Rebekah Moan

September 7, 2023September 9, 2023

Are You Dreaming? Or Delusional?

I spend a lot of time thinking about dreams, both my own and other people’s. It goes along with being a writer. As a freelance journalist, I write about other people’s dreams all the time. As a novelist, I have a dream I’d like to come true. And as a ghostwriter for therapists, sometimes I literally write about dreams in the form of dream interpretation.

What I find endlessly fascinating is the difference between a dream and a delusion. There are people who go on reality shows like American Idol or The X Factor and truly think they’re the next Adele. But then what comes out of their mouth is a screeching warble.

Some of them seem genuinely surprised to hear they don’t have a great voice. They’re dumbfounded as to why they didn’t advance to the next round. Maybe they’re acting. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to go on national television just to embarrass themselves, but that’s me. It could also be maybe they’re not acting. I don’t know what to say about those people, especially when you have curveballs like Andre Ingram.

His dream seemed absolutely delusional but it wasn’t. At 32, he became a rookie for the LA Lakers (!!!).

basketball — Sometimes a dream seems unlikely but then it happens. Photo by Edgar Chaparro on Unsplash

Since he was 8 years old, Andre dreamed of playing for the NBA. He played in high school and then at American University, my alma mater. Once he graduated, he toiled for years in the NBA’s minor league. And I mean toiled – he made $13,000 for the entire season in the minor leagues, which is less than what NBA players make for a couple of games. He tutored kids in math while his wife also worked.

He says he thought about quitting several times, and some friends advised the same, or to find a better payday overseas. But he persisted.

“Every time I was ready to jump off that ledge something pulled me back,” he said. “Whether it was in training, when I’m hitting every shot I take, or in the weight room getting encouraged by the guys. My story is to let that voice, let that encouragement, pull you back in.”

Andre is the oldest American rookie in the NBA since 1964. His story begs the question, “At what point does a person give up on their dream?”

Bay Area content writer — It’s a good question. Photo by eunice lituanas on unsplash.

“When is it harmful to keep believing something will happen? At what point is it better to let it go?” As a freelance ghostwriter for therapists, and a novelist myself, I get it. There are many times when it feels easier to give up, throw in the towel. To say, “I won’t write this after all,” or “It’s unlikely I’ll ever be as popular as ____.”

Here’s why I love Andre’s story: I’m sure many people told him it was unlikely he’d ever play in the NBA. A 32-year-old with gray hairs competing against people 10 years his junior? What are the odds he could share the court with them? But it happened.

The key, I think, is the quote he shared about how something kept pulling him back. Every time he wanted to quit something kept him from doing it. That to me reeks of intuition, which my spiritual teacher says “establishes the link between the crude world and the subtle world. And as a result of a closer link being established between the subtle and spiritual worlds, and as a result of its closer acquaintance with the sweetness of the spiritual world, this intuition guides human beings along the path of spirituality.”

Oakland, CA content writer — The world can be sweet if we follow our intuition. Photo by mi pham on unsplash.

If something keeps coming up over and over again, it’s intuition, guiding a person on their behalf. We don’t know how that journey will unfold, and it likely won’t look the way we want it to, but I have to believe if some dreams don’t disappear, then they are meant to become reality.

Sometimes though (most times?) you need a little help. That could be in the form of training and education. It could also be in the form of hiring a ghostwriter to write your blogs or books. I view myself as the vehicle to bring your dream into the world, not the owner. You likely have so much wisdom to share with the world and I can be the one to help you share it. Do you want to do that?

If you’re ready to grow your business, connect with like-minded individuals, and manifest your dreams, contact me. I only have a few slots left for ghostwriting clients. Are you one of them?

August 7, 2023August 9, 2023

The Two Minutes It Takes To Read This Will Change Your Mind Forever

One of the biggest obstacles people have when thinking about hiring a freelance ghostwriter is they’re scared of putting themselves out there. They say to me, “Rebekah, what if people judge me? What if they say mean things?”

I get it. It can be scary to broadcast your thoughts to the world because what if you get inundated with comments that are negative? What if people misinterpret what you said and then suddenly you’re being cast in a bad light?

