Will Weisser, Ghostwriter in Rutherford, NJ, USA

Overview

After 30 years at major New York City book publishers, I went solo in 2019 as a nonfiction ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, and publishing consultant. I use my deep experience — especially in business books — to help authors strategize and organize their ideas in ways that appeal to literary agents and publishers. Then I help them deliver the strongest possible manuscript.

I love collaborating with experts in various fields who want a book that will increase their visibility and advance their career goals. My clients have included CEOs, venture capitalists, professors, lawyers, nonprofit leaders, senior executives at Fortune 50 companies, former military officers, and many kinds of consultants.

You might be a good fit for me if you're willing to invest the time required for a true partnership. Whether we're starting with a book proposal or jumping straight into a full manuscript, we'll first work on a table of contents that organizes your ideas and stories in a way that entices readers. Then we'll record zoom conversations once a week (give or take) to generate raw material that I can shape into each chapter draft. They we'll trade revisions back and forth until we're both happy with the results.

Here's one of my favorite acknowledgements, from a venture capitalist: “Major thanks to my collaborator, Will Weisser, who not only helped put my ideas into writing but also captured the style in which I expressed them. He's been relentless in striving for perfection, draft after draft, until I finally got bored while re-reading my own ideas and stories!”

Services

Book Ghostwriting

Book Proposal

Non-Fiction

Business & Management Political Science & Current Affairs Self-Help & Self-Improvement

Languages

English (US)

Work experience

Principal

Self-employed

May, 2019 — Present

Ghostwriter for nonfiction books and book proposals, specializing in business, personal development, and current affairs. I also do book doctoring and book coaching, and I introduce some of my clients to literary agents and book editors, drawing on my deep rolodex of industry contacts.

VP, Deputy Publisher

Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Random House

Jul, 2002 — Apr, 2019 (almost 17 years)

I spent just under 17 years as the #2 executive at the business book imprint of Penguin Group, which became part of Penguin Random House in 2013. Starting in 2002 I helped grow Portfolio from the starting line to a major player in the business and personal development book community, often publishing more than 30 new titles per year. My role was extremely wide ranging. I read and discussed all book proposals under serious consideration by the editorial team. I participated in all strategic acquisitions. I was very active in book titling, positioning, cover strategies, marketing copy, marketing strategies, internal budgeting, editing, and more. Along the way I was privileged to collaborate with major authors like Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Barbara Corcoran, Stan McChrystal, and many more.

Director of Strategic Marketing & Publicity

Crown Business, an imprint of Random House Inc

Jun, 2000 — Jun, 2002 (about 2 years)

Head of marketing and publicity for the main business imprint of Random House Inc. Our bestsellers included EXECUTION by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.