Narrative Nonfiction Collaborator / Book Proposal Specialist (Ghostwriter)
PROJECT OVERVIEW - If my budget for what I need is inaccurate ie can be done for less or more, just propose your best and final.
I am developing a prestige narrative nonfiction book with strong adaptation potential as a limited series. The project is not a traditional memoir or inspirational story; it interrogates survival, power, risk, and the long-term cost of adaptive success forged in unstable environments.
I am seeking an experienced collaborator to help shape, structure, and draft a market-ready book proposal (2–3 pages) and sample chapters that meet agent and publisher standards.
This role is focused on strategy, voice calibration, and market positioning, not transcription or basic editing.
SCOPE OF WORK Primary Responsibilities
Collaborate with the author via interviews to:
Distill a life story into a clear narrative thesis
Identify and reinforce pattern, escalation, and reckoning
Draft or co-draft:
A professional book proposal (overview, market positioning, audience, structure)
2–3 sample chapters that demonstrate controlled tone, restraint, and scalability
Ensure the manuscript:
Avoids moral over-explaining
Shows pattern without preaching
Maintains confidence without bravado
Is legally and commercially safe for submission
Advise on:
Agent submission strategy
Adaptation positioning (book → limited series)
What content should be excluded permanently
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
Candidates must have experience in at least one of the following:
Collaborated on successfully agented or published narrative nonfiction projects
Served as a book proposal specialist for memoir / narrative nonfiction
Worked as a developmental editor for prestige nonfiction
Experience consulting on book-to-screen adaptation projects
Experience with self-help, inspirational memoirs, or brand-building books alone is not sufficient.
PREFERRED BACKGROUND
Former literary agent, editor, or acquisitions assistant
Ghostwriter for authors published by major or respected independent publishers
Familiarity with:
Legal sensitivity in memoir (anonymization, compression)
Structuring episodic narrative for adaptation
Adult, morally complex storytelling
SKILLS & QUALITIES
Ability to extract meaning without imposing judgment
Comfort working with dark, ambiguous, high-risk material
Strong sense of narrative restraint
Confident giving direct, critical feedback
Able to ask difficult questions without steering the story toward therapy or self-help
Understands what agents and editors actually look for, not just what sounds good
WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT
Not a transcriptionist
Not a copy editor
Not a co-author seeking credit
Not a motivational writer
Not a developmental therapist
This role is about discipline and elevation, not embellishment.
DELIVERABLES
A polished, agent-ready book proposal
2-3 Sample chapters that reflect the author’s voice while meeting industry standards
Strategic guidance on next steps (agents, submission, adaptation positioning)
WORKING STYLE & COMPENSATION
Short-term, intensive collaboration (typically 4–8 weeks)
Flat-fee or milestone-based compensation preferred
NDA and work-for-hire agreement required
PROVIDE:
A redacted proposal you have worked on
A before/after sample showing restraint and tone calibration
A description of how they work with authors on structure and pattern, not just prose
Apply Now
Apply Now