Sally Collings – Ghostwriter

I help nonfiction authors clarify what their book is really trying to do—and then build it so the structure, argument, and narrative all pull in the same direction.

As a USA Today bestselling ghostwriter and former acquisitions editor at HarperCollins, I bring execution skill and publishing judgment to every project. I know what decision-makers look for, where projects tend to falter, and how to strengthen a book before time and money are wasted in the wrong direction.

My work typically involves:

—Clarifying the book’s core idea and reader promise

—Strengthening positioning so the book is legible to the market

—Designing or reworking structure to support momentum and clarity

—Helping authors decide what to write next, what to cut, and what to rethink

Some clients come to me with a strong concept or proposal that needs shaping before submission. Others have partial or complete manuscripts that require strategic redesign before new writing can move forward. In both cases, the goal is the same: to build the right book, not just add more pages.

I’m especially well-suited to projects in:

—Narrative nonfiction

—Prescriptive nonfiction

—Thought-leadership and big-idea books

—Memoir with a clear commercial or platform-driven aim

I work best with authors who want a strategic partner, not just a pair of hands. People who value clarity, structure, and honest feedback as much as elegant prose.

My background spans more than two decades in publishing, from in-house acquisitions to ghostwriting and long-form development. Books I’ve worked on have become USA Today bestsellers and won awards, and I’ve collaborated closely with authors, agents, and publishers throughout the process. That inside view of how books are evaluated and acquired informs every project I take on.