Ghostwriter services

There's long been something of a stigma associated with ghostwriters, as if it's something to be ashamed of. Which is irrational. Plenty of people have good stories or ideas for books, but lack the necessary "mechanical" or literary skills needed to assemble a readable manuscript. They may not have sufficient time. Or patience. They may be illiterate, or semi-literate - which is more common than most people realise.

Conversely, there are plenty of editors with excellent literary skills who simply can't spin a good yarn or devise a new formula for a history or art book.

It cuts both ways.

The job of a ghostwriter is essentially reportage. It's less an art and more a craft. You tell, I show. You invent, I present.

It can work well, or it can be disastrous. So think long and hard about your project, and make sure that the ghostwriter you choose is sensitive to your needs and easy to get along with.

It can take a long time to bring a project to fruition - from months to years even - and you'll need to maintain a good working relationship throughout.

I can help if you've got a good idea for a book, or a good story to tell. There are some things that I prefer not to handle, such as celebrity biographies, medical books, and anything distasteful or gory. But I'm generally pretty flexible.

If you look around the site, it will give you a feel for my interests and experience.

My name, incidentally, doesn't have to appear on a project. In fact, I'd rather it didn't. Ghostwriting is essentially a backstage job. I'm happy being way back there in the distance.

Email me with details of your project and we'll talk through it. It may be that I can persuade you to handle the first draft yourself, possibly saving time and money and adding authenticity. You may have a hidden talent for writing that can be teased out. And good books aren't, in the main, a matter of sophisticated writing. Far from it. The best books are usually simple tales, simply told with honesty and candour.

When you're ready, send me an email and I'll respond as quickly as possible.

Books by Ghostwriters

There are plenty of ghostwritten books around from plenty of household names. Thriller writer James Patterson, for example, has frequently written with co-authors. Patterson dreams up the stories; the co-author fleshes the words on the bones of the plot.

Ellery Queen has been ghosted by a number of authors. Ditto for Robert Ludlum, Ian Fleming, Tom Clancy, Louis L'amour, and Richard Bachman (Stephen King ghosting his own books, if you will).

Arthur C Clark's 2001: A Space Odyssey was based on a Clark short story (The Sentinel), but the movie script was as much a work by Stanley Kubrick as by Clark. Ghostwriting? Well, not exactly perhaps, but almost.

Many Dick Francis books have also been collaborations with his wife and with his son, which again is a form of ghostwriting.

And then there's a growing stack of celebrity ghostwritten books being churned out on an almost daily basis by the lumbering publishing mills of the world anxious to capitalise on the current flavour of the month.

The point is, ghostwriting is "out there" and it's probably here to stay. So if you've got a great plot or a wonderful story to tell, and if you haven't got the time or wherewithal or patience or skill to commit it to paper, hire a ghostwriter if you can afford it

You'll be in top company.

Creative writing

● Writing tips

● Plotting a novel

● Finding a literary agent

● Choosing a literary agent

● Agent query letters

● Inspiration for writers

● Rejection letters

● Manuscript critique

● 5 minute fiction fix

● Proof reading

● Writer's block

● Creative writing school

● How to get published

● Active & passive voice

Sample writing

Like to read a few examples of my style of writing? Check out the links below. If you like what you read, and have a manuscript of your own that needs a little help, email me. I'll do what I can.

Sample 1

Dirty Business

Murder and mayhem following an industrial pollution cover-up.

Sample 2

Cruising

A light hearted tale about a holiday venture, with a difference.

Sample 3

Exit Point

An aviator becomes embroiled in a terrorist murder plot.

Sample 4

The Grace of God

A tale of blackmail following a hit-and-run incident.

Sample 5

Exclusion Zone

A middle-aged man takes a couple of suitcase bombs onto a London underground train.

Special features

Darley Anderson, top UK literary agent, on books,
publishing and success

Zoë Sharp, creator of the action-packed Charlie Fox series of books

Jeff Kleinman, New York literary agent, talks shop

Crème de la Crime:
An interview with Lynne Patrick, publisher and managing editor of a smaller—but essential—British publishing house.

Click the image above
to see more excerpts from
my novels. All feedback,  whether good, bad or indifferent, is welcomed and appreciated.

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