I hear you, and as someone who has had a blog for 15 years (and I’ve written a post every week in that time!), let me tell you:

This probably won’t happen.

Whew! What a relief. Take a breather. Photo by Radu Florin on Unsplash

Unless you inadvertently fall into a MAGA den, no one is going to say mean things to you. I can’t guarantee that but what I can share is that not once in my 15 years of writing online has anyone called me a “see you next Tuesday” or said I’m a dumb b*tch that should just go kill herself. Do you know why? Because I don’t have a following in the millions. In other words:

Unless you’re already well-known, most people won’t troll you.

Again, I can’t guarantee that because these things do happen but by and large, if you don’t have a million Instagram followers already, you don’t receive these sorts of comments. If you happen to weigh in on a hot-button issue, then maybe, but most therapists I know are writing about healing and not something that sparks controversy.

Do you know what will likely happen instead?

People will be grateful you posted something.

child clapping — Yay! Thank you for sharing something! Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Every human alive has a need to feel seen and heard. We all want to be understood. We’re yearning for that. C.S. Lewis speaks to this in his quote on friendship:

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

When you write something and share it with the world, someone reading it says, “Whew! Someone else feels the same way I do.” Or, “Wow, yes. This is how I think too.” Why do things go viral? Because they strike a chord with people. They see themselves reflected in the content and feel safe saying, “What this person says, I agree with.”

Not only that, by writing blogposts and books, you’re building your business. I advocate people have a blog because it’s one of the easiest ways to keep your search engine optimization (SEO) up. (In other words, where do you fall on the results page when people google a certain term?) When I’m blogging for someone, it’s easy to drop in certain keywords like “sex therapist in (fill in the blank city).” That means you’re attracting even more people to your business by putting yourself out there.

Throwing confetti in the air. — Yay! Let’s celebrate! Photo by Ambreen Hasan on Unsplash

I know it can feel scary to have an opinion in the digital age because there’s so much strife and argumentativeness but for the majority of people, they don’t experience that. Instead, someone will contact them and say, “Thank you for your post on XYZ. It meant a lot to me.”

If you’re reading this, I know you’re a good person with wisdom to share. Someone will be THRILLED to read a post by you! Having time to write it, well, that’s another story. Good thing you know a freelance ghostwriter who can help with that. . .

If you’re ready to grow your business, connect with like-minded individuals, and live out loud, contact me. I only have a few slots left for ghostwriting clients. Are you one of them?

July 7, 2023July 19, 2023

Growing Your Comfort Zone

Do you ever find you’re cruising right along, doing your thing, feeling like you have a handle on life, and then bam! The universe says, “No, it’s time to grow”? That’s me right now. I’ve worked as a journalist since 2006 but most of my stories have been simple — interview a few people, do some googling, and then done. I’m not someone who has ever written an exposé. I don’t piss off politicians or reveal the dark underbelly of anything. In other words, I wouldn’t call myself an investigative journalist and neither would anyone else.

Buuuuut, now I’m doing investigative journalism work.

It’s not for the Washington Post or anything but I’m holding some people’s feet to the fire in order to change things. They’ve created dangerous living conditions for tenants and as far as I can tell, the city isn’t doing anything about it. Instead of writing one story and dropping it, I’m pursuing the subject and writing follow-ups. I letting these corrupt bigwigs know I’m not going anywhere, which is something I’ve never done before.

As a ghostwriter for therapists, most of my clients haven’t worked with someone like me before. Oftentimes, they have questions about what a ghostwriter does and are scared to put themselves out there. I completely understand! I feel the same way whenever I try something new. However, as Goethe reminds us, “Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

The magic in my life is that a veteran reporter showed up out of the woodwork to coach me. He’s giving me lots of tips about calling this person, researching that, filing a FOIA request, and more. When you step outside your comfort zone, people materialize to help you. These angels in disguise act as cheerleaders telling you, “You can do it! Go ahead and try!”

It reminds me of Paulo Coelho’s book The Alchemist when he writes, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” I’ve seen that over and over again for the things that are meant to be. When I started this business as a ghostwriter for therapists, I thought I would fail. I thought no one would want to work with me, that clients would be nonexistent, and that I’d have to work for someone else. But that isn’t what happened.

