Ghost-writer Mike Walsh is looking for readers who have haunting memories to share with others. He says most people have a story to tell but lack the confidence to set it down.
He does not believe that trivia does not sell. The greatest stories ever told, such as Dickens novels, are based on what was regarded at the time as trivia. Television soaps are captivating because we identify with the drama of everyday lives.
Mike’s clients are mostly bios. One relates the account of a woman who, married to a paedophile, keeps one step ahead of society to protect her kids from being placed in care.
The ghost-writer with a way with words says 40 percent of books, 80 percent of celebrity bios are ghosted. Most household name authors, such as Sir Jeffrey Archer and Wilbur Smith, engage ghosts to develop their book from a provided synopsis.
Inviting readers to send a summary of their bio or storyline, he says, finding out if it has promise is often inspirational and costs nothing.
Raunchy fiction dubbed mummy-porn is very popular because it can be downloaded onto an e-reader without the embarrassment of presenting it at the checkout.
His only misgiving is that most fiction sold as adult is written in a juvenile way or uses the shock factor to sell. He believes that raunchy romance can be written with finesse without losing its adult bawdiness. “If humour is part of the plot, he says, anything goes.”
According to a Sun survey, sales of erotic novels have increased by 30 percent. John Locke, a 60-year old American in 2011 was the first to sell over a million online copies of his book. This is already small beer compared to EL James Fifty Shades of Grey. Her fictional novel based on a casual encounter when man meets student has sold millions.