A Ghostwriter Shouldn't Scare You

No, a ghostwriter isn't really a writer of ghost stories... unless the author being ghostwritten for happens to actually be writing about ghosts. Using a ghostwriter shouldn’t scare you. The fact is ghostwriting isn't as rare as one might think. This week, you may well have heard about one of the most recently anticipated books that has been ghostwritten. Announced by Penguin Random House, it is titled Spare: Life in the Shadows, the much-talked about tell-all memoir by Prince Harry, aka Harry Wales, Duke of Sussex.

Ghostwriting is a popular choice for those people or business owners who don't necessarily have time to write or simply may not want to write, but can certainly help supply the information, potential background research and direction of the content so that it reflects the actual vision of their desired final draft of their book.

You can expect to have regular one-on-one meetings with your ghostwriter, telephone interviews, providing them with access to diaries or personal journals, all under the strictest of confidence. They usually sign a non-disclosure contract in addition to agreeing to exchange their byline credit for a premium fee, for which they earn as they are meticulous and are exceptional at what they do. Capturing the author’s voice is often seen as a gift, as they are invested in getting it right and some find it a challenging endeavour, preferred over seeking attention. Particularly if it helps the rarer voice’s story getting told, as is paramount for Peninsula Editorial Consultancy.

It is one of the biggest parts of the ghostwriter’s skillset. One New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, Jodi Lipper, was known to have stated that many of the non-fiction books that make it on to the infamous list is ghostwritten. She is said to have quoted in Refinery29 as saying, “My brand is not having a brand. My brand is being able to capture other authors’ voices.”

Using such experienced professional writing services gives the 'author' (yes, they usually instigate the project and give the writer the focus and scope of the project) the peace of mind that ensures the creation of a page-turning, lively read.

Of the main types of ghostwriting projects, which include: memoirs or autobiographies, such as Spare; business books that can help promote a business; social media content; song writing; and speeches, most work falls under the non-fiction umbrella of writing, so it is especially important that they find a qualified and experienced writer who can do the job justice.

There are many factors that play into deciding to use a ghostwriter, from lack of time or experience in writing skills, to hiring one that did a great job and keeping the consistency of voice going. These ‘ghosts’ may be invisible–hence the moniker– but are worth their weight in gold for any celebrity, business professional or artist. No tricks here, just a treat to work with.

For more information on how a ghostwriter might help impact your business or brand, click on this linked article, What Is Ghostwriting? All About This Writing Style | Upwork or drop us a line in the chat.

'The Woman King' Intrigue

Why The Woman King has captivated Worldwide audiences.

Women with machetes get people talking. What kind of women signed up for this? How did they become so fearless? Why devote themselves to the King they never actually marry? With so many questions about the tale that unearths its foundation in history, The Woman King is more of a triumph than it lets on. Controversy, yes, it sparks it. Yet a good story can often do that. Whether the main characters were real or created, however, is not the point here. The facts are worth discussing, but so are the character's stories. When we write our own stories, we do not merely retell the history of the place we lived, but we tell the world within that history, created uniquely by our perspective. The same is true for a fictional character.

In West Africa, the Agojies* were a real tribe of 'armed women' who defended their King and the Kingdom of Dahomey (now present-day Benin) in context to how the world was around them. There also was a real King Gezo, who reigned from 1818-1858. The Nanisca character played by Viola Davis is loosely based on a real name from the region and the type of personality likely to have led the all-female army, but it is her personal story that sells the film–one of resilience, courage, dedication and commitment to her duty (think, if you will, the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth, another servant leader whose mind was on lifelong duty above all else). Her backstory unveils a dark trauma that she seemingly has yet to overcome–whether it be a stumbling block or fuel, the choice is hers.

