Tag: Other Ghosted Content

You want to release a book for your company’s 50th anniversary and you have no idea where to start.

You’ve got an upcoming tradeshow/conference/industry event coming up, and a book would make an excellent marketing piece.

You’d like to write a book that showcases your organization’s unique knowledge and establishes you as an industry expert.

You want your staff’s bylines to appear in more industry publications, but they don’t want to write anything themselves.

If you’re like most of our clients, you probably identify with one (or all!) of these scenarios. You need a professional, experienced ghostwriter who will step in and learn your business or industry – fast. You need a combination project manager/editor with an eye for quality content and an unwavering commitment to your timeline. That’s where we come in. Our team of writers have decades of experience writing, editing, and consulting on books for a variety of companies and organizations, including nonprofit, oil and gas, medical, finance, and more.

Company and Organization Books

COMPANY AND ORGANIZATION HISTORY

Commemorate an important milestone. Connect with members and clients.

Keep clients and stakeholders informed through engaging, high-quality ghostwritten content.

GHOSTED BLOGS, SPEECHES, AND MORE

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP BOOKS

Establish your organization as an industry leader. Showcase your subject matter experts.

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or
Call 713-465-6860


We’ve spent decades working subject matter experts across a number of industries. Need someone with experience writing for government organizations, or nonprofits? We’ve got it. Finance? We can do that, too. Education? Check. Good, old-fashioned business know-how? You bet.

Our collaborative, results-oriented process can help you position yourself or your company as an authority. We’ll ensure that your subject-driven manuscript:

  • Resonates with readers and contribute to a larger conversation.
  • Is substantive: full of facts, not fluff.
  • Is accessible to your target audience, whether you’re speaking to other industry experts, potential clients, or the general public.
  • Expresses your unique point of view or opinion.
  • Includes original research and sources.

What We Can Do That Others Can’t

  • Rush deadline? No problem. Our team approach can keep your book project moving fast, no matter how complex.
  • Long-term commitment. We’ve been around for over 15 years. If your book is going to take a while, we are here for the long haul.
  • Communicating. Really, really well. Yes, it sounds cliché, but we are very good at understanding what you want and making it happen.
  • Original interviews and research. Need supporting facts, figures, and expert opinions? We are up to the challenge, from interviewing NASA surgeons to unearthing hard-to-find facts on microfiche, visiting no-public-access fracking sites to collecting supporting scientific journal articles.
  • Complicated projects. We use award-winning project management software that makes it easy to keep track of projects with multiple moving parts.

Full-Service Ghostwriting

Because we have multiple writers with thought leadership experience, we can handle large, complex assignments and meet even the most challenging deadlines. You can depend on us every step, from brainstorming through final review:

  • Concept development. We’ll collaborate with you to develop the right topic, approach and tone for your audience.
  • Interviews. Our writers easily develop rapport with your thought leaders and know how to ask the right questions to get the best responses.
  • Research. What can we say? We’re intellectually curious. We love digging a little bit deeper.
  • Project management. No hand-holding needed here. We can manage the entire process, from interviewing SMEs to suggesting appropriate images to make your case visually.
  • Editing and review. Edits and rewrites to improve clarity, flow, and organization. Includes technical reviews by your team to assure accuracy.
  • Proofreading. Always completed by a previously uninvolved proofreading resource for squeaky-clean final copy.
  • Publishing. We can help make sure your final manuscript is printed and distributed.

Request A Quote
or
Call 713-465-6860


The Ghostwriter’s Guide To Working With SMEs

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Imagine walking into a small conference room where a dozen engineers, all experts in technology design for the heavy equipment business, are seated at two rows of tables, looking like the world’s most disgruntled jury. Their company is launching a thought leadership program and these women and men are tasked with coming up with the copy—something that’s likely way outside their comfort zone.

They are the subject matter experts, the SMEs. And while it’s true they know their subjects better than anyone else and have plenty of expertise, probably very little of it is in preparing marketing white papers or webinar scripts. This is a job that sounds difficult, if not dreadful, and will take time away from what they do best.

They just want to Get. Back. To. Work.

Which is why the company has brought in a professional writer, someone who can take the pain out of the assignment and make it a pleasure, instead.

