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Scott Carbonara 9/25/26 Scott Carbonara 9/25/26

When You Hire An Expert Ghostwriter or Editor, Don’t Tie Their Hands

Imagine you wake up and find your car won’t start. It’s got gasoline in it. You can still see the battery under the hood and tires where tires belong. Since you’re not mechanical, you need some help, so you have it towed to a local shop.

We seek automobile mechanics if we’re not a subject-matter expert on our car. If you don’t trust your mechanic, find another one. But for heaven’s sake, if you know enough to know you need a mechanic, don’t tie their hands. Let them do their job.

And when you need an editor, writing coach, or ghostwriter, don’t tie their hands. Let them do their jobs.

Scott Carbonara 11/6/25 Scott Carbonara 11/6/25

What Details Should You Include in a Memoir?

As a ghostwriter, I often help authors determine what belongs in their autobiography (covering someone's life) or memoir (covering specific events in their life). Without professional guidance on what to include, they often suffer from the opposite problem: They want to include the kitchen sink.

Here are some questions I ask clients to help them decide what to include or leave out of their manuscript.

Jocelyn Carbonara 10/30/25 Jocelyn Carbonara 10/30/25

Can AI Write My Book?

Recently, I listened to a podcast with other editors chiming in about book-related topics. A conversation struck my interest around the use of AI in publishing. One question went something like, “Should an author use AI to write their book?”

The answers were a bit mixed, with one editor saying, “definitely,” and others offering softer versions of “maybe.” Even the “definitely” editor (definitely) presented some strict caveats. So I’d like to chime in with my experience—and opinions—on the topic.

Jocelyn Carbonara 10/16/25 Jocelyn Carbonara 10/16/25

Entrepreneurial-Memoir Author PJ Ohashi: If I Could Change My Life, So Could Anyone

We periodically feature guest input from impactful authors we’ve worked with. Please enjoy this Q&A about the writing process with entrepreneurial-memoir author PJ Ohashi.

SPIRITUS BOOKS: Tell us a little about your book and why you wrote it.

OHASH: Rage to Riches is a business memoir, sharing the story of a company I helped found, grow, and eventually sell. But beyond business anecdotes is a common thread of how I use anger as an effective motivational tool. Throughout the book, you will find various experiences, along with some fabricated scenarios, that provide fuel for change and positivity.

I wrote Rage to Riches for a few reasons, some of which I didn’t discover till well into the process.

Scott Carbonara 10/9/25 Scott Carbonara 10/9/25

What If I Can’t Afford a Ghostwriter?

Around 375 BCE, Plato wrote something truly profound. But since few modern readers understand ancient Greek, we needed Benjamin Jowett (1817–1893) to translate those words into something we could grasp: "The true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention." Today, we just say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

History lesson aside, many clients have told me something like, “I want to work with you. But I can’t afford it.”

I understand completely. I meet with about twenty clients before I find one with the passion and financial resources to hire me. But what about the other nineteen? Should they just give up on their dreams? Of course not.

Here’s what I tell those who aren’t in a place to hire me as a ghostwriter.

Scott Carbonara 10/2/25 Scott Carbonara 10/2/25

How Much Does a Ghostwriter Cost?

A ghostwriter is a paid professional who gives each client their time, expertise, and talent to complete a writing project to the best of their ability in exchange for compensation for their skills. Ghostwriters are paid in money; clients get to have their story told in the most engaging way possible.

But how much does a ghostwriter cost?