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By Laura Schaefer

Ask Your Ghostwriter Whose Writing Style She Admires


If you’re hiring a ghostwriter to help you write your book, a big part of her job is conveying your message in YOUR voice. The best books are often conversational, which simply means that when you’re reading them, it feels like the author is talking right to you. Reading someone’s book is the next best thing to sitting next to them at a party.

So…if you hire a ghostwriter to write your book, it should be written in the style you prefer to best capture your unique voice and way of seeing the world.

But what if you don’t really have a writing style yet?

You’re not a writer! That’s why you’re hiring help! Fair enough. Your ghostwriter can help with this. Ask her which authors she admires, and you’ll get a good idea of how she might shape your message.

Here are a few nonfiction writers I love, and why I love them:

  • Seth Godin. Seth is a major thought leader in marketing and technology for a reason. He’s succinct, with wisdom that is both highly accessible and easily digestible. Known for his daily blog, Godin’s posts are often only a paragraph or two long (and sometimes even shorter). I loved his book POKE THE BOX; it was only about 80 pages. Brevity is the soul of wit—and, in my opinion, a great thing to encounter in a book.

  • James Altucher. James leaves it all on the field. By that I mean he bares his soul and isn’t afraid to shock his readers to keep them reading. Altucher’s blog is highly personal and isn’t afraid to go to the dark places in life. He’s also very good at understanding how emotional and irrational human beings are, and speaking to our greatest hopes and fears. By being so open and unafraid of gatekeepers, James has attracted a huge audience. I like it.

  • Jen Sincero and Samantha Irby. I’m grouping these two together because I love them for the same reason: they are absolutely hilarious. Jen and Sam keep you reading because they are so very, very funny. Both are unafraid of sharing their own personal foibles and absurd episodes, and it makes for books that absolutely sing.

So, there you go: I admire succinct, honest, controversial, and hilarious writers. If that sounds pretty good to you, let’s work together!

I have a room in my house that looks like this...only 400% messier and 800% more colorful. BOOKS ARE AWESOME.

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