The marketing manager introduces you. Then, to lighten the mood, he says, “You can’t see her, though, (dramatic pause) because she’s a ghostwriter.”

Crickets.

This is going to be a tough crowd.

Talking Tech to a Non-Tech Audience

In truth, working with subject matter experts can be tough, tricky, and trying for ghostwriters—and, ultimately, extremely gratifying. SMEs are busy people with a lot on their minds, facing grueling assignments and often impossible deadlines. Asking them to concentrate on one more thing is asking a lot.

Yet it has to be done. As thought leadership becomes an even more valuable B2B marketing tool, SMEs and ghostwriters will be collaborating more often—and the time better be well-spent.

Writing doesn’t necessarily come naturally to the typical engineer or technical director. It’s not always easy for them to take what they know and put it into words—at least words that the average, less technical buyer might understand. And that’s who many companies are talking to these days, the non-engineering procurement staff who will influence the buying decision.

Which is why the ghostwriter is there in the first place: to slice through the jargon and make the content as accessible as possible.

The Secrets to Starting Strong

Even if they’re the first to admit they’re not great writers—and they think having to create a thought leadership piece is a drag—SMEs are brilliant, highly accomplished individuals who bring at least a little bit of ego to any assignment. They want to succeed. The first step for the ghostwriter, then, is to assure the SME that they are embarking on a collaboration that will expand the SME’s reputation as an industry leader. That’s a pretty difficult offer to resist and it’s likely to increase buy-in on their part.

At the same time, they want to feel as confident in the ghostwriter’s skills as they are in their own. It’s appropriate for ghostwriters to mention their own credentials and portfolio—not for the sake of showing off (that comes when the ghostwriter does an amazing job with the copy) but to prove that they have the chops to understand and explain complex concepts, and aren’t simply word merchants.

Of course, going in no one expects the ghostwriter to have a firm grasp of the SME’s topic. But neglecting to do at least a few hours of homework before hand is a major mistake. Some basic understanding is required to at least kick off an intelligent conversation and prepare some thoughtful preliminary interview questions. (By the way, while the ghostwriter needs to talk the SME’s language, there should be no expectation that the SME understands writing lingo. Writers know “cutlines,” people know “captions.” Captions it is.)

To wrap up the initial “getting to know you” phase, there should be agreement on what the assignment is. That may sound like an unnecessary step, but SMEs accustomed to preparing materials for conferences and professional journals may need help understanding, for example, how a marketing white paper is different from a technical white paper.

Now’s the time to agree on interim and final deadlines, determine what the review and approval process will be like, talk about what success will look like, and find out as how the SME wants to be contacted—email, phone call, or text. That last point comes with the ironclad promise that the ghostwriter won’t bother—er, reach out to—the SME unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Guided by Style

Engineering personality-type jokes aside, no two SMEs are alike and the amount of writing support they want can vary widely—and it doesn’t always match the amount they need. Some SMEs will take a crack at a first draft and let the ghostwriter make only small edits, others will hand over their notes and give the ghostwriter free rein. The company’s marketing team typically acts as arbiter, helping to negotiate the right balance and getting everyone on the same page.

Another area where dust-ups can occur is around writing style. Accustomed to preparing technical pieces, SMEs often have trouble letting go of formal language and seeing their words presented in marketing-speak. And this can go to extremes—after a ghostwriter deleted Mr. and Mrs. before the names of co-authors, the SME put them back then asked whether they should be there or not. It’s useful to know that the SME was not a native English speaker but he was writing for an American audience. (Which brings us to another point: the “brash American” isn’t a myth. Ghostwriters may have to tone down their personalities or amp up the politeness factor when working with a SME from another country.)

In the end, patience, a thorough understanding of the company’s Style Guide, an intimate knowledge of a third-party resource like AP Style, and a good relationship with the marketing team can be the ghostwriter’s most important tools.

Big Risk and Big Rewards

Invariably, ghostwriters have to make some “high-risk” decisions about how content is presented—like when the SME’s copy is so dense or high-level only another SME would have an inkling about it. In cases like this, what works best is for the ghostwriter to make the appropriate edits then explains why. A note in the margin that says, “This is what I’ve done; I hope I haven’t introduced any inaccuracies,” goes a long way toward getting the SME to agree to changes while ensuring technical precision.