Freelance content writer oakland ca — I was surprised too, kid! Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.

Instead, within a week, I had my first content writing client (because I do that too!) and in about six weeks, I started ghostwriting for my first therapist. She and I have been working together for literally years now and not only has she been published in some big-time publications, but we’re working on THREE ebooks.

Renee was scared when we started working together. She was nervous about sharing herself with the world. Would she be judged? What would people think? But now the dam has burst and she realizes she wants to get her message out in the world. There’s so much inside she can’t not share it. Renee stepped outside her comfort zone and I was the angel in disguise who showed up to help her.

Am I that angel for you as well? Are you ready to grow your comfort zone? If so, reach out to me. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

June 7, 2023June 27, 2023

What Motivates Me as a Ghostwriter for Therapists

Fear. Stress. Money. Prestige. Love. These are all motivators for people but I find my biggest source of motivation (and inspiration) is service. This applies to not only my work as a ghostwriter for therapists, but also as a freelance journalist, a content writer for small businesses, and a novelist. The work I love doing, which fills me with meaning and a sense of purpose, revolves around being of service.

What exactly does that mean? It means I want to use words to help people, to inform them, to inspire them, and somehow make their lives a little better. As a ghostwriter for therapists, I do this by disseminating information on behalf of my clients. I write about topics that the general public may be unaware of — how to have a better relationship with themselves, how to maintain boundaries, how to improve their communication with others, the effects of trauma, etc.

Writer for therapists — Communication is a learned skill. Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

It fills me with great joy to not only write about these topics but also get paid to do it. Oftentimes I feel like I should be paying my clients for the privilege of writing about these subjects. I care deeply about humanity and the planet and anything I can do to move the needle toward a more just, equitable, and harmonious world, the better. I place ghostwriting for therapists in that category.

That’s one side where I’m of service. The other side is the smaller, one-on-one form. Every therapist I know is slammed with work. There’s a ton of demand and not enough supply. As I shared in a previous post, currently, more than 150 million people live in federally designated mental health professional shortage areas. Within a few years, the country will be short between 14,280 and 31,109 psychiatrists. Psychologists, social workers, and others will be overextended as well, according to the report. “People can’t get care,” Dr. Saul Levin, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association said in an article. It affects their lives, their ability to work, to socialize, or even to get out of bed.”

Therapists cannot see everyone who needs help but they can still help people outside of the consulting room. They can write blogs and ebooks, and doing so will touch those who want support. There are also people currently in therapy who are longing for an adjunct. Therapy is only one hour a week, if that. What about the other 167 hours? Blogs and ebooks can support clients and patients during those hours. But the problem is, therapists don’t have time to write these blogs and ebooks. As mentioned, they’re slammed!

This is where I come in as a ghostwriter. I have the time and the expertise. I take the stress out of writing and free therapists up to do what they do best — work with clients. In that way, I’m being of service to therapists as well. It’s a win all around if you ask me.

If you’ll let me, I’d love to be of service to you as well. Contact me about working together.

May 7, 2023May 8, 2023

Should You Hire a Ghostwriter?

Many therapists are in a position where they have a wealth of wisdom to share but limited time and space to share it. They can only see a certain number of clients a day but have a desire to help as many people as possible. What’s the solution? Cram as many people into their schedule as possible? That’s one strategy, but another to use the power of marketing and disseminate their message.

The best way to help people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to see a therapist is to write blogposts and books, to join podcasts and social media. By creating content, therapists can share the valuable information they have gleaned after years of sessions but in a way that’s digestible to the public. How is that possible on top of all the other work on their plates? Some people find time to do everything themselves but others aren’t able to do that. For people who want to work smarter, not harder, they hire a ghostwriter.

ghost writer for therapists — You can be productive without doing everything yourself. Photo by Andreas Klassen on Unsplash.

A quick recap: A ghostwriter is someone who embodies the voice of their client. How it works is the client (aka, therapist) is the one who will come up with an idea (usually, but not always) and the ghostwriter will expound upon the idea, but make sure it is written in the style of the client. Afterward, the client will look over the text and add personal stories or other information. The client also looks over the content for accuracy.

