James Patterson's Chameleon

Just as a chameleon changes colors, an excellent ghostwriter has the ability to change voices.

When meeting with new clients we are often asked, “How do you capture my voice as a ghostwriter?”

One of the biggest concerns people have when considering hiring a ghostwriter is if the writer can capture their voice. They also fear that using a ghostwriter will disconnect them from their book.

Hiring a ghostwriter for your book does NOT mean sacrificing your voice or message. We have a proven system to capture your voice. After creating a personal blueprint for your book, we interview you based on your blueprint. The words you are the words we use. We write the drafts using your words, phrases and sentence structure, but in a more succinct and compelling way. You, the author, have control and can review the drafts at every stage—adding, changing or deleting words that don't sound like you.

Author James Patterson Photo credits: www.jamespatterson.com

Consider author James Patterson. James Patterson is one of the bestselling authors of all time, with more books sold than Stephen King, John Grisham and Dan Brown combined. He has written 147 novels, including 111 New York Times bestsellers and sold 305 million copies worldwide.

How does he do it?

He employs a team of what I call chameleons, otherwise known as ghostwriters. Just as a chameleon changes colors, an excellent ghostwriter has the ability to change voices.

How to find a ghostwriter that can capture your voice? - Look for a ghostwriter who can adapt your writing like how a chameleon changes its color.

Patterson comes up with the story ideas and then employs ghostwriters to help him write them. He is not always the one physically writing the book, but if you read a James Patterson book, it sounds like James Patterson. The words coming out of his mouth are the same words that appear in his books. His stories inspire fans to buy book after book, even if he wasn’t always the one who wrote them. Patterson’s ghostwriters have captured his voice and aided him in building a publishing empire.

Leading ghostwriters can adapt their writing to convey the personality and perspective of any person–man or woman, rich or poor, young or old, etc.

I, for example, have been a hip 18-year-old skateboarder, a 40-year-old woman who was abused and suicidal before becoming a multi-millionaire and a 50-something-year-old trusted financial adviser to high net worth individuals. These authors were astounded with how I captured their voice and message better than they themselves could have.

That’s what ghostwriters are for. We help authors like you who may not have the time, energy or know-how to tell their story. You may not be a James Patterson, but you can have your own bestselling book in your voice.

If you would like to explore options, let's talk.

We would love to be your chameleon. :)

by Helen Chang, ABM Editorial Director