Once the thought leadership piece is in print, it’s time for the SME and ghostwriter to look back, assessing what worked, what didn’t, and how things could be improved next time. Because if the ghostwriter has done the job right, there will be a next time, and it might be something the SME even looks forward to.

What Is A Ghostwriter And What Do They Do?

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.
What Is A Ghostwriter And What Do They Do?

To some people, the term “ghostwriter” conjures up images of some kind of covert, undercover secret agent who writes novels under a pen name, never revealing their true identity.

The reality, though, is a whole lot less mysterious.

So, what exactly is a ghostwriter, and what do they do?

Ghostwriters are writers who are hired to write books (or other material) that someone else will be credited for.

In essence, the ghostwriter is the person who listens to your ideas and stories, and then helps you turn those ideas into a book. Once the book has been completed, you are listed as the author, with the ghostwriter’s identity remaining anonymous.

There are times that ghostwriter does receive credit for the part they played in the writing process. However, more frequently ghostwriters remain unknown (as does the fact that a ghostwriter was even used).

Although this may sound odd, it is actually quite a common practice. In fact, there are many celebrities and well-known personalities who regularly hire ghostwriters to help them pen their autobiographies and memoirs.

While ghostwriting is frequently associated with writing books for celebrities and non-celebrities alike, ghostwriters are also used for a variety of other written works, including:

  • Speeches
  • Blogs
  • Social media posts
  • Proposals
  • Newsletters
  • Website content


So, next time you find yourself struggling to put your words to paper, perhaps you should consider hiring a ghostwriter!  

10 Famous People Who Used a Ghostwriter

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

If you have visited a book store or a library lately, you have probably noticed that just about every celebrity and politician out there has come out with some kind of “tell all” about their lives.

But, are these celebrities actually sitting down and writing their own books? Or are they employing ghostwriters to help them get their stories onto paper?

Finding the answer to that question is not as easy as you would think. Celebrities tend to be a proud bunch, and don’t really love the idea of giving credit to someone else. In fact, many celebrities or politicians who use ghostwriters require that the ghostwriter sign a non-disclosure agreement, restricting them from taking any credit for the book (or even admitting that they helped write it!)

And frequently, when a celebrity does admit to having help with their book, the term ghostwriter is replaced with other words such as “co-author,” “co-writer,” or “collaborator,” in an attempt to make it sound like the book was still primarily written by the celebrity.

After digging deep, we have come up with a list of 10 celebrities and politicians who are known to have used a ghostwriter (or, as they may put it, “collaborator”) when writing their books.

1. Gwyneth Paltrow:

While the actress later claimed that she wrote every word of her cookbook, titled “My Father’s Daughter,” it seems that she did initially admit to the New York Times that the book was written with the help of ghostwriter, Julia Turshen.

2. Nicole Ritchie:

The actress/model has released two books; an autobiography titled “The Truth About Diamonds,” and a fictional novel called “Priceless.” While promoting “Priceless,” Ritchie claimed that she had penned the entire thing on her own. This was contradicted, however, by her publisher’s claims that a ghostwriter wrote the majority of the book.

3. Pete Wentz:

The front cover of the musician’s book, “Gray,” which was based on his experience with mental illness, credits James Montgomery as a co-writer in the novel.

4. Pamela Anderson:

The former Baywatch star is frequently credited with the celebrity ghostwriting industry’s rise in popularity. She has written two books: “Star” and Star Struck, both of which she openly admits were “co-written” by Eric Shaw Quinn.

5. Laura Bush:

The former first lady acknowledged that her memoir, “Spoken from the Heart,” was written with the assistance of Lyric Winik. According to Mrs. Bush, the stories within the book were her own; she just had help putting them into words. 

6. Chip and Joanna Gains:

The “Fixer Upper” couple’s book, “The Magnolia Story” gives credit to co-author Mark Dagostino. According to Chip Gaines, though, his new book “Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff,” was written without the help of a ghostwriter. He does, however, credit his wife with helping him remember the little details.

7. Hilary Duff:

The actress/singer has recently taken on writing young adult novels. She did confess to having a ghostwriter help her with her books, though, explaining that she is a horrible at spelling.