After they are happy with it, the client publishes the piece with their name on it and no one is the wiser. (For more about ghostwriting, read my post about it.) What this does is free up time for the therapist while also boosting their visibility. For instance, one of my clients, Renee (name changed to protect their privacy), has seen a 500% boost in traffic to her website after we started working together! Not only that, articles I ghostwrote for her have been placed on prominent websites that reach an estimated 7 million people per month through a variety of partner and advertising networks. Not just one article either — several. On top of that, I’ve ghostwritten not one but TWO chapters for her that were published in anthologies. In fact, based on an article I ghostwrote, one publication reached out to Renee specifically and asked her to contribute a piece to their upcoming anthology. We didn’t even pitch to them! They came to us!

The answer to the question, “Should I hire a ghostwriter?” is: It depends. Do you want to reach a broader audience? Do you want to grow your business? Do you want to attract visitors to your website using proven, workable methods? Are you interested in helping more people? Do you want to boost your visibility? If the answer to any of those questions is, “yes,” then hire a ghostwriter for therapists (like me).

If you want to maintain the status quo, if you’re happy with your business the way it is, if you’d rather not attract new clients, if you don’t want to be seen or heard more than you are no, then no, you shouldn’t hire a ghostwriter.

Whether you choose to work with a ghostwriter for therapists or not, I hope this post gave you some clarity. If you have any other questions or want to chat about working together, just reach out.

April 7, 2023July 27, 2023

The Weirdest Thing Anyone’s Asked about My Business

Normally when I tell people I’m a ghostwriter for therapists, they either don’t know what a ghostwriter is, or they wonder how that works specifically for therapists. (If that’s you, read my post about ghostwriting and check out my FAQs.) However, one time someone asked me in jest, “Do you write about ghosts?”

This person didn’t really think I wrote about ghosts but it’s an interesting question. I don’t mind some paranormal entertainment every now and again. I enjoy friendly ghosts a la Casper or The Dead Romantics but not the scary ghosts such as those in The Amityville Horror. So no, when I ghostwrite for therapists I don’t create ghost stories, at least not in the way this person meant.

The word “ghost” has denotations of a person who has died but is still here in a non-corporeal way. It’s a being that can walk through walls or make lights flicker. However, there are different kinds of ghosts. There are metaphorical ghosts from the past that continue to haunt us in the present.

One of the reasons I love ghostwriting for therapists is I recognize we all have ghosts. There are circumstances, events, or images that still hold a charge for us long after they occurred. There are things we wish had gone differently or still have questions about. Therapy is one mechanism to help process those metaphorical ghosts. After working with a trained professional, we’re able to move on and no longer be haunted.

therapist ghost writer — We have things we want to shut out. Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

I’ve gone to therapy for years and I love it because it’s changed my life tremendously. It gave me the courage to start my own business, to set and maintain healthy boundaries, and to feel more at peace. I am fortunate enough to work with someone but not everyone has that privilege.

The U.S. is currently experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals. Currently, more than 150 million people live in federally designated mental health professional shortage areas. Within a few years, the country will be short between 14,280 and 31,109 psychiatrists. Psychologists, social workers, and others will be overextended as well, according to the report. “People can’t get care,” Dr. Saul Levin, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association said in an article. “It affects their lives, their ability to work, to socialize, or even to get out of bed.”

Writing help for therapists — Some people struggle to leave the bed or the couch. Photo by Zohre Nemati on Unsplash

Mental health professionals cannot work one-on-one with everyone who needs help. What that means is more people are relying on books, podcasts, blogs, and social media to fill the mental health gap. But how can therapists and other mental health professionals write those books and blogs if they’re already strapped for time?

Enter a ghostwriter. I haven’t trained as a therapist but I research mental health topics for fun in my spare time and also have my own experience with therapy. That means I know more than the average person about these sorts of topics and I’m able to use my writing chops to help you (if you’re a therapist) and ultimately those who need you. Together, we can reach so many more people than you could otherwise.

Are you ready to share your wisdom with the world? Contact me about working together.

