Invisibility is a super power
BANKSY
GHOSTMASTERS
Fall Ghostwriting Masterclass
with Michelle Burford and Joni Rodgers
October 17-20, 2019
SOLD OUT Follow us on Facebook for info on our Fall 2020 ghost gathering!
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JOIN US for a three-day intensive focused on the art, craft, and business of ghostwriting. This potentially lucrative career path requires superior craft skills and publishing industry savvy. Competition for upmarket gigs is fierce, but there's never been such an abundance of opportunities. NYT bestselling ghostwriters Michelle Burford and Joni Rodgers have both been at the top of the profession for 15+ years, working with rock stars, film and TV celebrities, political and social change makers, and other extraordinary people on a wide variety of high profile book projects.
The Fall Ghostwriting Intensive will unpack this crazy business, up your interview game, introduce you to time-saving methods for meeting crash deadlines, and help you navigate the complex relationships that make or break collaborative chemistry. We'll talk about how we got the gigs we loved and what we learned from the gigs that went sideways. We'll cover the technical aspects of pricing and proposal writing and explore the gestalt of ghostwriting: ethics, mindset, and what it takes to keep your own creative spirit thriving while serving your clients and building your brand.
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This is a pro-focus program designed to deliver a lot of bang for the buck, so probably not the right fit for writers with little or no publishing experience. Thriving ghosts are constantly on deadline, so we've built in work hours, one-on-one mentor sessions and, of course, soul-feeding beach walks.
Class schedule is evolving, but topics will include:
Craft
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Project Strategy for Speed and Sanity
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Dig Deeper with Intuitive Interviewing
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Plot Whispering: Book Structure Jump Start
Business
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Prosperity Pricing
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Dovetail Projects and Multitask Like a Hoss
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Contract Issues Q&A
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Networking = Everything
Ghost Gestalt
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Standing Firm on Standards and Practices
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Serving Clients Without Selling Your Soul
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Carving Out Time for Your Own Creative Projects
Takeaway includes tons of swag, surprises, and secret weapons including:
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"Boxing the Octopus" Workbook
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Timeline Interview Template
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Memoir Structure Template
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Plenty of writer swag
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Our goal is to give you the tools, guidance, and support you need to take your ghostwriting career to the next level. And we think a lovely condo on the beach is the perfect place to do it.
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DAILY SCHEDULE is still evolving, but here's a typical intensive weekend.
WHAT
A pro-focus intensive on the art, craft, and business of ghostwriting
WHEN
October 17-20, 2019
WHO
NYT bestselling ghostwriters Michelle Burford and Joni Rodgers
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WLWR is located on the Pacific Coast in Washington State, adjacent to Westport Light State Park about two hours from Seattle.
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GETTING HERE
Most visiting writers fly into either Portland, OR or Seattle, WA. We facilitate carpool connections for group retreats if we can.
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MEALS & LODGING
Tuition includes private room and bathroom in a luxury condo on the beach adjacent to Westport Light State Park. Enjoy family-style meals at Joni and Gary's or do your own thing in your fully equipped kitchen.
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$1895
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Early Bird Registration
Before August 1, 2019, get $200 off when you use discount code: EARLYBIRD
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To facilitate small group and one-on-one sessions, this retreat is limited to six writers. Accepted applicants to the ghostwriting intensive will be required to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
No full scholarships are available for this event. Please contact us to request a partial scholarship.
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FACULTY
NYT bestselling ghostwriter Michelle Burford
Sought-after ghostwriter Michelle Burford is a founding editor of O, The Oprah Magazine and has co-authored many high profile memoirs, including two that debuted at #1 on the NYT bestseller list. She's known for her top flight craft skills, ability to deliver on insanely tight deadlines, and deft touch with highly sensitive personal subject matter. ​Her diverse client list includes Olympic champions Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, R&B singer Toni Braxton, Dancing with the Stars sensation Amy Purdy, Orange Is the New Black actress Diane Guerrero, former Dallas Police Chief and ABC News correspondent David Brown, Fixer Upper carpenter Clint Harp, Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight, and others.
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Praise for Michelle's collaboration with Amy Purdy:
“Amy's honest and sharply written memoir leaves me feeling as uplifted as I do when I spend time in her presence. She brings the same courage and open-heartedness to these pages that she brings to each day she navigates the world—one carbon-fiber foot at a time.”
- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love
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NYT bestselling author/ghostwriter Joni Rodgers
WLWR cofounder Joni Rodgers has authored several critically acclaimed books of her own, including Bald in the Land of Big Hair, her bestselling memoir about surviving blood cancer as a young mom. As a ghostwriter and developmental editor, Joni has collaborated on a wide range of projects including multiple NYT bestsellers and an Oscar-nominated screenplay. Her diverse client list includes Nelson Mandela's grandson Ndaba Mandela, Broadway/screen stars Kristin Chenoweth, Rue McClanahan, and Swoosie Kurtz, music industry stars Justin Bieber and Mayte Garcia, Ambassador Nancy Brinker, HGTV's Junk Gypsies Amie and Jolie Sikes, speaker/ survivor/ advocate Elizabeth Smart and others.
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"Joni Rodgers is a pure storyteller. She writes with a wit, lyricism, humanity and joy that make her books impossible to put down."
- Aaron Sorkin, Oscar winning screenwriter
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CONTENT is evolving. Follow us on Facebook and watch this space for updates.