Want To Publish a Book? Get Organized...

If you really want to be an author or publish a book, you must get organized.

An outline is the best way to get started.  After you've written a detailed outline, then you can get back to writing or hire a ghostwriter.  Even for the most seasoned authors who employe a ghostwriter, the content provided to the ghostwriter must match your approach.  It's the author's name that goes on the book, so be clear on your intent and goal of the book.

How many words will you reasonably be able to write a day?  This is a common question.

It really depends on the story, how detailed it is and if you're getting help from someone else.

I know an author who writes 12,000 words a day when she can focus all day long, but that's rare. Sometimes I only write a few thousand words a day.  Sometimes, I've written 10,000 words a day when I'm on a roll.  It takes time to write amazing prose and you need to be thoughtful sticking to the story.  I remind new writers or people who want to publish their memoir not to worry about the word count.  Just get to writing... even if you're only writing an outline for a ghostwriter.  Be sure to include as many details as you can.  Make the reader feel as though he or she is right in the middle of the action.

If you're self-publishing on your own without anyone else's guidance, editing, help or support, the process can take a little longer because there's a learning curve.  If you employ a ghostwriter, things will move faster because a ghostwriter will also help with content editing.  If you employ an editor only for grammar, things may move slower and more of the work will default to you.

Working on memoirs and self-help books, there's a huge need to get organized and maintain organization throughout the process from beginning to end.  Being organized and detailed in that organization makes for a smoother process.

Here's to happy writers making it easier on themselves!

Superfly: Murder by Author? Who Is Responsible for Every Word in an Autobiography?

If you love a murder mystery, you will be fascinated by this story.

TMZ published a story about Jimmy Snuka, the author of "Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story," now being charged with the 1983 murder of his girlfriend.

Why?  Apparently he was charged with murder because of book details that were recently published about his girlfriend's death in 1983.  Reportedly, the details of his girlfriend's death differ from the version of her death given to police back in 1983.

When the story changes involving a death, watch out. The police will be paying attention.

As a result, Jimmy Snuka was arrested for third-degree murder.

The book in question is available on Amazon.  It was published in October 2012.

Writers are abuzz about this story asking the questions:  Who wrote the book?  Who is responsible for what is written in the book?  Who is responsible for the final published stories?

Real ghostwriters know the answers to these questions.

At the end of the day, the author of the autobiography credited on the book is solely responsible and liable for publishing his own story.  Even if there's a co-writer, as there is in this case, or a ghostwriter, the person whose story is being shared in an autobiography is responsible for every word and story published in the book.  The buck stops there.

An author who is credited on an autobiography must read every draft or revision even if he's getting help from a co-writer or a ghostwriter.

The police haven't detailed their investigation dating back to 1983, but I imagine there's more to this story that will be coming out in the days ahead.

Still, it's a good lesson for anyone who wants to publish his or her story and chooses to expose details around a death in published form. You are liable for anything you write. You are liable for anything you publish.  Make sure you get the facts straight or someone will raise the red flag of attention to the police.  Jimmy Snuka has apparently learned that lesson the hard way.

Outline Your Book Idea

Before you get started with a ghost writer, you should do some writing.

Seriously.  This is your book.  It should represent you.

The process is far easier with an outline that the author approves.

Every writer has a different approach.

For my purposes, outlines are critical to the process so everyone is on the same page.

Interviews are also critical to the process.  Be prepared to dedicate time to your project.  It's your project, so you want it to exceed your expectations, right?

If you are hiring a ghostwriter to write and publish your book, you must insist on talking directly to the ghostwriter.  The best process is to sit in a room and talk... for hours and hours over a period of time.  It's easiest to have more than a few sessions for interviews.

Recording those conversations by audio or film is a huge help to the process, too.  Those recordings are then transcribed and then you should see an outline or a few sample chapters.

Get a feel for the ghostwriter.  Make sure he or she matches your intention and captures your tone of voice.  Details are important to the process.

Three hours of dialogue isn't going to be enough information to fill in an entire book, either.

The best projects I've worked on entail 20 to 30 hours of recordings.  Yes, they're detailed.  Yes, they represent the author whose name will go on the front cover of the book.  But isn't that the way it should be?

Books are not created out of thin air.

One sentence is not a book.

You need content.