March 7, 2023April 11, 2023

Be Ready

A friend of mine struggled for years with her career. Despite her stellar qualifications, she struggled to find work, and when she did, she felt a little unrecognized. She advanced, but for the most part, work was just fine. Not terrible, but not great either. Then she moved back to her hometown and suddenly everything changed. Her skills were in high demand and she started hobnobbing with powerful people. Some of her LinkedIn posts went viral and people started contacting her left and right, wanting to know her opinion or otherwise network with her. This is a stark contrast to years prior when even getting an interview was difficult!

What happened? I can’t say for sure, but it reminds me of something my mentor says, “God is slow but always on time. When it’s time, he moves fast so be ready.” Change can happen quickly so it’s up to us to be prepared. I see how quickly things can change clearly reflected in the trajectory of my friend’s career but also my own as a freelance journalist, content writer, and ghostwriter for therapists.

I can go for months without hearing from potential new clients and then suddenly my inbox is flooded with requests. What did I do differently? Did I purchase ads touting my services as a ghostwriter for therapists? Did I scour job boards for freelance writing gigs? Did I create a vision board? No. I didn’t change a thing.

This is the baffling part of being human. We like to believe if only we do X, then we’ll get Y. Don’t get me wrong, there is some truth to that. If you want to publish a book, you must write the darn thing (or hire a ghostwriter, like me). Effort is required to turn any goal into a reality but how and why something is successful or becomes noticed is still a mystery. An example that perfectly demonstrates this is the #StopWillow campaign on TikTok.

Videos that seek to stop the Alaska oil drilling project have amassed more than 50 million views (and counting). On March 3, #StopWillow was on TikTok’s top 10 trending list, according to CNN. Similar campaigns to ban oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota were launched, but neither of those issues went viral.

“The growth of #StopWillow TikTok has both befuddled and delighted legacy climate groups, some of which were wondering why it took so long for Willow to get noticed,” CNN reported. The project has been in the works for years so why the sudden interest now? Why are people talking about it? That’s what fascinates me. No one can say for sure how and why these things happen. It’s clear to me there’s another force at work. This is why I invite magic and mystery into my business as a freelance journalist, content writer, and ghostwriter for therapists.

Tosha Silver talks about this in her book It’s Not Your Money, and says instead of trying to control everything, instead, you “offer the project to the Divine … you say, ‘Okay, God, if You want this to happen, then open the way. Let the connections come. Let everyone who needs me, find me.’ At the right time, the splendid march of synchronicities begins.”

If you’re able to trust and let go, amazing things start to happen. That doesn’t mean you do nothing, rather it means you act with inspiration, from a place of intuition. You keep doing what you’re called to do and recognize “God is slow but always on time. When it’s time, he moves fast so be ready.”

Are you ready to take the stress out of writing? If so, contact me about potentially working together. Who knows what we could achieve together? Maybe we’ll even go viral. . .

February 7, 2023August 9, 2023

Freelance Ghostwriter and Editor: Elevating Your Content and Presence

In the fast-paced world of writing, carving out time to craft engaging and impactful content can be a challenge, especially for those with demanding professions. If you’re a busy professional seeking to stand out in your field, partnering with a freelance ghostwriter and editor can be your secret weapon. Someone like Rebekah Moan, with her mastery of content creation and editing, can help you craft articles that reflect your expertise and connect deeply with your audience.

Why Choose a Freelance Ghostwriter and Editor?

In today’s dynamic landscape, whether you’re a therapist, entrepreneur, or thought leader, your schedule is often overflowing with responsibilities. Amid client meetings, strategic planning, and continuous learning, crafting compelling content might not be your top priority. This is where the value of collaborating with a freelance ghostwriter and editor becomes evident.

I recognize the hurdles professionals like you face. Combining my background in your industry and my writing proficiency, I excel at turning your ideas into eloquent, reader-engaging content. When you team up with a freelance expert, you’re freeing up time to focus on your core strengths while entrusting the creation of your online presence to capable hands.

Enhance Your Digital Footprint

In a world driven by digital interactions, establishing a robust online presence is essential for professionals aiming to broaden their reach and impact. Well-written blog posts serve as windows into your expertise, allowing you to establish authority within your domain. My services extend beyond mere content creation; I become a partner dedicated to shaping your online persona.

