Doug Wagner – Ghostwriter

It sounds obvious that stories need to create a connection with readers, but how many have you read that didn’t quite reach you? That engaged your mind but not your heart? That you’ve totally forgotten by now? Connecting with readers on an emotional level is critical to creating something they’ll remember (it’s just science), and as I’m guessing you’ve noticed, it’s not a common skill. It takes a genuine interest in others, a commitment to human progress, an ego in service to something bigger than itself—in other words, a desire to help.

I’m here to help. To help you help others by sharing your profound experiences or ideas (or both). In your voice and in a way that connects.

It’s not as easy as it sounds. Many first-time authors don’t know what their voice is or should be. It usually isn’t just a matter of writing like you talk—that can get pretty informal. The goal is a voice that captures attention because it sounds authentic and not quite like any other. A voice that reflects your uniqueness. And after 17 years of ghostwriting and coaching and 39 years of editing, I have an ear for voices—the distinctions that make them compelling and bring stories to life.

A unique voice is critical to connecting with readers. Without that, they might as well be talking to ChatGPT. Of all the collaborations I’ve worked on, the one I’m proudest of is a memoir that won the Gold Medal in the inspirational category of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s annual awards. The award confirmed that we’d forged a connection with readers that carried them all the way through the story. We came up with a voice they trusted and opened themselves to, and judging by the testimonials, many of them came away with a new perspective.

That book has gone on to sell more than 100,000 copies, and while much of the credit goes to the author’s promotional efforts, the word-of-mouth sales couldn’t happen if the book hadn’t had an emotional impact on readers and served them in some way. Whether you want to inspire readers to action or to reflection, you need to open that channel. And I can help you do it. I’ve helped scientists, extreme athletes and tough-as-nails businessmen to be vulnerable with readers, and I even helped a guy save his marriage with a love story.

It comes down to relationship-building—between us and between you and the reader—and that takes time and talk. If you want a meaningful book in three months, that’s one thing I can’t help you with. But if you have more time than that, let’s talk.