Alee Anderson - Ghostwriter
I am a critically acclaimed ghostwriter and glitter enthusiast specializing in memoirs for survivors of trauma and grief.
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Overview
"I consider Alee a godsend!"
—Bob Krulish, When Screams Become Whispers (releasing 2021)
—Bob Krulish, When Screams Become Whispers (releasing 2021)
I started working in publishing in 2005 at a small press in Boston. There, I spent my days surrounded by books, digging through the slush pile hoping to find a gem. The thrill of the hunt never left me as I continued my career at Thomas Nelson Publishers in Nashville. There, my love for great content evolved into a passion for discovering new authors, helping them tell their stories, and working to shape their careers. When Thomas Nelson was purchased by HarperCollins, I got to see a different side of the publishing industry—working for one of the Big 5.
This multi-faceted experience has given me the unique ability to shape stories in exciting, innovative ways while adhering to the stringent standards of the Big 5.
Now, as a ghostwriter, I focus on writing non-fiction books and proposals that sell. My clients have been published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, HarperCollins, BenBella Books, Simon & Schuster, and more, and are represented by some of the top literary agents in the industry. I love visceral storytelling and live for books that can’t help but change you. Books like A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs, Educated by Tara Westover, and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I also love anything the late, great Ann Rule ever wrote.
I am especially passionate about working with individuals who are processing grief and trauma. Following my own experience with traumatic loss, I joined The Dinner Party, a worldwide community of 20- and 30-somethings who have each suffered the loss of a parent, partner, child, or close friend. I spent three years as a leader with the organization, which taught me to gently conduct triggering conversations and to carefully extract universal truths from my clients' struggles. Not only does this elevate the narrative, it simultaneously reshapes the individual’s relationship to the pain associated with trauma and loss. In the recent past, I have partnered with clients unpacking sexual abuse, death of a loved one, violent attacks, spiritual warfare, rape, and chronic illness.
I do all this from my lovely, yet wild home in Nashville, Tennessee. My husband, Jimi, and I have three young children, Madeline, Lucas, and Amelia, a cat named Stanley, and a giant black dog named George. And, yes, thank goodness, my office door has a solid lock on it. I devour true-crime podcasts and books, which makes my love for glitter and High School Musical terribly confusing. Despite being terrified all the time (re: true crime) I am a genuinely happy person who strives to build safe creative relationships free of judgment. I have found that my overlapping abilities to talk through trauma, write creatively, and meticulously manage processes make me a highly-effective, sought-after partner. Although I love to be a client’s first choice as a writer, I have a gift for saving the day when someone comes to me on the heels of a failed creative engagement.
If you are interested in exploring what we can do together, please reach out. I’d be honored to sit with you and dream about how we might use your story to change the world.
Services
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Inspirational
Self-help & Self-improvement
Fiction
Chick Lit
Contemporary Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Certifications
- BFA Writing, Literature and Publishing
Work experience
Ghostwriter
Self-employed
November, 2012
–
Present
(about 8 years)
I write non-fiction, including memoir, self-help, and self-improvement books. I specialize in working with individuals processing grief or trauma, helping clients create art from the ashes of loss.
Editor
HarperCollins
January, 2009
–
May, 2015
(over 6 years)
Performed all duties facilitating the publication of trade, reference, and curriculum books. Managed projects to guarantee on-time, simultaneous delivery of print product and e-book. Edited manuscripts in Chicago style.
Portfolio (12 selected works)
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
Todd Burpo, Lynn Vincent
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The f... read more
"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." ?Donald MillerIn Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately ... read more
Do you feel stuck?So many of us live stuck. Stuck in trying to seem perfect. Stuck in sadness. Stuck feeling numb. Stuck pursuing more stuff to make us happy. Stuck in something we can't even name. These stuck places often go unattended inside of us and they are shaping our lives more than we would like to think. We've been trying to fix this feeling with everything but...God. He has a plan fo... read more
Blatantly Honest: Normal Teen, Abnormal Life
Makaila Nichols
Being a teenager today is one of the hardest jobs in the world. You have grades to maintain, obligations to extra-curricular activities, and soul-crushing pressure to excel at everything so colleges take notice. On top of it all, you're forced to act as your own public relations manager because, thanks to social media, every bit of your life is on display. No one knows that better than teen mo... read more
How do the people most resistant to the transformative power of the gospel come to be its most devoted followers? Miraculous Movement recounts an amazing change taking place within Muslim communities where the truth of Jesus Christ is turning around the lives of many thousands of Muslims from more than twenty people groups. Discover through the sometimes humorous, often sobering, but always en... read more
Growing up is hard to do—especially when, technically, you’re already grown up. You yearn for the days when you could play with your toys and retire to your bedroom for a much needed nap. You were fed, you were clothed, but now you’re left to figure it all out on your own. Now that you’re twenty-something, there are so many things that you need to do, and seemingly, no one to tell you how. . .... read more
The Kingdom Unleashed: How Jesus' 1st-Century Kingdom Values Are Transforming Thousands of Cultures and Awakening His Church
Jerry Trousdale, Glenn Sunshine
Christianity is growing faster than at any time in history. So why is the church in Europe and America stagnant or declining, and what will it take for that to change? The Kingdom Unleashed explores God's Kingdom Movements. Central to every movement are the core values of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus proclaimed and modeled throughout His ministry. The authors of The Kingdom Unleashed spent ... read more
Contagious Disciple Making: Leading Others on a Journey of Discovery
David Watson, Paul Watson
It is hard to deny that today’s world can seem apathetic toward Christians. Some may look down at their iPhones when we mention God, motion for the check when we bring up church, or casually change the subject when we talk about prayer. In a world full of people whose indifference is greater than their desire to know Christ, how can we dream of growing the church?In Contagious Disciple Making,... read more
I Know His Name with DVD: Discovering Power in the Names of God (InScribed Collection)
Wendy Blight, InScribed
In this five-session Bible study, Wendy Blight implements her practical and approachable style to equip readers to study the Word of God and then apply it to their own lives in practical ways. This study is for any woman who wants to move beyond simply knowing about God to really knowing God in a very personal way. Join Wendy as she teaches how the very names of God reveal His character and he... read more
Dive Deeper: Finding Deep Faith Beyond Shallow Religion (InScribed Collection)
Jenifer Jernigan, InScribed
Equip yourself to fall deeply in love with God's Word through this unique, interactive Bible study. Delving into the book of Ephesians, Dive Deeper is a tool for women—those who might be satisfied and content with their Bible study and for those who find themselves fearful or numb—to d.i.v.e.(define, investigate, visualize, embrace) deeper into the living and active Word of God.Dive Deeper com... read more
Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human
Smith, Judah, Bubba Watson, Watson, Bubba
Alee has 2 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Working with Alee is always like a breath of fresh air. Her ability to listen to our creative vision and then bring it to life through well hone technical skill as well as a keen sense of empathy is truly remarkable. Thank you Alee for the partnership and all of the wisdom you have shared along the way!
Phillip Stoller, July 2020
Reply from Alee Anderson
Alee is SUCH a gift to work with! She’s a talented and experienced writer and editor, so it was easy to trust her as a professional. More importantly, it was easy to trust her as a person. Writing a memoir is an enormously vulnerable undertaking, and collaborating with someone like Alee who provides both skill and compassion makes all the difference. Could not recommend her more highly.
Hanna Kaufman, June 2020
Reply from Alee Anderson
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