FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do I need to publish a book?

If you are an entrepreneur, a business leader, or a top professional competing in a tough marketplace such as law, medicine, consulting, real estate or financial services, you must have your own business book the way your competitors need business cards.

Of all your competitors, how many of them have authored books?

If you write a book, you’re the one who stands out. You get to define your own image, and your company’s image, to the prospects whom you want to influence the most. Nothing makes you the preeminent trusted advisor in your field like having your name on your own book.

Q: I’m busy - how can I fit writing a book into my schedule?

Only busy people need to become authors! The expert writers at The Published Executive have vast experience working with A-level business leaders, entertainers, celebrities, and sports figures who all have one thing in common. They’re busy.

We specialize in making the most efficient use of your valuable time. Our interview process is designed to be both highly effective and highly enjoyable. We understand that your time is your most valuable asset. We work closely with you to protect your time, so that you can keep on doing the things that have brought you into the public eye. We guarantee that your book will not get in the way of your life!

Q: Who does what at BusinessGhost?

Every client meets with Michael in order to plan his or her book—to determine answers to the questions raised earlier. These questions, once again, are: What is the market for the book? What body of knowledge that the author already possesses would cause the readership of the book to take a step the author wishes them to take, and how do we break down that material into a workable Table of Contents?

In many ways, this is the most important work that must take place, because without it, there is no clearcut plan as to what book should be written and in what order the material in that book should be presented. That’s why only Michael handles this important step.

At that point, depending on the nature of the book, either Michael, Bree Barton, or Teresa Spencer, the BusinessGhost team, will handle the interviews. Michael writes or co-writes all drafts of all chapters of our clients’ books. All members of the BusinessGhost team—Bree, Teresa, and Michael—have extensive experience interviewing and writing, and the quality of their work is uniformly high.

Q: What kind of experience does your team have?

Our accomplished business ghostwriting team is one of the very best in the nation, having written for numerous private clients, focusing on finance, technology, consulting, real estate, medical devices, health care, insurance, philanthropy, and many other topics. Our client list includes a member of the Forbes 400, the number two man of a second individual on the Forbes 400, three different investors and business people each with net worths of over half a billion dollars, and business leaders across the country.

Q: How long will it take to write my book?

In many cases, we can write your entire book in less than one month–and have it ready for the publisher. We pride ourselves on our remarkably fast turn-around times – an ability that sets us apart from our peers.

Q: Does BusinessGhost enter into joint ventures with its clients?

Very rarely. We have found that things go best when the relationship between BusinessGhost and our clients is simple and clearcut. All work we perform is “work made for hire,” which means that our clients own all rights in the work created for them. Copyright and sole author credit belongs to our clients as well. All our work is performed for a flat fee, so that our clients have complete certainty about the cost of the project. Except in rare cases, if a project takes longer than expected, BusinessGhost bears the cost of the extra work.

We do not benefit from speaking engagement fees, consulting business, appearance fees, or any other revenue our books generate for our clients. To put it simply, our clients own their books one hundred percent and enjoy one hundred percent of the revenue and benefits their books create for them.

Joint ventures can work, but they can also disappoint and fail. We find it easier and simpler to work on a “work made for hire” basis and thus avoid the special challenges that partnerships often create.

Q: What about getting a deal with a traditional publisher?

In certain circumstances, we encourage our clients to seek deals with major publishers. While it seems to be the goal of every author to get such a deal, the reality is that there are numerous downsides to publishing deals. While the author does receive an advance—a sum of money paid by the publisher for the right to publish the book—and also benefits from the publisher’s distribution network, the author also gives up a lot.

First, the author loses time. Typically, a publisher will “slot” a new book it acquires for a period of time one to two years into the future. This means that the author will not benefit from his or her book for a period of six to eighteen months. That’s a lot of money to leave on the table, when one considers the new clients, speaking fees, and national attention a self-published book can earn its clients.

In addition, the traditional publishing industry today is in disarray, and it is more likely than ever that an editor who acquires a book on behalf of a publisher will not be working at that publishing house by the time the book comes out one to two years later. In today’s economy, it is also possible that one or more major publishers will simply not survive, meaning that the rights of all of the books of that publisher could be tied up in bankruptcy court or litigation for an inordinate amount of time.

