Scott Carbonara

Scott Carbonara – Ghostwriter

Ranked as the #3 top ghostwriter in the US by Ghostwriters and Co.; former award-winning crisis counselor and healthcare executive.

Overview

I always told myself I would write my book once I retired. In 2008, I took the first step in that direction when I left active employment as the executive chief-of-staff of a multi-billion-dollar healthcare company to enter my "what now?" phase. That's when I wrote my first book--and started speaking and consulting full-time.

A second and third book soon followed.

My editor at the time said I was the best writer she'd ever worked with. I really liked her, but she was fairly expensive for me since I was in business start-up mode. So I married her--which didn't necessarily save money, but...

Through my wife, I met other authors who asked me to write content for their books. Over the years, I ghostwrote book sections, advised authors on their content, and continued to author my own books. I've been published by McGraw Hill, John Wiley & Sons, and have an upcoming book with Business Expert Press. And I began ghostwriting entire books for others--including a former NFL player and a TV star.

As the CEO of a consulting/training organization, I speak across the world for groups and companies ranging from IT to banking, education to healthcare, project management to human resources, manufacturing to government. While my keynotes and workshops combine my experiences and positive psychology research, each session is story-based, which is like putting candy-coating around a learning pill. Stories are the tools of my trade. When I ran a residential group home for at-risk youth and served as an award-winning crisis counselor, I used stories to teach kids. As an executive specializing in employee engagement, customer loyalty, strategic communication, and change management, I used stories to share my vision and educate 13,000 employees.

I love creating dialogue and getting into the head of an author. My process involves interviews up front to learn your story, and equally as important, your voice. The questions I ask probe beyond just what happened or what you want to share, into "the why." I love working on books that show triumph amidst pain. I have experience crafting books (including memoirs) on addiction, mental health, positive psychology, leadership, and more.

I know how to write a story that creates tears followed by laughter, understanding that emotions impact readers. If there's a way to generate laughter, I build it in. When an author needs a safe place to share a tragic event, I offer compassion, catharsis, and healing.

NOTE: I don't overbook, wishing to give each client the same personal attention that I expect when I'm the customer, while being mindful of desired timelines. Your book deserves no less from me. I communicate readily, and I meet the timelines we agree to up front. As a recent client told me, "You were worth the wait!"

Ghostwritten books endorsed by--
~ Jack Canfield, coauthor of best-selling book series "Chicken Soup for the Soul"
~ Gary Chapman, author of "The Five Love Languages"
~ Jennifer Gimenez, American super model, actress, and addiction recovery advocate
~ Nido Qubein, author, business entrepreneur, and president of High Point University


Testimonials:
"I've had a story to tell for years, but I'm not a writer. Hiring Scott was the best decision I made to get my book done. Through interviews, Scott asked questions I hadn't even thought about. The book he wrote blew me away. It was my story, in my voice. But it was even better. He was able to deal with my painful story and make it something I'm proud to share. He created a story arc that made me want to read it. I can't wait until it comes out. If you want your story told right, by someone who cares enough to bring out the best, hire Scott."
~ Randy Grimes, former NFL player, upcoming book Off Center

"I've never been able to write, so I knew I needed someone to write my book. As a busy consultant, I also didn't have time to figure out how to make it happen. Scott made it easy. He sat with me for in-depth interviews. The story he came up completely outdid any expectations I had. He's gifted at getting my voice. He made it a page-turner that people don't want to put down. I can't tell you how many people have told me it changed their lives, and an added bonus was, it was so well written. It's opened doors for me to speak and help people around the country. I can't recommend Scott enough if you want someone who will tell your story like it is and even advise on the publishing process."
~ Tim Ryan, TV star of A&E's "Dope Man," author of "From Dope to Hope"

"I don't know if there's a word for it, but I have the opposite of 'buyer's remorse.' I don't know what we would have done had we not found you. I couldn't be happier with our decision to have you write this book."
~ A recent corporate client emailed me the statement above after they had worked with another ghostwriter for six months and still didn't have a working manuscript.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Business & Management Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Horror
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Family Therapist of the Year (1993) for the State of Michigan
  • Speaker of the Year (2017), MO-PMI
Certifications
  • Prosci Organization Change Management Certified Professional (2007)
  • FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) (2005)
  • Aubrey Daniels Institute Certified, Performance Management / Behavioral Coaching (1997)
  • Boys Town Certified Residential Family-Teacher (1989-1991) / In-home Crisis Counselor (1992-1994)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jun, 2009 — Present

Ghostwriter / Author / CEO / Leadership and Communications Consultant / Coach / Keynote Speaker

Managing partner delivering ghostwriting, international training, speaking, executive coaching, strategic communication, change management, organizational development, and marketing/branding services to leaders and organizations.

