“A very accurate writer”
Slash
“Paul is a great writer and interviewer”
Patty Schnyder
"Unpretentious
and neat"
“A gem of a writer”
Jim Lawless
Motivational speaker and author
“Paul’s editing work is first class
and he's a pleasure to work with”
Glenn Harrold
Hypnotherapist and author
“A wonderfully proficient
ghostwriting chameleon
and polymath”
KT Forster
Former head of
Virgin Books
“Paul has a lovely
turn of phrase”
Martin Roach
Publisher & author
“A fascinating and
insightful author”
Tom Butler-Bowdon
Author
“Tremendous, expert
researcher and writer”
Big Issue
“Paul certainly writes very well”
David Haviland
Writer and publisher
“Writes with genuine
insight.
A superb researcher
and writer”
Record Collector
“Very talented and
very capable”
Margaret Nolan
Bond girl and actress
“Wonderful; Paul asks
great questions”
Leslie Easterbrook
“I’m in awe of his ability
to ghostwrite a biography”
Ray Robinson
British Champion wrestler
“I highly recommend Paul Stenning.
He created a biography for me that
is informational, well-organized, easy to read,
and looks good. When I had concerns,
he addressed them with understanding and patience.
I was impressed with his knowledge of the
ins and outs of this ultra-demanding type of
writing. He navigated exacting requirements
which is never easy; it’s not for the inexperienced.
Thank you, Paul, for making my biography a reality!”
Robin Frederick,
Songwriter, Producer
What does a ghostwriter do?
Ghostwriting is simply the art of putting someone else's story into the most relevant and readable format, fit for public consumption. Many people prefer to work with an expert when compiling their life story. Most famous or prominent people employ ghostwriters whether it is for their press releases or their life story.
Ghostwriters can also be referred to as co-writers. As part of the title, my job is to interview and research details of my subject's life - or specific experience - absorbing their style and mannerisms and expressing their story accordingly.
It saves the subject time in learning how to construct a book themselves, and also gives them the required distance and perspective so that all aspects are covered in appropriate detail.
I have a great story – will you write my book with me?
Of course you probably do have a great story. Everyone has a story in them, maybe you have hundreds of good stories. Whether your story, or stories, will make a good book is ultimately quite subjective. As a ghostwriter and experienced author I can give you my opinion on whether your idea or experience is something I can personally put into a feasible book format.
Ideally you will be able to summarise your story/request in a few sentences. I write between two and three books per year depending on my schedule.
Will my book be an autobiography or biography?
I can approach your work in the first or third person; it is entirely up to you. You can either present your work as written by yourself, or with myself as co-writer. I can work with total confidentiality, or I can share the work we are doing on my website and beyond.
Are you based in the UK?
I am presently based in Cyprus. However, if you have the means to fund your work then my location will not be a barrier. I regularly travel to the UK and US.
Clients have worked with me when living abroad and I have travelled at their convenience.
The initial meetings and interviews will be in person, after this further notes and conversations/amendments are often completed via email.
How long should my book be and how long will it take to complete?
Obviously, the length of your book is crucial to how long it will take to research and write. Researching will include interviews as well as gleaning any other pertinent information to make sure the finished text is completely factual and accurate.
Once we have discussed your requirements I can give a suggestion as to the expected length of the work and therefore the time this might take.
As a rough guide:
A short story can be created for those on tighter budgets or who wish for a quick production, such as for a special anniversary or occasion.
A 30 page book might require 3-5 hours of interview or research time and will take somewhere in the region of 4-8 weeks from start to finish.
A 100 page book might require 5-10 hours of interview time and will take somewhere in the region of 10-14 weeks from start to finish.
A 200 page book might require 10-20 hours of interview or research time and will take somewhere in the region of 6 months from start to finish.
A 300 page book might require 20-30 hours of interview or research time and will take somewhere in the region of 8 months from start to finish.
A 500 page book might require 40 hours of interview or research time and will take somewhere in the region of one year from start to finish.
The interview process depends on the client and their preferences. We might work with an hour here or there, or it might be two weeks of interviewing daily 9-5. I am extremely flexible and will always find a way to accommodate the client.
I use a professional audio typist to assist in the production and speed of the work.
Will you work for free in advance for a high royalty payment?
As writing is my only source of income and I have a family to support, unfortunately I cannot ever agree to this arrangement.
It is often truly unfortunate from my perspective to have to explain this to clients. On the other hand, I am sure you will agree that few people will work months of 8-10 hour days for no payment, but merely on a promise!
Do we have a contract?
Yes, always. The contract protects both parties; the client is totally protected and guaranteed to receive the best work. I follow terms from the Society of Authors.
What is the procedure for making payment?
There are usually two options for larger projects, which the client chooses to their satisfaction:
1) The value of the agreement is split into two or three. One half, or one third of payment is made upon signature of the contract. The client then makes a payment upon delivery of a certain number of words until the contract and manuscript is fulfilled.
2) A deposit is made upon signature of contract (usually one third) and then monthly payments are made). For example, if the agreement is for the book to be completed within 10 months, after the deposit payment is made, the remaining balance is split into ten monthly payments.
For smaller projects, payment is usually made in two payments - one half in advance and one half upon delivery of half the contracted word count.
If you prefer, you can pay for the full value of the contract in advance.
Can I chat with you to tell you more?
This page is to save time by providing a lot of the information clients always need to know in advance. However, each person is different and an informal chat is always useful to establish what you are looking for and how the process might begin, as well as your budget. Your understanding of how you wish the book to be, as well as your budget, are of crucial importance.