Finally, distribution into bookstores only means that for a short period of time, usually just a matter of weeks or a few months, the book will be available to browsers. Our clients have a targeted, niche market who may or may not happen to wander into a bookstore during that brief window and notice that particular book.

For all these reasons, unless our client is already nationally famous and has a book that would be controversial or of unusual interest to major shows like Oprah or 60 Minutes, we believe that self-publishing is best for authors who want to get their books to the marketplace quickly, have complete control over their books, and make money immediately from their books instead of waiting a year or two.

Q: What will my finished book look like?

Your book will have a distinct, beautiful cover, designed personally for you by one of the best book designers in the United States, Dottie Albertine. Dottie handles the cover design, interior design, and interior layout, and also works directly with the printer to ensure the highest quality for your book. Each BusinessGhost book is distinct and attractive, a volume that physically conveys the authority and professionalism of its author in a distinct and attractive way.

Q: Why are BusinessGhost books typically 150 to 175 pages?

BusinessGhost books are generally trade paperbacks, 5½ inches by 7½ inches, and 150 to 175 pages in length. As noted elsewhere on this website, readers today prefer shorter books. The Internet has changed the attention span of the reader, creating an expectation that an author will be able to identify all of the issues surrounding a topic and provide clear, relevant answers and action steps, in a relatively short work.

Twenty or thirty years ago, readers preferred authors who aggregated tons of information into long books. Today, however, tastes have changed, and readers most admire those authors who can “cut to the chase” and provide specific answers in a short space of time. We are awash in information; readers equate authority and leadership with those individuals who can get right to the bottom line and specify what facts, trends, ideas, and solutions are most important and effective in today’s world. That’s why BusinessGhost recommends books of 150 to 175 pages.

Q: How does the book actually get printed?

Some clients use traditional printers. Increasingly, BusinessGhost clients use print-on-demand publishing, an exciting new alternative for individuals who want their books available RIGHT NOW. Print-on-demand publishing means that 90 days after your manuscript is complete, it is printed and available on amazon.com and can be ordered in bookstores.

Q: How does print on demand publishing work?

You email your completed manuscript to a print-on-demand publisher. Within 90 days, the publisher will format your book, design the cover, provide ISBN numbers and bar codes, and list it on amazon.com and with Barnes & Noble and Borders. They will send you 10 free copies and you can order more at deep discounts, all for a one-time set-up fee of less than $500.

When you do media appearances, you can say, ‘You can find my book on amazon.com!’ Your prospects then go to amazon…or visit their local bookseller… and order your book. Your print-on-demand publisher takes the order from amazon or the bookstore, credits your royalty account, then prints and ships the book to the customer. You don ‘t have to make an investment with a printer, or have the proverbial ‘garage full of books,’ and you don ‘t have to make repeated trips to the post office to send out copies.

It all happens instantaneously…and without you having to do a thing. In addition, you retain all the rights to your book, so if you get a book deal with a traditional publisher, you can cancel your print-on-demand relationship at any time.

Q: What’s your availability?

Due to the high demand for our services, and to guarantee the highest level of professionalism, BusinessGhost takes on very few clients at any one time.

Q: What if I’m not happy with how it is going?

You can stop work at any time and you will owe nothing further under your agreement.

Q: What if I’m traveling or have a jammed schedule?

BusinessGhost clients are top performers and thus are constantly in demand. We understand this and we work with our clients’ schedules to maximize their convenience.

Q: Can I talk with other BusinessGhost clients?

Naturally, references are available upon request.

If you have any other questions that aren’t answered here, please contact us.

You’ve done the work to be a business success. You’ve blazed the trail. Don’t you think it’s time that you received the full recognition you deserve for all your hard work? Imagine the respect and reputation you will garner, not to mention the increased revenue opportunities that comes from being the recognized authority in your field. Contact us today and we will help you do just that.

John Hope Bryant
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Operation HOPE, Inc.

“Michael is an outstanding writer and a good guy to work with. He enhanced the outreach and work of Operation HOPE. I definitely recommend him.”