Ghostwriting for Fun and Profit

I am now a  published author, with the publication of a new book from Woodpecker Press titled, "Jersey Women Mean Business! Big Bold Business Advice from New Jersey Women Business Owners: Practical Pointers, Solutions, and Strategies for Business Success." The book is a compilation of business how-to chapters by 72 individual women entrepreneurs from throughout New Jersey, who have contributed insights and helpful tips about their particular areas of expertise. Mine is chapter 45, "How to Get Free Publicity for Your Business in an Increasingly Crowded World;" it's about, well, ways to get free publicity, through the use of social media and public relations vehicles to garner earned media placement (as opposed to paid advertising).

As many of you know, although my background is in advertising (print ads, radio and TV spots, print collateral) today I write a great deal of materials in the areas of public relations and, now, as a ghostwriter for people whose skills lie elsewhere but have the opportunity to contribute articles to various print outlets.

As the authors were signed on to the "Jersey Women Mean Business!" book, I also was fortunate enough to be asked to help six other contributors write their chapters on a broad array of topics that, before writing, I knew little about. It was fun! I got to research topics that were new to me and was able to bring salient features, selling points, and pithy pointers to light through my copy. (I won't give away which chapters I wrote and you'll have to buy the book to get all the great information in there; you won't be disappointed!).

Being a copywriter today is vastly different than when I started out as a junior copywriter in Atlanta so long ago (a shout out to anyone who used to work at McDonald & Little and is reading this). The media landscape is constantly changing and so are the opportunities. Writers who are flexible, have good research and interview skills, and who are able to write in a variety of voices will always be able to apply those skills to helping clients market themselves through well-written copy, whether it's in the form of an article, book chapter, press release, or website content.

Just as with all the website copy I write every week--about industries or fields I knew nothing about before starting--or the news releases positioning companies and service providers as go-to experts and resources, ghostwriting byline articles can be a very interesting way to make a living. I learned a lot through my participation with "Jersey Women Mean Business!", got to flex my writing muscles in new ways, and I'm looking forward to reading the entire book. The chapters cover dozens of business topics and are geared to business owners and professionals at various stages of their careers and in all lines of work.

I have some books you can buy, so contact me at caryn@starrgates.com for information; or you can order them at www.WoodpeckerPress.com.