyond “getting stories down on a page,” ghostwriting is an excellent option. Interested in learning more? Please contact us. We’d love to discuss transforming your relative’s stories into a professionally written, compelling book to be enjoyed for generations to come.

“COMING SOON.”
These words follow the book title on the website of a current Mark Graham Communications client. The client’s website also includes inspirational photos, a book trailer, author information, and an inquiry form.

So what doesn’t exist? The book.
Not yet, anyway. But that hasn’t stopped our client from generating excitement about his upcoming release.

What he’s doing is establishing his author brand. What is a brand? In traditional marketing terms, “branding” refers to the visual aspects of a company or product: its logo and symbols, its packaging, and its general graphical aesthetic. These elements are still considered part of branding, but with the ever-evolving online world enabling companies and individuals to reach wider audiences, the definition of branding has likewise expanded.

According to Brandingmag.com, branding is “…the perpetual process of identifying, creating, and managing the cumulative assets and actions that shape the perception of a brand in stakeholders’ minds.” For authors and aspiring authors (whether they’re planning to write their own book or have it ghostwritten), this means establishing the reasons why readers should turn to this book specifically.

Amazon carries over thirty-three million book titles. Brick-and-mortar bookstores have access to nearly as many. (Some books are published only online and are unavailable in physical stores.) For a book to stand out, potential readers must have a clear idea why they should invest their time and money in it. There’s no better way to achieve that than to ensure your author brand is well-defined, succinct, and consistent.

What are the elements of a great author brand?

• Brevity. Some authors bog down their brands with too many details. Such authors want their book to be everything to everyone—but this overwhelms readers and is likely to cause them to seek other resources and/or forms of entertainment. To avoid this, begin by defining the key points you want your audience to know. What, exactly, are you offering? What value will your book bring to readers’ lives? Instead of starting with the idea that “Everyone will want to read it!” begin by assuming that only those to whom you provide great value will read your book. (Harsh, we know—but true. Rather than deterring you, let that inspire you!)
• Your (or your company’s) experience and personality. What makes you stand out from the crowd? What wisdom does your book contain that readers won’t find elsewhere? What aspects of your personal story, your book’s story, or your business make you an expert and/or someone who holds a unique view about the book’s topic?
• Professional, consistent messaging. Regardless of whether your book is personal or business-related, everywhere you display or discuss your brand, the message should be the same. Reiterate your message each time you talk about your book, your company, and/or yourself. Use a consistent graphical style, streamlined visuals, and other elements such as music and sound, as appropriate to your brand.

What if you have a great idea for a book, but you haven’t yet written the book? Like our client, you can begin defining your brand at any time. And, like our client, you may find that having the book ghostwritten is optimal for getting your book into the world in a timely manner. If you’d like to learn more, please get in touch. We’d love to get to know you, your idea, and your brand—and we’d love to help you get your book into as many hands as possible.