With the upcoming release of The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting, co-written by Alee Anderson and Alice Sullivan, we sat down with Alee for an exclusive interview on ghostwriting, publishing, and her journey in the industry.
Interviewer: The HYW community
Q: Can you share a bit about your journey into publishing and what inspired you to start Hey! Young Writer and your upcoming book The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting?
Alee: I grew up in a family of artists, poets, and writers, so storytelling has always been in my blood. My mom believed in me, but my dad was really hard on me, which made it difficult for me to grow my confidence in order to become a published writer in any vein. This inspired me to start Hey! Young Writer. I wanted to create a space where young writers can receive that encouragement, especially because so many of us don’t get that at home or in our personal lives. You know, a lot of us are kind of stuck in this vacuum where people tell us that this is just a passion, it can’t be a career. And I’m here to call bullshit on that because I do it.
So I have a degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, then worked at small and large publishing houses, including Thomas Nelson, which was later purchased by HarperCollins. When my department closed, I took the leap into freelancing. It was super scary, but it paid off in dividends. With my writing, I’ve been able to support my family—three kids, a husband, a house, cars, all of it. And all of those things are currently supported and maintained by my career in writing.
This is, in part, why my colleague Alice Sullivan and I wrote the book The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting, to show specifically women finding inroads into the industry and building their own career. That can really take you so far. And it’s exciting—it’s a testament to the fact that this stuff really does work.
Q: Can you tell us more about your editorial and publishing company Alee Anderson Editorial and The Gatsby House—how they started and what inspired you to create them?
Alee: My company is Alee Anderson Editorial. Initially, it was really just me, myself as a freelance writer providing services. Over time, I slowly built a team of additional writers, so clients now work with me and other editors, including Deborah, on every project.
Another part of my company is a publishing arm called Gatsby House. Initially it was a hybrid publishing company where we provided marketing, sales support, and more. Recently, I’ve turned it into more of a self publishing company, leaving some of those other services behind. I began publishing clients because the market is really not friendly to memoirs–it’s incredibly hard to get a memoir published these days. Because I work with trauma victims, it began to feel irresponsible to send them into the traditional publishing system, which is cutthroat and full of rejection. So by creating a publishing arm, I’m giving my clients a chance to actually be published in a way that’s true to their vision and maintains that steady respect and empathy that I’ve shown throughout the entire process.
Q: For someone wanting to break into the freelance space, what first steps or actions do you think can help them get started?
Alee: I came out of school with a degree in a related field, but I had never really worked with a full manuscript before. So, I landed an internship at a tiny publishing house in Boston where I learned the ins and outs of manuscript development. But the actual theme of my early years in the field was doing things in my spare time for free, like beta reading through Craigslist, small edits on Upwork, and things like that, just to get my name out there.
Now, one of the smartest things that I did was at the advice of a friend: There was a company I applied to called Author Solutions, which hired new editors to work on self-publishing projects. They were essentially helping traditional publishing companies complete their editorial tasks. This company was giving me work that was coming from Simon Schuster, Hay House, Penguin Random, and more, because those companies were contracting with them, so early on I was able to put bigger names on my resume. They didn’t pay a ton, but that combination of internships, side jobs, and persistence helped me build a foundation. For me, a big part is all of that tenacity—having the will to put in the extra hours, even if it’s working for free, to build my resume and break into the industry.
For anyone looking to start their own freelance ghostwriting career, my upcoming book, The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting, is a step-by-step guide on how to break into the industry and start your own business as a freelance ghostwriter.
Q: Could you share tips on how to set up your freelance rates when starting out?
Alee: I recommend this website called Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).They list rate ranges on their website—they give you a good baseline. Now, their rates tend to be on the lower side, so you want to add what you believe is fair to them. Find the base rate that you feel comfortable with and gradually increase it as you gain more experience over time.
Q: How do you make connections and land freelance work with publishers?
Alee: The best thing you can do in order to generate those early leads and start to create relationships is to make contact with editors. A simple, polished email works, or if you want to stand out, send something by mail. Whatever it is, I can’t stress enough the value of reaching out and putting yourself out there and having those conversations. If it scares you to go right to an editor, you can also go to an HR department — introduce yourself, list your expertise, share your rates and availability. When starting out, taking over a rush job and doing a little extra, showing that you’re reliable, is really going to help you grow your portfolio and it’s going to help you grow loyalty in your client base.
As I share in my book, The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting, when I got laid off from HarperCollins, I handed out over 100 resumes to colleagues and reconnected with about 150 personal and professional contacts from the industry. Not all of them responded—not even close— but several of those leads became paying clients.
The book also tells you that both Alice and I are introverts, so networking can feel really intimidating. But sometimes faking it by pretending to be a character or adopting a persona can help you start conversations. It might feel awkward at first, but it gets easier as you practice and take on more projects.
Q: When is the best time to bring an editor into your manuscript—before or after getting feedback from beta readers or family?
Alee: That’s such a great question. Here’s what I’ll say, and this is important: most people you give your manuscript to won’t know what to do with it. The feedback you get often won’t be helpful—it’ll just give you anxiety.
So instead, after finishing your first draft, celebrate. Take a week off, then come back, read it over again, and do your own round of edits. After that, consider getting developmental or line edits early on. Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr can be good places to find someone for this stage.
As for friends or family, I would avoid sending it to them until you feel the manuscript is more complete. And when you do share it with them, be very specific about what kind of feedback you want out of them.
Q: Are there certain genres that are easier to break into for ghostwriting, or better for gaining early experience?
Alee: I’d say memoir is probably the easiest to get started with. Typically, there are fewer people looking for ghostwriters in genres like fiction or romance, because most fiction writers want to do it themselves. You can find opportunities even on platforms like Craigslist, Upwork, or Fiverr. Some clients may have smaller budgets, but with those first few projects you can get really good experience and endorsements.
Q: Do you have any advice for dealing with rejection?
Alee: This industry has a lot of rejection, and it’s not always easy. I actually got fired a couple times from projects that weren’t a fit. And that sucked. But it was never the end of the road. The publishing and ghostwriting world comes with a lot of high tension and big personalities, but having thick skin is key. One thing I love about The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting is that it’s filled with real-life examples showing how this all works, and it guides you through the process one step at a time.
Q: Can you tell us about the importance of finding your niche while building your ghostwriting business?
Alee: Well, at the beginning of my journey, I would say yes to anything that came my way. But one thing that helped me tremendously in my journey was the development of my niche. Knowing who you are and what you’re best at, and working on projects that are aligned with you personally and professionally, things that you can really write well, will allow you to work on projects that pay better and bring out your best work.
For me, that discovery came through experience and life itself. In 2017, while grappling with my father’s sudden death, I joined a grief support group. Through our raw conversations about loss, dying, and trauma, I discovered something unexpected: I had a rare gift for sitting with people at the intersection of acute pain and transformative healing. I realized I could combine this ability to navigate difficult emotional terrain with my writing expertise to serve clients in a powerful way.
And here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a “special” kind of person to succeed. I wasn’t great at English in school, but I know how to write. I’m a really great writer. You can be an amazing, successful writer without being a straight-A student— you just have to put yourself out there. It’s about you being the one to get out of your own way and go for it.
This is why I wrote The Definitive Guide to Ghostwriting, because it shows that anyone with persistence, the right strategy, and a little courage can build their own path and achieve the writing career they dream of.