* Authored A Manager’s Guide to Employee Engagement, McGraw Hill; Go Positive: Lead to Engage (coauthor/lead writer, training program), John Wiley and Sons; Firsthand Lessons, Secondhand Dogs; Don’t Throw Underwear on the Table and Other Lessons Learned at Work.

* Coauthored self-leadership book, Getting It Right When It Matters Most (TBD, 2020,) to improve outcomes of moments that matter in leadership and life.

* Authored Paint Won't Cover that Stain (Spiritus, publication date TBD).

* Ghostwrote House Mouse to Healer, From Dope to Hope: A Man in Recovery and Off Center.

* Ghostwrote/contributed content on communication, motivation, and employee engagement to: Leaders-Start to Finish, ASTD; Solving Employee Performance Problems, McGraw Hill; Motivating Employees, McGraw Hill; A Manager's Guide to Navigating Change.

* Developmental edited and coached for Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison.

* Wrote plan and marketing, launched, and managed inaugural “National Sports Summit” event with NFL, MLB, and other sports agencies in attendance, to facilitate referrals for substance abuse disorders; managed press coverage of treatment center, including by The New York Times.

* Wrote scripts for and produced countless branding video series and press materials to showcase clients’ service differentiators from the customers’ POV.

* Wrote communications for, consulted, coached, and trained leadership team at multiple global and Fortune 500 companies including healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, government (local, state, federal, and foreign), etc.

Self-employed

May, 1995 — May, 2009 (about 14 years)

After starting as a management development specialist in the Human Resources department, I took promotions into Operations where I created departments overseeing strategic communications, employee engagement, customer experience, training and development. Relevant work includes:

* Developed learning curriculum for supervisors-director level leaders;
* Served as speechwriter for various senior executives;
* Created and implemented quarterly leadership meeting content for top 10% of the organization; and
* Authored multiple internal newsletters for employee-executives.

Portfolio

Scott has 11 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Melissa R.

Melissa R.

Apr, 2024

I'm still working with Scott but it's been such a phenomenal experience so far! Exceeds my expectations by a lot. I'd highly recommend him - he's brilliant, creative, understanding, and communicates clearly and in a very timely manner. 5 stars all across the board!
Scott C.
Melissa has an amazing story, and she's very receptive to feedback. She takes her writing seriously. I can't wait to see her book as it unfolds!
Hermione Hela V.

Hermione Hela V.

Aug, 2023

Working with Scott has been an utmost pleasure. He truly helped me bring my envisioned story to life on the page, and I couldn’t be happier with the end result. I feel incredibly proud of the book and what was accomplished. Scott understood my vision and enhanced it in ways that exceeded my expectations. I feel fortunate to have found an editor I can trust with my fictional creations. Thanks to...
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Scott C.
I loved seeing your story come alive, and I'm looking forward to holding a final, published copy in my hands!
Heaven H.

Heaven H.

Apr, 2023

It has been a very healing journey working with Scott. He is an incredible empath who understands and feels what I convey with my limited language skill (my native tongue is not American). He uses his imagination to fill the gaps and create a story that adds depth and aliveness. At first, I wasn't sure how a man will accurately express a woman. That worry soon faded as he was better than me ...
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Scott C.
Thank you, Heawon. I learned so much working with you on this journey. I love your story and know readers will feel a similar healing in their souls as they read.
Kathy H.

Kathy H.

Feb, 2023

Scott has been wonderful to work with. His feedback has been very valuable and has transformed my story to a well written work that captures the readers' interest and engages them on an emotional level. I have learned a lot!
Scott C.
Thank you for working with me, Kathy. You have a powerful story that needs to be told.
Blake B.

Blake B.

Mar, 2022

Scott is truly a class act and a real gem. He made the process as easy as it can be. He also was the right balance of working on my time schedule (at a slower pace than he probably wanted) and gently following-up occasionally to keep the project on task. The book turned out excellent and if I write another book in the future, Scott will be my first call as I would hire Scott again in a hear...
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Scott C.
I loved working with Blake and coming alongside him on his story about getting an early onset Parkinson's Disease diagnosis. He spoke with an honest, vulnerable voice, and I know his book will be a...
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