8. John F. Kennedy:

President Kennedy’s book,  “Profiles in Courage,” which was written when Kennedy was Senator of  Massachusetts, went on to win a Pulitzer Prize. While Kennedy never admitted to using a ghostwriter, his long-time aide and speechwriter, Ted Sorensen, set the record straight in his own autobiography, stating that he “did a first draft of most chapters” of “Profiles” and “helped choose the words of many of its sentences.”

9. Ashley Judd:

The well-known actress and activist’s highly acclaimed memoir, “All That Is Bitter & Sweet: A Memoir,” was primarily written by Judd. She does give credit to Nicholas D. Kristof for writing the foreword in her book, and to Maryanne Vollers for working as her “collaborator.”

10. Leah Remini:

The actress, who is well known for her split with Scientology (and her A&E docuseries), wrote a memoir about her life, titled “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.” While the stories are based on her life experiences, she credits “co-author,” Rebecca Paley, with helping her write the book.

How to Edit Your Ghostwriter

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

When you hire a ghostwriter, chances are, you won’t like everything they write.  That’s okay.  We may go so far to say, to some degree, it’s even expected. The author-ghostwriter relationship is a collaborative one, and one that works best when you (the author) are honest and clear with the feedback you have for your partner (the ghostwriter).

Now, we know that sounds somewhat self-evident.  However, it can be trickier than you think to edit your ghostwriter, if you aren’t familiar with editing.

When you start to see the first chapters proudly presented by your ghostwriter, you will likely have some or all of these questions:

What types of errors are normal in a first draft?

Should you be concerned about typos? 

What if you sort of like the material, but it doesn’t quite feel like you? 

What if you really don’t like it at all?

To help get started with constructive feedback, we’ve found that it helps our authors to separate their editorial comments into two types: large-scale, “big-picture” edits and smaller, one- or two-word “little-picture” edits.

This helps them, and us, categorize what level of editing or reworking might be necessary, and to determine best next steps.

“Big-Picture” Edits 

What are they?

These edits are just like they sound: “big-picture” edits are more about style and organization and often require discussion and rewriting. Not every draft requires big-picture edits, but such edits are not unusual, either – especially at the beginning of a book project.

Examples:

Here are a few examples of “big-picture” questions/edits:

  • Changing primary angle/direction of the copy
  • Scrapping current copy and rewriting from scratch
  • Changing the order of multiple sections
  • Combining, rewriting, or deleting larger sections
  • Changing the style or tone of the piece (i.e. your writing doesn’t sound like me)

What to do:

Stop.  Talk to your ghostwriter, in person or on the phone — email is almost always too vague, and it can be difficult to convey all of your thoughts into in-text comments.

Be clear that you are looking for major revisions (don’t sugar coat it), and give your writer the opportunity to rewrite.

“Little Picture” Edits

What are they?

“Little-Picture” edits are one-or-two word changes that don’t require any discussion or large-scale rewrites.

Examples:

Some typical “little-picture” edits include:

  • Small word choices  (“crimson” instead of “red,” for example)
  • Word preferences (you prefer not use the word “custom” or “affordable”)
  • Facts and figures (“September 29” instead of “September 19”)
  • Spellings of names, places, or companies (“Kathy” instead of “Cathy”, “The Writers for Hire” instead of “Writers for Hire,” etc.)

What to do:

Unless your document is littered in typos and factual errors, there is no need to worry.  Fact checking and proofreading come later on in the process.

We suggest you make “little-picture” changes directly on the Word document yourself. If you’re familiar with the “Track Changes” function in Word, you can use that. If not, just highlight your changes so your writer knows where they are in the document.

Send the document back to your ghostwriter for reference, but don’t ask for a cleaned up version yet.  Let them continue writing – your book will move along faster if you don’t try to perfect each chapter as you write it.

Good Ghostwriters Want Your Feedback – Really!

We mean it. The more specific, detailed comments you can give us, the better! As your ghostwriters, we depend on your feedback to ensure that your book actually sounds like “you.” You won’t hurt our feelings or offend us if you’d like to make a change.  

What happens if you’ve tried giving feedback, it’s just doesn’t seem to be working?  If you hired a reputable firm after close due diligence, chances are you’ll be able to work it out.  If not, check out our post on When to Leave Your Writer.

