Have a coffee and enjoy a couple of terrific short stories from the good people at 26 in a project called Throwaway lines...
African Brew Ha Ha
African Travel Book & Blog
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'Joy and heartache, despair and exhilaration, moments of sheer insanity ... Alan Whelan captures Africa to a T.'
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You're too kind
- MEDIA RELATIONS
"We have achieved some excellent press coverage, both locally and in the national press, enhancing the company image considerably. Your approach to understanding the business and assisting and coaching has been invaluable. I would like to add that it has been as much fun as it has been effective and I will definitely recommend Inkwell to others." Mike Peters, Universal Products - MEDIA RELATIONS
“You made sure the end results were exactly what Xyone required.” Steve Robinson, Xyone - NEWSLETTER & MEDIA RELATIONS
"Thank you for your continual expertise and advice with regard to our newsletter Concept Update and newspaper editorial. The feedback from our clients has been very positive and we find our newsletters to be an extremely effective marketing tool." Sue Cox, Concept Conferences - NEWSLETTER
“Thanks to you and your professional, friendly approach we now have a newsletter to be proud of.” Richard Ainsworth, partner, Rawsthorn's Solicitors - COPYWRITING
"We have received many compliments regarding our new brochure. Thanks to your experience and professionalism we have achieved a product of a superior quality to that of our competitors." Ian Hunter, Utopia Homes - COPYWRITING
"Thank you for the superb job that you have done producing my brochures. I will not hesitate to recommend you to other colleagues who I feel would greatly benefit from your listening ear, attention to detail and prompt service." Sally Griffiths, Hands in Harmony - MEDIA RELATIONS
"Since Alan began working with the Institute of Directors, our coverage in both Lancashire and Cumbria has increased beyond recognition. We now have regular coverage in both parts of the region across many publications. Alan has a superb and direct relationship with the major publications in the North West and seems to have an amazing knack of getting almost weekly coverage for us. Alan's work has truly exceeded our expectations. He is a consummate professional, well connected and a pleasure to work with." Laura Wolfe, Institute of Directors, North West - GHOST WRITING
"We would like to thank you for all your efforts and guidance with this project, we would not have been able to achieve the finished manuscript without your professional help in both the writing of the book and the synopsis; you have truly made it into a book well worth reading, and we now have high hopes of getting it published. You not only gave us good advice, but also encouraged us." Karen Stephens & George Fulford - COPYWRITING
"The copy for the brochure and site are great." Steve McClean, SM Consultancy Ltd - COPYWRITING
"Thanks so much for the copy and all of your help; the feedback that I have had has been great ... it has been so appreciated." Diane Evans, Sure Events - GHOSTWRITING
"My biography has gone down really well and people have expressed their delight in reading it. Not just one or two but almost everyone who received it... my congratulations to you on an inspired piece of work." Lionel Gorick, Iotech, Liquid Plastics - MEDIA RELATIONS
“Your business is about generating awareness and publicising your clients’ businesses and you have certainly achieved this.” John Carroll, Barsbank Consultancy
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eye-catching - Chromasia
magnificent - Go Fug Yourself
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February 17, 2012
February 16, 2012
Ghostwriting project 5 - avoid a potentially libellous memoir
I have now had time to sift through all the material that relates to the book I am ghosting. One of the beauties of ghostwriting is not knowing where the story will take you until all the information has been collated. This is a belter - it's touching, funny and very personal.
I have written a first draft with red lines under all the issues that need clarifying, all the anecdotes that need nailing down (and some that need building up), and all the potentially libellous information that has to be amended.
Possible defamation is a constant worry when ghostwriting a memoir. Often, a client is adamant that they want their story to be told their way, but I have always been aware that there are only two defences for libel - death (of the person who is defamed), and the truth (that you can prove). The second of these is very important. If someone believes you have dafamed them and they seek redress, it is your responsibility to prove the truth of your assertions, not theirs to prove it is a lie.
To avoid confusion, ghostwriters should alter all the potentially contentious stories. If nothing else, change the names so they cannot be identified.
Ghostwriters in the UK dabble in this area at their peril.
February 01, 2012
Ghostwriting project 4
After a third voice-recorded interview with my client, I have enough to make a start on her ghostwritten book. The client travelled to me in Lancashire for all the interviews (my voice recorder, left).
The first two meetings evidently stirred lost memories of other important events in her life because the client arrived with a fistful of new stories. This commonly occurs. If you are contemplating using a ghostwriter to write your memoir, don't underestimate the amount of reflection that will take place.
As a ghostwriter, it is imperative that I have plenty of background material to reproduce her 'voice' on the page so I was pleased that during the third interview the client's uniqueness and humour emerged - always a boon to writers, especially a ghostwriter.
When all the initial interviews are complete, I usually transcribe them so that I have the material to draw on and cut and paste. That's now done.
Now that I have all the basic information - where to start?
In this case I have opted to re-write some of the client's own notes into the style that we will use for the finished book. This will help me stick closely to her own voice and, as most memoirs are quite episodic by nature, prevents me getting lost. I then have all the transcriptions to weave in. It can be a daunting task but it's one I cherish.
The way it's looking, the book will come in at around 60,000 words.