If you are just getting started, interview different ghostwriters and ask about the process before you pay a dime.  Get organized and be able to articulate your vision.  Is it a self-help book?  Is it a memoir?  Is it a novel?  What is your goal in publishing the book?  Is it for family members so you can tell your life story?  Or do you want to sell the book in the back of the room when you're hired to speak at public events?

Everyone has a story to tell, so tell your story your way.  Be hands-on and review drafts as the book is coming along.  In the end, communication and direct contact with the ghostwriter is a win-win for everyone.  Good luck with your book project!

Power of Email to Remember a Life Story

Marion Green has passed away.  She was my friend. In fact, I owe so much to Marion's passion and energy for writing. Marion was a strong voice in getting me back to full-time writing again.

After her passing, I went through my email archive to read her messages to me.  Every single message encouraged me to write.  Every single message was positive.  Every single message held her voice that I could no longer hear.  And I was reminded why I got back to writing.

Many years ago, Marion called me and said, "You have to start writing again.  I was published in the LA Daily News! They have half a million readers!"

Sure enough, she discovered a program where community journalists could post stories online and a portion of those chosen stories would be published in the print edition of the newspaper.  It was called Valley News.  I jumped at the chance.  I researched stories, I interviewed people, I became a better photographer and I was rewarded.  Over the course of the program, hundreds of my stories and photographs were published.

After a feature article was written about my submissions along with a photograph of me, newspaper readers randomly stopped me in the grocery store to say they enjoyed my articles and to keep writing. I was offered a position ghostwriting for a high-profile man with thousands of followers.  I was offered a PR job for a high-profile business leader in downtown Los Angeles.  I was offered an opportunity to write feature stories about businesses in Los Angeles County in exchange for a high-profile membership.  I wrote a story about a pothole and a cracked street and it was paved by the city soon afterwards. I wrote a story about a left hand turn/red light problem and the city responded. Story after story got action because each one was published in the print edition.  It was really crazy.  But that is the power of publishing; that is the power of the media.

After a couple of years of amazing work, the program was dismantled.  The rumblings of what happened revolved around the inches of publishing space.  As I was told the story, the regular paid union newspaper writers were upset because the articles written by community writers were taking up a big percentage of publishing space.  If that was true, I could see their point.  We were taking up the space and our feature articles about real people in the community were being given priority publishing space.  It was good for the community, it was great exposure for the community writers, but not so good for the staff writers.  When the community program went away, some people lost their jobs as the newspaper downsized.  As unpaid writers, we also lost our opportunities.  And our community lost its voice.

Marion continued to take creative writing classes.  She was still writing and publishing articles in her local retirement community, too.  She was also writing stories about her life or reviewing special books she read.  During this same time, I started writing books and Marion was so supportive.  She loved books.  She definitely had a book in her, but she ran out of time.

With the help of her children, we wrote her memorial tribute and her service was beautiful.  After the service, her children tossed flowers into the ocean in honor of their mother.

After the service, her children gave me one of Marion's books entitled, "A Natural History of the Senses," by Diane Ackerman.  It is one of the nicest gifts anyone has ever given to me.  It is a book that Marion owned and it was a part of her library.  That book reminds me to keep going, keep writing, keep contributing, and help people to tell their stories.

Marion remains a strong voice and an inspiration. Anytime I'm stuck, all I have to do is re-read her emails and get to work.  Our relationship and part of her life story is all there in writing for me to revisit at any moment of the day.

Everyone has a story and every story should be shared...  If Marion were here, she would tell you to start planning, start writing, and get your book published before it's too late.

For her exceptional encouragement to all writers:
Thank you, Marion Green.

Need a Ghostwriter?

There is no time like the present to get your book published.

Put your life story in print.

Share your vision.

Share your advice.

Share your story.

Provide a guide book to your clients at seminars.

Create a book to sell in the back of the room after speaking engagements.

Don't wait another day.

It's easy to get started.

Your name will be the only name on the book as the author.

Non-disclosures apply and no one will ever be the wiser.

Walking with you throughout the process, I will help get your thoughts organized, create a plan, provide an outline of the entire book, write the book and publish the book upon your approval.  You will be hands-on throughout the process with firm date deliveries at each step plus approval points.

The finished book product belongs to you and only you.

In 60 days, you could have a finished book in your hand.  And you will become a published author.

Imagine having your own book with your story or point-of-view on your bookshelf and available online for friends, family and strangers who want to learn more about you.

Contact ghostwriterpam@gmail.com for more information.

My mantra is simple.  Everyone has a story... tell your story in print today!