Tailored Content, Amplified Voice

My approach revolves around personalization. Regardless of your specialization—be it therapy, entrepreneurship, or any other field—I invest time to comprehend your unique voice, principles, and intended audience. This meticulous attention to detail results in content that resonates deeply with your readers, fostering a genuine connection that encourages engagement and trust.

Optimization for Online Discoverability

Creating captivating content is one side of the coin; ensuring it reaches those in search of your insights is equally important. My expertise in SEO guarantees that each piece I craft is optimized for online searches. This strategic approach propels your valuable content into the spotlight, making sure your expertise doesn’t go unnoticed.

A True Partnership

Collaborating with a freelance ghostwriter and editor isn’t a one-sided transaction; it’s a partnership built on communication and shared goals. I prioritize collaboration, working hand-in-hand with you to translate your vision and ideas into polished prose. Your feedback shapes the narrative, turning the process into a true reflection of your expertise.

In Conclusion

For professionals like you, the power to connect, inform, and inspire lies in your ability to communicate effectively. By aligning with a freelance ghostwriter and editor like me, Rebekah Moan, you’re transcending the confines of your profession, expanding your influence far beyond your immediate reach. With my support, your content will engage, educate, and captivate, establishing your online presence as a beacon of knowledge and authority.

Are you ready to elevate your impact? Reach out to me today and discover how my writing and editing services can be the catalyst that propels your influence to new heights.

September 7, 2022April 11, 2023

How I Got Started as a Ghostwriter for Therapists

My mom tells a story about how when I was young, in preschool perhaps, we drove in the car with my aunt. Chilling in the backseat, I peppered my mom with question after question (as young children do). My mom answered every single one and my aunt replied, “Wow, you’re patient with her.”

Instead of telling me to stop asking questions, my parents encouraged and nurtured my curiosity. Sure, sometimes I heard “curiosity killed the cat,” but that was usually when I started snooping around for Christmas presents. Otherwise, my parents said, “Have at it. Stay curious.” Keep in mind, I’m a child of the late 80s and early 90s so this was before Siri, Alexa, or any other digital assistant could field questions.

Curiosity has been at the center of my life for as long as I can remember so that’s one piece of my journey to becoming a ghostwriter for therapists. Curiosity is key to an interest in sharing information with others.

The other part of my journey is that since I was in second grade, my mom told me I should be a journalist. I didn’t understand why she kept saying that to me. I didn’t like to write at the time and had no interest in the news. In other words, I wasn’t like Rory Gilmore, idolizing news anchors and foreign correspondents. Writing for a living sounded like a terrible occupation. Reading I loved, but writing? Forget it.

Writing Finally Became Fun

Fueling my distaste for writing was the fact all of my English teachers were boring, checked out, or pedantic. They didn’t inspire a love of anything in me and thus writing felt like a chore. However, that all changed in 10th grade.

In 10th grade, I transferred schools and had Mr. Whiteside for English. He jumped on desks, played weird music, and wore bow ties most days. He scribbled interesting quotes on his walls and obviously loved teaching. He was the first English teacher who made reading and writing interesting. He was also the first person who taught me how to write. Up until that point, teachers took it for granted that we students knew what we were doing, or they just didn’t care.

Mr. Whiteside explained diction, the difference between connotation and denotation, parallel sentence structure, and more. He once assigned an exercise where we had to rewrite the same sentence 100 different ways. I hated that assignment with fervor but it stretched my brain and demonstrated how much can be accomplished with language. Suddenly, English went from my least favorite subject to the one I looked forward to the most. Writing finally became fun.

Parallel to a newly discovered love of language, I enrolled in a yearbook class. Yearbook gave me the freedom to roam the halls of the school unchaperoned while I visited various classes and events. Art show? Choir practice? Play rehearsal? I covered them all and learned how much I enjoyed observing real life and then writing about it.

I loved my 10th-grade yearbook. I was so proud of it. Everyone put in hours of hard work to make it something special and I knew, I was certain we’d win awards for it.

We didn’t. Not a single one. That crushing blow planted a seed though. I was determined that the following year my school’s yearbook would win at least one award.

And the Winner is. . .

That next year, as a junior, I became editor-in-chief of our school’s yearbook. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into that book. I worked on it during lunch, purchased a Mac just so I could take page layouts home, proofed every page, and in general worked my tail off.