When to Leave Your Ghostwriter . . . and What To Do Next

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Choosing the wrong ghostwriter can be a really miserable experience.  Like most new relationships, you both entered into the project with the best intentions – hopes high for a happily ever after. The prize of the perfect manuscript seemed just months away, easily attainable with just a little elbow grease and a few hours of entertaining interviews.

Now that the project is under way, though, you’re concerned. Perhaps you’ve received your first draft of your first chapter, and you see things you don’t like. Maybe you’re sensing that your writer doesn’t respond well to edits or might be a little careless about deadlines.

By now you’ve invested time and money in the project. You’ve spent hours with this writer. You even kind of like them, and you don’t want to hurt their feelings.

At the same time, though, you can’t simply stay quiet and hope for the best. 

Is this simply a bump in the road to a productive working relationship? Or should you cut ties now?  

Many of our clients come to us after a poor experience with a previous ghostwriter — and nearly all of them had stories about early red flags; they’d all spent anxious hours wondering if they should stick with their writer or move on to someone new. In fact, we’ve heard stories like this so often that we thought a few tips on how to deal with bad ghostwriters might be worthwhile.

Choosing the Right Ghostwriter

Of course, the best way to avoid a bad ghostwriting relationship is through proper due diligence before you start.  As with any industry, it’s hard to know how to conduct proper due diligence, when you aren’t 100% sure what to ask.

Our best advice surprises many:  Writing samples are likely not the most important piece of information to ask for.

That’s right.  Examples of a ghostwriter’s past work are often less informative than you might expect. Now, we aren’t saying not to look at samples, but it is important to understand the drawbacks of relying on samples as an evaluation method:

  • Any samples you review are a reflection of what the prior author has asked for, so the manuscripts may not reflect was you would ask for.
  • Samples provided could be heavily edited, by the prior author or the publisher, so you don’t know what the first draft actually looked like. 
  • Talented writers aren’t always talented ghostwriters. And yes, there is a difference: Your writer may dazzle you with an impressive portfolio of say, long-form magazine articles or books written under their own name — but they may not have the flexibility and collaborative attitude necessary to write for someone else.

Ask for Variety!

While samples aren’t the most important thing to look at, they can provide you with a snapshot of your writer’s flexibility. Ask them to send you several samples that showcase different writing styles and cover a variety of different topics. The more variety in the samples, the more likely it is that your writer will be able to adapt to your preferences.

So what do you look for in a ghostwriter?

  • References, references, references – ask the references not only how they felt about quality of work, but how their ghostwriter dealt with edits and feedback.
  • Availability. A lot of ghostwriters take on more than they can handle. Specifically ask how many hours they can give you per week.  You want the answer to be at least 10 to 20, if you expect the book to be finished within a year.
  • Expectations. Ask your writer what they expect from you during the relationship.  Some writers expect you to do all the research; some writers want you to proofread; some writers will deal with publishing, others won’t.  There are no right answers here, but you should be ok with their expectations or you are likely to be unhappy with the arrangement.
  • Problem-solving. Ask about common challenges in a ghostwriter-author relationship, and how they deal with these.  If they’ve never had any challenges, then they probably haven’t had enough clients.
  • Personality, not salesmanship.  Remember that ghostwriters are not necessarily natural salespeople, and you aren’t hiring them for their sales skills.  So be careful if you feel like you are going with the firm that just has the best pitch (unless of course you are writing a book on sales, and then that’s probably exactly what you want).

I Think I Chose the Wrong Ghostwriter. Now What?

Let’s say you did your due diligence, and you felt confident about your choice of ghostwriter. But you still find yourself staring at your first draft with some level of anguish.

What now?

First, make sure you really can’t salvage the relationship.  Remember, you chose your ghostwriter for a reason.  You believed they could do this job – so if they’ve produced something that makes you doubt that, give them a chance to course correct.  And make sure you are providing clear edits and feedback. The problem may be that they simply don’t understand what you’re asking for, not that they can’t provide it.

Before you hit the “Fired!” button, it’s helpful to know how bad things really — and if it’s possible (or even worth it) to try and fix them.

Here are a few guidelines to help you figure out which issues are fixable, and which are showstoppers.

Minor typos and factual errors

Level of concern:  Usually low

Reason:  Proofreading and fact checking is typically a last step in the book-writing process; a few small errors in a first draft is likely not a sign of a serious problem.

