San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson, aka “The Beard,” is a character. He is arguably the most dynamic character in professional baseball today, and possibly all time.
At the moment, he is on my TV showing off a toy gnome created in his likeness, while exuberantly exclaiming things like “gnome-tacular,” “gnom-ians” and “Deedle deedle dee, I’m a gnome!” Gotta love a good character.
As a ghostwriter, I’ve written about many different characters. Some people might this this as an unusual way of describing the real life people I write about in business, biographical and other nonfiction books. I see it as a way of adding impact to the creative process – and it’s wicked fun!
Beards and gnomes aside, we are each one-of-a-kind characters with unique stories to tell – whether of business, of life passions, of life in general or otherwise. When writing on behalf of someone else, in my mind they become a character, the main character in the book. The people they talk about, supporting characters. Their words and information conveyed to me, the plotline. Each book tells a story and I always feel privileged to be the one who gets to tell it.
The most exciting part of the ghostwriting process for me, quite honestly, is the development phase. Just like a good novelist, this is when I figure out and flesh out the book characters, discover the story that needs to be told and brainstorm the best, most creative way to tell it. I have also been known to select a song or group of songs as my “inspiration music” for a new project.
In the world of baseball, the development phase is like the pitcher warming up in the bullpen before the game. Brian Wilson, in the same TV segment today, said that this is by far his favorite part of the game. Not the actual experience of being on the mound, pitching or successfully saving the game – but the preparation process (which, like mine, also includes music).
In the world of ghostwriting, I know that the more I prepare, and the more fun (creativity is F-U-N!) I have in development, the better, and less painfully, the actual writing process goes. And for those times when the pipelines of creativity do get clogged, I might have to track down one of those Beard gnomes and make it my imagination good luck charm. Baseball players aren’t the only superstitious characters.
 “So as a ghostwriter, do you write books for people who don’t want their name on a book cover so they use yours instead?”
Yes, that’s right, I write for mob informants in hiding. Of all the frequently asked questions I get about ghostwriting, this wins the “Bizarro World” award. (Seinfeld fans will recall this as a world of opposites.)
Q: So what DO you do then?
A: As a ghostwriter, I write books for people who want their names on a book cover but need a little help, ranging from collaboration to the whole shebang – all the words, cover to cover.
Q: Don’t you ever want to see your own name on a book cover?
A: Sometimes… although I’m so busy writing other people’s books that I’ll probably have to hire my own ghostwriter someday!
Q: What kinds of books do you ghostwrite?
A: Nonfiction, biographies, personal development, even fiction style stories. I specialize in the ultra personal and ultra creative; often taking on projects that other ghostwriters aren’t exactly lining up, quill in hand, to tackle.
Q: How do you know what to write?
A: My mom can confirm that I’ve enjoyed the art of conversation since a young age. Ghostwriting involves a series of phone conversations where as a literary therapist I extract what is needed from the client’s psyche to tell their story the way they would tell it.
Q: How do your clients edit your work, add to it, and offer suggestions?
A: I prefer Microsoft Word tracked changes but faxed hard copy edits are also acceptable. Although, based on the range of technological savvy I’ve seen, one of these days I’m fully expecting a carrier pigeon with the edits in its beak to come knocking on my office window.
Q: Can you tell me which books you’ve written?
A: No.
Q: Why not?
A: Because someone is liable to send mob informants after me.
 This week's blog entry comes from one of our Christine, Ink. team members Lucy Hunt.
Creativity (n): The use of imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.
See also: innovation, individuality, vision, enterprise, and resourcefulness.
I believe that creativity is among all us. Whether you believe it about yourself or not…
I used to find myself sitting in front of my keyboard and a sudden cloud of fear and confusion would set over me. I still have this happen on occasion, but I have discovered many techniques to clear away the cloud and get the creative juices flowing.
Even the best artists need help sometimes. The infamous “writer’s block” can consume the most creative person.
Here are some tricks to unlock your inner creativity:
1. Give yourself a break. Being creative isn’t limited to painting the Sistine Chapel or penning a novel. You can always get creative in “ordinary life” with things like cooking dinner, putting together a great outfit, doing your hair, or decorating your home.
2. Discover what you love to write about and draw upon the excitement of your discovery whenever you’re feeling blocked creatively. Remember the moment, the thrill you felt from your creative brainstorm and learn to channel it at will!
3. Read and read and read some more. Learning, enjoying and finding insights from the words of others has a wonderful way of sparking creativity from within. While you’re reading all those words, whether in novels, magazines, blogs or even billboards, take notice of the style (or styles) of writing that appeal to you and work to model it in your own writing.
4. When blocked by something you don’t like, take a break and write something you do like. This can be especially true when you “have to” write something for work or school and the thought of it makes you want to crawl back under the covers. When this happens, and you’re feeling hopeless and mentally drained, take a break and recharge your creative mind by writing something you enjoy! Once you return to the task at hand, you’ll undoubtedly find it less of a struggle.
5. Practice makes perfect. This is true of almost every part of our lives, but it must be said here too. When you want to write, write. When you don’t want to write, write. Creativity will come to you much more naturally if you are used to having to write all the time in different ways.
Here’s to your creativity!
 My muscles are flexed and on fire when suddenly (and quite cruelly), a guy named Gilad on one of my workout DVDs cheerfully announces, “let’s take inventory!” The weight stays in the air, muscles remain flexed and on fire and Gilad goes through a checklist of all the things I should be aware of that are happening with my body. “Are our arms still at 90 degrees?” “Are our abdominals still pulled in?” “Are you ready to slap me through your TV set yet?”
When is the last time you took inventory of the words you use to communicate your message to your audience? Is your message consistent, clear, creative, continuous and impactful across all your means of written and verbal communication?
Let’s find out:
1. First, gather together the “scripts” from all the ways you communicate your message verbally – the words your audience hears. For example, your elevator pitch, TV and radio ads, and videos. If you don’t already have these items typed up, take a moment to do so now.
2. Now gather together your written communications – the words your audience sees. For example your website content, social media posts, brochures, and postcards.
3. Clear a large flat space and spread out all your words, both written and verbal, so you can seem them all at the same time. Feel free to use your computer or tablet to view your “virtual” words like the ones on your website or social media posts. The objective is to SEE all your words, as if placed together in a collage.
4. Take a few minutes to look at your words, ideas and messages and what they are communicating to you, without judging or editing. If your words did indeed make up a collage, what would the title be?
5. There’s an old children’s program song that goes, “Which of these things is not like the other?” Make a note of any words, ideas or messages that stand out as completely different than the rest of the collage (again – without judging or editing).
6. Grab a highlighter and highlight what you like. Use a marker to cross out anything that isn’t speaking to you.
7. Document the results of this exercise and any “ah-ha” moments you experienced.
Our goal here on the “Christine’s Ink” blog for 2012, is to add clarity, consistency, continuity, creativity and impact to your words inventory. If it sounds like a daunting task, take a deep breath and realize that this exercise was just step one. We have 12 whole months to accomplish the whole goal!
Some blogs will look like this one, with actionable, step-by-step exercises designed to work toward our big 2012 goal (“adding clarity to your website,” for example). Others blogs are intended to serve as creative inspiration and reminders that sharing your words is meant to be a joyful experience. After all, we have Gilad for the other stuff. Happy Impact 2012, thanks for subscribing by clicking "RSS Feed" on the right, and see you again soon!
|
RSS Feed