This week's featured writer is Kay Diehl, who has been a literary collaborator for over two decades. She has written, co-written, rewritten, researched, and edited more than 25 books, including Rather Outspoken, the memoir of veteran journalist Dan Rather; The Million Dollar Mermaid, the autobiography of actress Esther Williams; Truth Be Told, a memoir of success, suicide, and survival by anxiety expert Lucinda Bassett; and Angel on My Shoulder, the autobiography of singer Natalie Cole. Ms. Diehl holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a...

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A few weeks ago, Writer's Digest published the online version of a previously in-print feature by our own Dan Gerstein about nightmare ghostwriting clients, complete with insights from several of the writers in our network. Marlayna Glynn, Bronwyn Fryer, Oren Rawls, Louise Bernikow, Justine Duhr,

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Jordan Michael Smith is a former speechwriter for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer. He is the author of a bestselling Kindle Single about President Jimmy Carter called Humanity. His writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and many other...

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Whether you're writing a speech or presentation yourself or working with a professional speechwriter, it's important to craft a strong hook and identify key messaging that will resonate with your audience. At the recent Writer's Digest Annual Conference, author Steven James — known for his highly engaging and entertaining talks on the craft of writing fiction, along with novels and nonfiction books — turned the lens on his strategies for commanding a room during public...

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Anyone seeking to grow their platform, establish themself as a thought leader, build their brand, or simply tell a compelling story might require the help of a ghostwriter to bring their vision to life. If your time or writing expertise prevents you from writing a book, working with a ghostwriter can ensure that your message reaches the world as well-crafted, beautifully structured book. From memoirs and tell-alls to cookbooks and speeches, books written by ghostwriters are more common you might expect. So, how many of these that you’ve read or heard of were penned with the help of a...

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