IS THERE A GAY GHOST WRITER IN THE HOUSE?
By Gay Ghost Writer Gary H. of the GWI ghostwriting referral team
No one is born a writer. But everyone is born a storyteller.
Every parent has seen their infant child playing in a world of their own. They act out their new-born fantasies, carrying on imaginary conversations in fluent baby-babble.
As a child grows into their teens, and eventually into adulthood, each one of them still carry stories with them. A select few develop a knack for writing them out.
I was one of those: the kid whose head was full of stories – stories that found themselves written down or typed out. Eventually, this talent for story writing evolved into a career in ghost writing.
Oh, and as it turned out, I was also gay…a gay ghost writer. Rare, though not unheard of in writing circles.
Being a Gay Ghost Writer in the Twenty First Century
As everyone knows, we aren’t defined by only one thing in life. Some of us are tall; others more round. A lot of us struggle with math; a few special people are experts in quantum mechanics. For much of human history, such differences have pitted us against one another. Whether it’s been in the form of discrimination, harassment, or even war, what made us different made us enemies.
We’re living in a different era now. The age of information – the age of open-mindedness. People are out there, announcing what makes them different… and the sky isn’t falling! Society is becoming comfortable with the concept that ‘different’ is o-kay. In fact, ‘different’ has become something to be celebrated! I believe we’re very fortunate to be living in the 21st century; in fact, it gives me hope for humankind!
So while it doesn’t really warrant mentioning anymore in this day-and-age, for this article, I am a gay ghost writer.
I mean, I’m also blue eyed, left-handed, and a Libra – all characteristics that place me in the minority, in this world. Interestingly, every one of my clients have been as interested in my eye colour and my zodiacal sign. As they were about my sexuality (ie: not at all). What they are interested in is the style and quality of my craft.
When I started writing, I specifically chose not to reveal that I was gay to my readers or editors. I wanted to be accepted or rejected on the basis of my writing, rather than some singular perception of who I was. As time went on, I began to achieve some success as a writer. And so, as a test, I mentioned here-and-there that I was gay. To this day, I am still surprised that doing so has done nothing but open doors for me!
What is a Ghost Writer?
Telling people that I’m a ghost writer is an amazing conversation starter.
I was recently in a meet-and-greet at my local Chamber of Commerce. We started by doing the around-the-table introductions. There were a number of accountants. A mortgage broker, a handful of tradesfolk, some IT specialists, and me. A ghost writer. Two little words to describe what I was. The first word to catch people’s attention (What? Did he say ‘ghost’??), and the second word to confirm that – no – I was not a private investigator of the paranormal.
When the group chatted afterwards, I didn’t mingle. Didn’t need to. Instead, I stood at the snacks table, trying to nab some strawberries as person after person approached me.
“So what exactly is a ghost writer?” they all started with, as we shook hands.
“Well,” I began, hastily swallowing, lest I spit fruit all over their jacket, “I help people get their stories out.”
That’s pretty much all I said. After that, people told me their stories. Because they all had one. The mortgage broker had a story. Those IT-specialists in the corner had some. Several of the tradesfolk all had stories. Even the accountants (yes, even they!) had a story to tell.
Now, it didn’t come up that I was a gay ghost writer. And for good reason. Nobody cared, they didn’t approach me because of my sexuality. They approached me because they were storytellers (the ones who were not natural-born writers, as I mentioned earlier). And these folks now realized that there was a way to get those stories out.
A Career as a Ghost Writer
What do those of us following a career as a ghost writer have in common?
Well, we love writing, obviously. Typing away at a laptop before the sun comes up, often until long-after it sets… that’s our dream job.
(Some of us need to get out a bit more – even just for some exercise!)
Each of us come to ghost writing with a different skill set. Many of us have had careers spanning decades in a wide array of fields. I myself started in the military, then became a high school science teacher.
Beyond our careers, our life experience has informed and nurtured our writing. Being gay, for instance, gives me a certain perspective that others may not share. My husband and I adopted two children: working with our Children’s Aid Society has given me insight into child-welfare issues.
So, ghost writers may not be experts in your particular field of study or work. However, our experiences give us a certain proficiency in understanding what you do, and where your story comes from. We speak within your own special, individualized language. And we can certainly write in your ‘language’ too!
All of us (gay ghost writers and straight ghost writers alike!) have been writing for years, whether officially, or as a hobby. I started writing novels while I was in high school. Never realizing that, years down the road, it was in preparation for doing what I do today: helping you tease your own novel out of your head, and onto paper.
Gay Ghost Writer?
A question that my husband and I mulled over early in my writing career was: do I ‘come out’ as a gay writer? We wondered if doing so would pigeon-hole me, limiting my publishing potential to a narrow genre.
I became a writer to tell stories of distant worlds, of mysteries and adventures that humans would face in the far-flung future. I did not have the desire to just tell ‘gay’ stories. No more than I wanted to tell stories only about blue-eyed protagonists or left-handed heroes.
So I wrote what I wanted to write, without declaring that I was a gay writer.
It took a few years for me to figure out something, however. I had more to offer in my writing, a perspective that most authors did not share. A background and skill-set that set me apart from many of my peers in the writing world.
Come closer to the screen for second. I’ve got a closely-guarded secret for you: we all live in a straight world. And LGBTQ+ folk have a lifetime of practice ‘fitting-in’ to that world when needed. So when it comes to writing about the “ninety+ percent” (everyone who is not LGBTQ+), we’ve got that down pat!
But what we also have is a built-in understanding of how the world works for the other ten percent. Because we are just that.
When it came to my ghost writing career, I decided it made sense to be open about who I was. Therefore I am embracing the title of gay ghost writer. Because it would have been a shame to deny that part of me, and how it adds value to authors out there, looking to have their own stories about being ‘the other’ realized.