Exception:  If your document has so many typos and factual errors that it’s distracting, feels like the writer is being lazy, or you think they don’t understand basic grammar, you may have cause for concern.

Suggested action:  Nothing, unless the issues are drastic.  If your draft is a real mess, express your concerns to your writer and ask if they can send just a few more pages of the next chapter before you make a final decision. 

Minor organizational issues (small)

Level of concern:  Medium to low

Reason:  Sometimes a writer gets too close to the subject matter, and glosses over a couple of thoughts or transitions that might make things clearer.  The writing just doesn’t quite flow logically, and the ideas feel a bit scattered. If small edits will fix the issues, there is no need to panic.  No one is perfect, and everyone needs an editor.

Suggested action:   Make your edits on your copy, send it back to the writer for reference.  If edits were extensive, walk them through your edits verbally and see if their next chapter shows the same level of issues.

Style mismatch

Level of concern:  Medium

Reason:  If you saw a variety of samples from your writer, chances are they can write in a different style.  They just need clearer feedback and direction.  

Exception:  If the draft is a stylistic mess, you can’t imagine anyone possibly liking it, nothing flows, and you aren’t even sure English is their native language, you likely have a much larger issue.

Suggested action:  Unless the draft is a disaster, explain you don’t like the style and you need a complete rewrite.  Show them an example of what you like. Assuming your writer is versatile and open to criticism, you should see a big improvement on the next round.

Major organizational issues (big)

Level of concern: Medium to high

Reason:  The clear exchange of ideas is the core of good writing; if your writer can’t convey an idea in a logical manner, it’s possible they might not understand the subject, or they might not understand how you are communicating it.

Suggested action:  Get on the phone or meet in person to talk through specifically why the draft doesn’t make sense.  Tell them you expecting a complete revamp.  If they aren’t significantly closer in the next draft, it may be time to bail.

You just don’t like them

Level of concern:  High

Reason:  Maybe they’re passive aggressive about their edits, maybe they don’t do things they say they will, maybe they argue with you about everything.  Maybe – through no fault of their own — you just don’t like working with them.  If your writer doesn’t know how to conduct business professionally, or they are just plain disagreeable, you have a pretty big problem.

Suggested action:  Give it a couple days – maybe their dog died.  If you don’t see a big improvement, get out before you waste any more time.

I Had to Leave My Ghostwriter. What Do I Do?

If you decide that you do have to leave, what can you do to salvage the most work product and transition smoothly to a new writer?

  • Ask for all recordings, transcripts, notes, outlines, anything at all they created during the preparation/planning stages of the project. Recordings of interviews are particularly useful, as they can be transcribed and can save your new writer quite a bit of time.
  • Show any work product to the new writer, even if it’s unusable. It’s helpful to the new writer to understand what not to do (even if it’s obvious).
  • Have a kick-off meeting with your new writer and be sure to thoroughly discuss any outlines, style choices, competitive niche, etc.

Remember, if you have had to hire (and fire) your ghostwriter, you’ve learned a lot.  Your next relationship is likely to be much more positive.

We wish you the best of luck with your new writer, and we humbly remind you that we are never too proud to be your second choice.

Celebrating Ten Years with Kathy – A Woman of Many Hats

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

Ten years ago, Kathy agreed to help her best friend with some paperwork. She had no idea that the bag full of accounting receipts she tackled that day would turn into a full-time job that includes things like project management, accounting, and client interaction on a typical day. On top of all that, Kathy works on a range of projects, from Wikipedia to genealogy to web design. And one of her favorite “duties” is to pep up her co-workers when they have a bad day.

Management. Bookkeeping. Psychotheraphy. Kathy does it all.

To celebrate a decade with Kathy, we sat down with her to chat about some of her favorite memories and projects during her time with The Writers for Hire. She even gave us some juicy details about some of the company’s most unusual projects. Here’s what she said:

How did you get involved with The Writers for Hire?

I’ve known Wintress since I was 22 and we played dorky board games. She started this writing business and needed someone to help her part-time. I went to her house and she gave me a stack of accounting receipts and said, “Fix this.”

I helped her for a bit, then left and worked at the Grand Canyon. She hired me again when I came back. By then, her business had bloomed from just about 20 clients to over 100. I’ve been here ever since.

What is the best part of your job?