When the yearbooks were distributed at the end of the year, most of the students didn’t like them because the senior portraits were in the back of the book (by design) instead of in the front as per usual. The student body complained about this and that and couldn’t see what I was trying to accomplish.

That summer, I went to yearbook camp and during the awards portion, not only did my school win numerous awards, but my name specifically flashed across the screen: I won first place for theme copy. Me! Something I wrote was considered worthy of praise! At that moment, I realized, “Hey, I could do this. I could make a living as a writer.”

I decided to study journalism in college, fulfilling my mother’s prediction, and went full steam ahead. There were moments when I doubted whether journalism was right for me, especially when I didn’t perform well on an assignment, but I kept at it because there’s nothing like the thrill of telling a good story.

Journalism to Ghostwriting

I worked as a journalist at various publications for several years (if you’re really interested you can see where on my LinkedIn page) and honed my craft. I became adept at interviewing other people, meeting deadlines, and juggling multiple stories at once.

There came a point though when I wanted to try something new. My therapist at the time asked me, “What makes you come alive? And what do people come to you for? The two combined are your genius.” For me, what makes me come alive is storytelling. I love the thrill of figuring out the best way to phrase something, what word to use to convey information. There’s something incredibly satisfying about landing on the perfect word. However, what people want to talk to me about are empathy and psychology. I have logged soooo many hours discussing attachment theory with my friends. Why not make that career?

So I did. A friend needed a blog written and asked if I could help her. I said, “Let’s give ghostwriting a shot.” It worked out well, I was able to capture her voice and her intention, so I kept going. That’s how I became a ghostwriter for therapists and other busy professionals. If you want to test it out yourself, to see whether I can take the stress out of writing for you, reach out. I’d love to hear from you.

August 7, 2022August 10, 2022

Everything Changed When. . .

If you’re anything like me, people constantly want to give you advice. They’re quick to tell you how you can improve your life, whether that’s building your business, transforming your body, or creating an ideal romantic relationship. There are millions, if not billions, of advice books in the world because people are convinced they know what’s best. If you pay for their book, course, or some other product, they can show you the way.

Some of this is valid. I don’t know a thing about negotiation so sure, give me some tips. But sometimes, all this advice-giving isn’t helpful. Everything in my life changed as a freelance content writer and ghostwriter for therapists when I stopped following other people’s advice. Or rather, when I filtered out which pieces of advice were applicable to me and which were not.

oakland freelance content writer — Should I listen to advice or not? That’s the question. Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

Here’s the truth that isn’t very popular: Everyone is different and must forge their own path to some degree. What works for someone else may not work for you. I know it’s seductive to follow someone who will “guarantee” you their results, but they can’t guarantee that. No one can. Your life, your circumstances — even if they look similar — are not the same as someone else’s. For instance, in my field, freelance content writers and ghostwriters are told to market every day, to reach out to potential new leads, to perpetually drum up business. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but that has seldom worked for me. Only maybe one of my clients started working with me as a result of pitching to her. Every other client has come to me directly. How does that happen?!?

For me, it wasn’t even active networking. People found me on LinkedIn, or Google, or we know someone in common. My business doesn’t follow the traditional trajectory of “contact a bunch of people and someone will say yes.” Instead, the universe has communicated to me over and over again to relax and allow myself to receive.

When I no longer followed every scrap of advice someone sent my way, everything in my life changed. When I stopped thinking someone else knew more than me about what to do, my freelance content writing and ghostwriting for therapists business blossomed. Again, sometimes it’s important to contact outside experts, but my inner guidance continues to be at play. Why contact this person over that person? I’m the one making that judgment call based on internal guidance and that’s what I’ve learned to trust above all else.

Instead of inundating you with advice, I wish more people said, “You already know what to do.” Or “check in with your intuition. What is it saying?” If more people did that, I wonder what their lives would look like. If there would be more flow and ease. That’s what’s happened for me. Instead of berating myself for not conducting my freelance content writing and ghostwriting for therapists business the way I “should,” I’m doing what’s best for me and that’s made all the difference.

If you’d like to work together, get in touch. Let’s see if we’re a good fit.