Ghost Writing Services
By now, you must be wondering: what do people in a career as a ghost writer actually do? (Because, to be honest, I have not been very specific so far!).
Well, it comes down to what you – the author (or author-to-be!) – needs:
- Full Ghost Writing
Some people hold their stories and ideas in their heads, without ever setting a single word down on paper. These authors will need the fullest help that a ghost writer can provide.
Let’s say you’re one of these folk. Your specially-selected ghost writer (whether they’re a gay ghost writer or otherwise!) will interview you, so that s/he can get to know you, and extract your story point-by-point. After this, they will sort your ideas into an order that seems to work. Next, the ghost writer composes your book, chapter by chapter.
Once all the chapters are complete, the editing begins. Every chapter is re-read for flow and content, until they all sound and feel ‘just right’ (some ghost writers refer to this as ‘polishing’).
The final step is proofreading: checking every single word for spelling and grammar.
- Re-writing (partial ghost writing)
Other authors-to be have managed to extract bits (or all, in some cases) of their story themselves. What they may have though, is this: pages and pages of point-form notes, written on a combination of coffee-stained paper, torn envelopes, and dirty napkins. Or maybe most of the chapters are at least partially written, and saved somewhere in the cloud…
But that’s ok! These soon-to-be authors have already done the hard part for their ghost writer!
In this case, there might still be a few interviews (again, to get to know you: how you talk, how you explain certain ideas – those types of things). Taking all your notes and putting them in order is the next step. The remaining chapters are written, and then the editing and proofreading proceed as before.
- Editing
Still other people end up doing most of the work themselves. All that’s needed is the meticulous editing process. That’s where a ghost writer can help these folk. They will take your book through as many drafts as you both feel are needed, then proofread it to create a publishing-ready product.
You’re an Author – Just Without a Book
As I said at the top of this post, we are all storytellers. Each and every one of us. If:
You started your own company, raising it from the ground through thick and through thin, you have a story to tell.
You spent years staring at computer code from a space telescope, only to realize that you’d discovered a new planet around a far-away star, you have a story to tell.
And if you decided to sit in front of your webcam ten years ago, and now have a Youtube following of over a million, you have a story to tell.
Your story deserves to be told. It is unique. And there will be an audience for it (with over seven billion potential readers on the planet, you will discover loads of people who want to hear what you have to say!).
If only there was a way to get your story from inside your head, out to the hundreds, or thousands, or millions of readers in the world…
Oh wait! There is! A ghost writer can help you!
Do you need a gay ghost writer? A business ghost writer? Or how about a Latina ghost writer, or a science ghost writer? No matter what type of tale you have waiting to be written, there’s a ghost writer who is a perfect fit to write your story with you.
What is my own personal experience, and which authors might I be able to help?
As a writer of non-fiction, I’ve composed academic papers and scientific articles, business whitepapers, military reports, and profiles of families from around the globe (essentially mini-biographies). On the fiction side, I have expertise with short form (10 000 words or less) and novel-length books (ranging up to 150 000 words), in the areas of literary fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.
Not All Ghost Writers Are Created the Same
At this stage, I have a warning for you. There are lots of people who have taken up a ghost writing career. However, not all ghost writers are made the same.
It’s like when you buy a pair of socks. Let’s say you’ve got an in-between sized-foot. You know there’s a type of sock that fits you well. But it costs twenty dollars a pair. Yikes!!! Right next to it on the sock rack is a bag of tube-socks. Five pairs of tube socks are squished together in the bag, all for five dollars.
Have you ever worn tube socks before?
Sure, the label says: “one size fits all.” And it’s true. A tube is a tube, no matter the size of the foot it’s covering. What the label doesn’t tell you, however, is “one size fits all well.” Because that’s simply not true. Tube socks are straight; your foot is bent at the ankle. And you’ll always know you’re wearing a generic tube of knitted cotton and polyester, rather than a form-fitting, comfortable sock, made specific to your needs.
Yes, ghost writers are like that. Some of them will say “I can write anything!” And they can…just not well.
I’m a gay ghost writer, with experience in the military, academics and child-welfare. That means I’m not qualified to write about your meteoric rise through Wall Street, to become a thought leader in credit default swaps. I won’t write that. It wouldn’t be fair to you, and it wouldn’t be fun to me.
You (and your story!) deserve a pair of socks a ghost writer that fits you to-a-tee. Don’t settle for a Jack or Jane of all trades. Find a writer that specializes in your field, or shares a degree of your experience.
Ghost Writer, Inc.
At Ghost Writer, Inc., you’ll find all types of professional ghost writers, representing every genre of writing, whether it be fiction or nonfiction. There are ghost writers who will help you write your e-book, your urban fantasy, or the memoir of five full generations of your family. Others are ready to assist you in putting together your self-help book, business in-house work for clients, or your very personal life story.
And you’ll even find gay ghost writers here too!
Karen Cole is the creator of Ghost Writer, Inc. – a New York Times and Amazon best selling ghost writer in her own right. She makes sure that her ‘cattle pen’ of writers conform to a high standard of writing quality, and follow well-laid out guidelines.
Yet there’s more to Ghost Writer, Inc. than just ghost writers. Here, you’ll also find a team of professional book, screenplay, music and lyrics editors, marketers, and publishers. Screenplay optioning and publishing assistance, such as query letters, book proposals and submission services. And when you make the decision to work with a team from GWI, we fix you up with everything you need. Such as cover artists, photographers and illustrators, or other related specialists you may require – including a gay or lesbian ghost writer or editor!
Hire a ghost writer from GWI, and you’ll get exactly that book, script, music score, short story or other professional ghost writing service you are looking for!