Likewise, newcomer Thuso Mbedu, who plays new recruit Nawi, takes on another name from the era and the military job description, but her story is one of warrior-in-the-making. We see the film through her eyes and take on her stubborn, feisty personality as a better fit to be in training rather than for an arranged marriage. Her fascination for weapons in favour of homemaking duties sets us up for how well she is likely to do behind the palace walls and on the battlefield, as we watch her story develop; she's suddenly not a reject but an asset.

What scenes resonated with you as being an element of a great story? What other characters did you love and why? Drop a line in the chat or get in touch with your favourite part, as well as what your story is. Fiction or non-fiction, the world loves a story, and while we learn through this magical lens, you determine how it unfolds and the basis for telling it.

For a more in-depth look at some of the controversies that have arisen, read:

Woman King is worth watching: but be aware that its take on history is problematic (theconversation.com)

See also Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women Warriors of Dahomey, by Stanley B. Alpern (1998).

Click here to watch The Woman King trailer.

*Also referred to as the Agoodjies.

Read the Latest LinkedIn Article for June

There won't always be signposts to where you want to go or where you end up, but know that choice is not limited to the present options–sometimes you might be the one to put up a new signpost.

Experience is Free

• Published on June 13, 2022 on LinkedIn /Peninsula Editorial Consultancy

It has been decades since I first began a career I always knew I was born to do: work with words. Surprisingly to most professional writers I have met, my first actual job was as a journalist, while I was still in secondary education, on a freelance assignment for a local cultural magazine. The job wasn't advertised, and I did not get introduced to the editor. Instead, I combined a school assignment and interviewed students about their thoughts on celebrities, such as the late-Rock Hudson, having their sexuality being outed in the news, especially after death. There were two sides of the camp, pardon the pun: those who thought it was disrespectful and those who thought it should be front page. The story eventually was spiked when the publisher decided that a story was too suburban with only one school of random interviews. I wanted to start the conversation, one that didn't eventually take place elsewhere. (I should have taken it to the weekly news magazine instead.) That experience didn't hold me back - it made me more determined to try other stories, other publications. The world didn't limit me to one local rag.

Fast forward to a local pub in the outskirts of London, where I was paid in pints to write a gig review of a small time band. It led to my first by-line and future commissioned gig reviews on the circuit, with small but regular cheques, as well as the pints. I was young, loved music and the pub atmosphere in South London was not unfamiliar to me. Yet I knew this was only the start. Before long, I was in central London gaining 'work experience' at a national weekly music magazine I knew well that wasn't hiring but was keen to have an enthusiastic volunteer shadow the editorial news-desk. Networking takes place any and everywhere, working or not - remember that.

This led me to meet an arts editor at the publishing company's premises working on a more mature music monthly and who was willing to have a look at some of my budding features ideas. I eventually earned his trust. This slightly upmarket music magazine became one of my regular pay-cheques as a film critic (again note, I changed the gears here), and I no longer needed cuttings from free papers to add to my portfolio. Although I still enjoyed being a regular arts critic, contributing actor interviews, theatre reviews in coverage. Anything I was interested in, I managed to work out a way to add it to my profile; paid or unpaid - it still helped my career up each rung in one way or another. If we look only for the paths pre-paved, we miss out on the opportunity to trail-blaze for ourselves and others.

I soon crossed from working contracts to writing and sub-editing shifts while full-time positions were competitive and my cuttings book was rather limited, but as it was always growing, it was finally making an impact. I had carved out my own career as a professional journalist familiar in all areas of publishing long before publishing became the free-for-all world it is now. Only 'the qualified' were printed, whereas now it seems the loudest of many voices is heard above the sea of others. Had I waited for an 'in' rather than creating one, my career and attitude today might be very different. As it is, I am not daunted by challenges, but excited by and rise to them. Being able to give back to my community of fellow writers by encouraging them is nothing short of icing on the cake, as my career path has always remained sweet!

Published by Peninsula Editorial Consultancy Published • 20h For those who missed it the first time round... an article by L A A following a recent post about the cycle of experience, jobseeking and carving your career's elusive break.