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WRITERS & YOU:

Feature article: "How to Get the Best Out of Your Ghostwriter"

Main book review: Stephen  King's latest novel, Under the Dome

 

 "The Old Cold War Magic We All  Miss by That Much"—A recently discovered CIA manual of old secret tricks

 Other Book Reviews & Must-reads

  Publishing News: "An e-Book Melee Worthy of a Soap"

and more...

 Did You Know...?

 Famous Ghostwriters

 

 

 

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My Blog

Read about political thinker Tim Fitzgerald's ground-breaking memoir of his days as a youth activist in the 1960s.

 

Want to be notified about new blog postings? Send me a brief e-mail message by clicking on:

Afshaker@aol.com

 

 

 

Testimonials

 

Tony, I cried when I finished reading the book today. I loved the work that you did.  I can't thank you enough. You have been the savior of my book with your vivid and clear wordplay that the reader can relate to and visualize. This book is based on a true story and very raw. When I began writing this book it was geared towards one specific reader. You were able to paint a more diverse feel for the story while still capturing it's essence. The book was good based on my own writing skills, but you made it great! If you want to bring your writing to life Tony Shaker is the best to do it! Thank you and God Bless you  for all of your help.

- Bryant Daluz
  
You Gotta Dance

(based on a true story)

bryantbod@yahoo.com

 

 

I lived through the events described in my first two books, but you brought everything back to life in a way that makes me tear! During WWII, I was the youngest resistance commander in Nazi-occupied Greece, and didn't expect to make it...From an old man to a good friend, who might just as well have fought the occupation by my side, please accept my heartfelt thanks for all your work.

- Peter Bassels, WWII veteran,

former Greek Resistance fighter

and successful businessman

The Immigrant, The Crossed Gloves and

Tales of the Greek Resistance

peter.bassels@sympatico.ca

 

 

I have just finished reading the manuscript. This is phenomenally good! You have  said basically what I wanted to say in an extremely eloquent way that I wasn't even close to accomplishing. I can't believe it, but this is one of the best nonfiction reads I have come across in a while.

 

- Phil Sanderson

An Essay on America's System of Justice

 

 

I have just completed the process of publishing my first manuscript, and I must say that you have helped me find the most eloquent and highest expression for my thoughts. I want to acknowledge your tremendous contribution to my personal success and that of my book project. I look forward to using you as my resource to support all of my writing needs. You are a true master at what you do.

 

- Harold Davis, MscD, PhD

Inspirational speaker and success coach
    Moving the Stars With Your Words: How to be the creative factor and achieve

what you really want out of Life 

drhdavis@movingthestars.com

www.movingthestars.com 

 

 

Dr. Shaker, I have read the manuscript and I am so darn impressed with what you have done I can't find words to express it. You are definitely a master at what you do. I hope you will allow me to include you in my acknowledgments, because I want those who read the book to know about you...You certainly deserve that if you would allow me.

 

- Robert Sullivan,

Georgia businessman

The Formula: Building Competitive

Advantage for the Motor Carrier

robert.l.sullivan@att.net

 

 

My mother said she would like to meet you one day…I have to agree that you did an incredible job getting in sync with my memories and emotions. I am so glad that I decided to work with you! I hope we will continue to work together on future projects.

 

- Margot Hyland

Across the Color Line (memoir)

mihyland@yahoo.com

 

 

Before Anthony became involved in my project I was never going to complete my,  book, Two Rivers of Gold. Frustrated I turned to him for help and in a short time, with his guidance, the project was completed. He was candid, helpful, understand- ing and professional. Recently I started another novel and will no doubt seek his help at some point. In between projects he has always been available to answer questions and assisted me in the search for an agent.

 

- Daniel W. Kent
Two Rivers of Gold (crime novel)

kentdan1@aol.com

 


I found working with you a pleasure and an experience that helped me grow as a writer. Even when I found that I didn't agree 100 per cent with your solution to a problem, I saw that there had, indeed, been a problem to solve. Usually, however, the problem was mine and the solution yours.

 

– Andrew M. Wilson
Inlets (novel)

ameigs@juno.com

 


I can't tell you how much you have helped me with my writing. I want to thank you for the great job you did editing my manuscript. Your work, according to an agent in D.C., was exceptional. Thank you again. If I had known about your work before my book Footprints Of The Garden Snake was published, it would have saved me a lot of time. Oh by the way, you may purchase a copy on line at Amazon.com.

 

- Vivian Allison

Footprints of the Garden Snake

Vivall@aol.com

 

Read more...

