Getting it Right: Ghost-writing memoirs & biography

Getting
Location: London
Address: Waterstones Piccadilly, 203-206 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1V 9LE
Event time: 6.30pm
Discussion with Andrew Crofts and Mark McCrum chaired by Nicola Solomon

Event details

Celebrate All Hallows Day with a foray into ghost writing. Have you ever fancied ghosting someone else’s story but don’t know how to go about it?

Come and hear experienced ghosts Andrew Crofts and Mark McCrum tell you how to advertise your services, win clients and write successful ghosted works.

Chaired by Nicola Solomon, the panel will discuss the legal and practical considerations and the ups and downs of a ghost’s life. Prepare to be entertained and informed. Do you dare miss it?

Tickets

Tickets cost £12 for members and £15 for guests, you can book your space via Eventbrite or by calling 020 7373 6642 and quoting event code 634.

Any questions? Get in touch at PRosenberg@societyofauthors.org

Speakers

Andrew Crofts is a ghostwriter and author who has published more than eighty books, a dozen of which were Sunday Times number one bestsellers. He has also guided a number of international clients successfully through the minefield of independent publishing.

Andrew’s name first became known among publishers for the stories he brought them by the otherwise disenfranchised. Travelling all over the world he worked with victims of enforced marriages in North Africa and the Middle East, sex workers in the Far East, orphans in war-torn areas like Croatia and dictatorships like Romania, victims of crimes and abused children everywhere. 

As well as using traditional publishers to reach readers, he has also published his own fiction, most recently “Secrets of the Italian Gardener”, which draws on his experience amongst the powerful and wealthy. He is currently ghostwriting a memoir for a survivor of the Rwandan genocide.

His books on writing include “Ghostwriting”, (A&C Black) and “The Freelance Writer’s Handbook”, (Piatkus), which has been reprinted eight times over twenty years and “Confessions of a Ghostwriter” (Friday Project)..

Andrew was on the Management Committee of the Society of Authors from 2012 to 2015. He lectures on the subject of making a living from writing and frequently guests at writing workshops, literary festivals and in the media. He blogs regularly on matters pertaining to publishing, self-publishing and writing.


Mark McCrum began his career as a travel writer, with well-received books about Southern Africa (Happy Sad Land), Australia (No Worries) and Ireland (The Craic). He then turned to documenting two landmark television series in 1900 House and Castaway 2000, before going on tour round Europe with Robbie Williams, which he documented in the no 1 bestseller Somebody Someday.

His next book was Going Dutch In Beijing, a light-hearted account of the differences in etiquette around the world. He then wrote Walking With The Wounded, telling the powerful story of four wounded soldiers and their successful attempt to reach the North Pole.

As a ghost writer he has worked for a variety of clients, including victims of forced marriage (Jack and Zena, Shame Travels); the TV explorer Bruce Parry (Tribe); and global language expert Adam Jacot de Boinot (The Meaning of Tingo, Toujours Tingo etc). His most recent book is Fest, a murder mystery set at a literary festival. www.markmccrum.com

 

Nicola Solomon is the Chief Executive of the SoA. She is a solicitor with over 30 years’ experience in intellectual property and media law. NIcola has an in depth knowledge of the publishing industry and the many associated legal areas, from copyright and defamation, to privacy, data protection and contract.