I get to work with my best friend every day, so that’s kind of cool. The hours are family-friendly, and I can be home when my kids get off school. Also, I learn new things all the time. No day is ever the same. For example, right now I’m formatting a book for a family history project, plus choosing company software, accounting, and all sorts of stuff.

I really love working with a lot of the clients, especially some of the book clients have had such fascinating lives. 

What’s the most unusual project you’ve done?

So many!  I’ve gotten to meet so many interesting clients, even though I don’t always get to work on the projects directly: a PBS kids show, 19th century journal transcription, the history of a Native American tribe, autobiographies for some really amazing people.  We also did some comic books, which I didn’t work on directly, but I thought were interesting.

When I first started working for The Writers for Hire, Wintress left me with the phone in the office one day. The very first person I talked to was a woman who wanted our help marketing her foaming bath salts so that she could sell them to high-end hotels. She claimed that she had developed this software program that would allow the hotel to pick the right bath salts for the customer. When we asked her how it worked, she said the program “read your aura.” She hired us for the website, but it didn’t really work out.  We have learned since then – you don’t have to take every client.  It has to be a good match.

What is your favorite type of project or work?

I like brainstorming and coming up with grand ideas for helping the company be more efficient.  On the client side, the genealogy and family history projects are really my favorite.  The team gets to dig up some really fascinating stuff – old cemetery records, newspaper articles, even church records from Europe.  I live vicariously through the writers on some of those projects, and get almost as excited as they do when they find a piece of hard-to-find history.

Even though Wikipedia projects are frustrating, sometimes I find a way to get what the client wants and stay within the Wiki regulations, and that’s exciting.

What is the hardest project you’ve worked on?

Anything Wikipedia related is difficult just because it can be so frustrating to explain Wikipedia’s many rules and regulations. People don’t like their rules and sometimes get angry with me, but they aren’t my rules.

You’re often the first point of contact for a potential client. What is the strangest inquiry you’ve gotten for a project we didn’t end up doing?

We get lots of inquiries from people who want us to write rap music and highly personal projects.  Needless to say, we don’t take these types of projects!

Even so, here are a few that stick out:

We had a person contact us because he’d just found out that his wife was cheating on him and he wanted to write a “strongly worded letter” to his wife’s lover to get him to go away so he could get his wife back.

A long time ago, a guy called Wintress and wanted help putting together a book about his struggle with the government. At first it sounded like he’d been sued by the government and he talked about having all this documentation, so we were intrigued. Then he sent us this whole envelope of notes about how his neighbors – and aliens! – were spying on him, and had drawings of the spy devices. That was wild.  

How has the company changed since you’ve started here?

When I first started working here, the office was just a spare bedroom in Wintress’s house. I would go to her house a couple days a week to help her file paperwork. We learned about accounting and bookkeeping along the way. We have really grown up. Plus, there are a lot more people that work for us now. When I started working with Wintress, she just had two part-time writers who helped with her overflow work, and now we have a network of over 20.

Here’s Your Chance to Re-Write the Classics!

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

If you have been considering re-writing a classic book or putting your own spin on an old movie, then 2019 is your year!

For the first time in 20 years, a whole year’s worth of copyrighted works has been released into the U.S. public domain. Under the terms of the Sonny Bono Copyright Act, these works, which were first published in 1923, are now copyright free.

So, what does that mean?

According to this interesting article from lifehacker.com, it means that you can not only re-publish these old works, but also make newly copyrighted works based on the originals.  

So, if you have been dying to change the ending to Bambi, or make some updates to Virginia Woolf’s Jacob’s Room, your time has finally come!

How to Find the Right Tone and Voice in Writing

Posted on by The Writers For Hire, Inc.

  1. As writers, we are always trying to make sure that our work reflects our clients’ unique and authentic personalities.

    It’s important that the things we write do not sound “cookie cutter,” or too generic. At the same time, though, we want to make sure that our writing is relatable and entertaining.

    But, how do we go about finding the right tone and voice for our writing? And how can we be sure that our tone and voice portray our clients in the way that they wish to be seen?

    This great blog from Kuno Creative is a fantastic resource for finding the right tone and voice for your writing. It gives some great tips on how to decide how you want to be portrayed, and how to successfully achieve the appropriate tone and voice to fit your unique self.

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