Here’s the situation. You have a manuscript, let’s say, 60,000 words. You’ve asked me to do a developmental edit on it. Now you have some reasonable requests regarding my work — and I have some surprising answers for you. So let’s dive into some frequently asked questions. Can you edit my novel or memoir? An…
Writers tend to suffer from imposter syndrome. Writers’ imposter syndrome (WIMPS for short) comes with the territory. Talking to writers with WIMPS has made me think differently about my advice for emerging writers. What I learned from networking with lots of writers Since I moved from Massachusetts to Maine, I’ve lamented the loss of the…
Authors want me to coach them. I resist. Coaches have a bias towards keeping people dependent on them, while I want authors to accomplish goals and get things done. Still, if coaching is what you think you need, I’ll help you. Just expect that coaching to come with a minimum of cozy reassurance and a…
Newsletter 132. Trust comes from a shared worldview. Plus, will AI replace analysts, the start of the Barbieverse, plus three people to follow, three books to read, and one wizard with all the answers for authors. How editorial professionals and clients learn to trust When the relationship between a freelance editor or ghostwriter and their…
Author newsletter that I don’t recall signing up for: Buy my new book Don’t Do Business With Dicks: How to Ditch Toxicity and Align Yourself with Positive Influences. Make wise choices in partnerships . . . Same newsletter, same author: Join me for a VIP Dinner experience at Mar-a-Lago. Okay, then . . .
Can you block AI companies from training models on your books? Probably not. Even if Ingram pretends to help you. How AI companies train models on books AI companies love books. They’re high-quality content, perfect for model training. The simplest way for an AI company to get illicit access to a book is to break…
Every writer should have a standard AI disclosure posted. They should also include it in their contracts. Anyone working with a writer — whether they’re a ghostwriter, an author, or any other kind of writer — deserves to know how they use AI. By posting this information, you make it clear to others which AI…
Newsletter 131. American business is the last bulwark against authoritarianism. Plus, large language models memorize whole books, Matthew McConaughey™, three people to follow, three books to read, and the virtual book coach. Enough, cried the business interests The checks and balances in our political system have been effectively neutered. Trump dominates the executive and the…
I’ve been intimately involved with five books by other authors in the last several years. I ghostwrote four and extensively edited and rewrote the fifth. All four of the ghostwritten books underperformed. I’m not just talking sales. I mean that they failed to accomplish their authors’ goals for generating business, increasing visibility, or boosting influence….