Editing Service

AFS Wordstead offers solid editing and rewriting services in fiction, nonfiction, web and business.

 

Editing is the last stage in the book-writing process, but it can be the hardest. To do an effective job, a good writer has to be almost obsessively self-critical, able to cut out favorite passages or even whole chapters, if need be, simply because they fail to drive the story forward. Short of this, don't expect your book to succeed upon publication.

 

It takes grit to do "open heart surgery" on one's own writing, and to return again and again until the content you've nurtured for so long sounds and feels right. But after you've done all you could, can you be sure you haven't been too soft on yourself?

 

Even the best authors are in dire need of skillful editors.

 

The main regret of clients who come to me for help, having labored at content they can’t seem to finish properly, is usually not having hired a writing expert to get them sooner to the finish line.

 

I can do the job at a fraction of the time it would take you, and make your work shine.

 

 

 

Overview of the Process  

Editing clients hire me to put their manuscript or other type of content, including for the web, into publishing shape. To give you a rough idea, the moment they contact me we start chatting along the following lines. I ask them:

– Why did you write this book or marketing copy?
– What would you really like to say to your readers?
– What do you hope to achieve by it?

- Do you have an outline?

- Would you send me an excerpt of your text? 

It's important to have an outline or summary and a sample of your work, if I am to give you an accurate estimate of the cost. Once we agree on a firm course of action and sign an author-editor agreement, I will use your outline to do the preliminary legwork in preparation for my first submission to you. All this applies to rewriting jobs as well.

 

My editing and rewriting incorporates all textual changes directly into the new copy. You don’t have to worry about working through complicated instructions. In the case of editing, if I notice major flaws that require an action that is not normally part of my editing job, I will notify you. You see, I need client approval before altering important features of your concept, plot, structure, theme, characters, etc. When that happens, the fees may change if significant portions of your manuscript require rewriting.

And don't worry, I won't abandon you after the end of our contract term.

 

So, let’s get your project moving!

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

  

  

Take It to the Next Level

 Expert consultation. You may be the most talented person in your field, but if you don’t have the time or proper skills to write effective content, you won’t be able to propel your project forward. At some point you need to hire an “expert eye” whose objectivity you can rely on.

 

 Simple process. Unfamiliar with current writing, editing or publishing practices? You will find my step-by-step process of writer-author collaboration simple and supremely flexible. Over the years, I’ve developed it with a mind to enable my clients to express their ideas and give me their honest feedback at every stage of my work.

 

 Rewarding experience. I will provide you with uninterrupted, personal service until we achieve what you came here for. Some clients who seek my writing expertise tell me that having their story ghosted by someone is almost as satisfying as penning it themselves. I want to make sure you enjoy this, perhaps your first consultation experience.

 

People Like Yourself

My clients are housewives and business leaders, nurses and bomb victims, marketers and professionals, doctors and politicians, police officers and ex-cons, army and special-forces guys. They have a visceral need to:

  • Tell their life story or some unusual episode in their life.
  • Recount their business/professional experience.
  • Promote their goods/services.
  • Narrate an irresistible tale they happened to make up.

I've had the privilege to work with them all. Those folks sure have passion for their subjects. They are hopeful, ambitious, abused, faithful or just incurably romantic. Something moves them inside. And their lived experience makes my task so much easier as an editor. My fortune is to be able to help them tell what they couldn't on their own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Results You Can Count On

At some point you need to make a choice: either cut corners with some amateur or fly-by-night ghost writing service with the lowest possible bid, or plan for success.

 

I realize how much your project means to you, but also that you don't have an unlimited budget. Therefore, I will design a project that best fits your goals, cost expectations...and yes, voice. Only a dyed-in-the-wool editing professtional can pull this off! Because the editor you hire has to be able to bring your “story” to life, whether that story is a fiction or nonfiction.

 

 

I WORK IN THESE FORMATS:


Book
Magazine
Web/Blog/promotional article
Newsletter
Speech

I EDIT IN THESE GENRES:


Nonfiction:

Memoir/autobiography/biography
Business & management
Business history/company profile
How-to/ self-help/self-improvement
Americana
Politics
Popular science
Health
Social sciences
Religion/theology/inspirational
Philosophy
International relations

Fiction:

Action
Romance
Suspense
Mystery
Inspirational/religious
Adventure
Historical
Science fiction

 

 

Anthony F. Shaker, PhD
writer/editor

(819) 597-4072
Afshaker@aol.com  
www.wordstead.com  


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