"I hired Melanie to help me finish my Hay House book because of her depth of knowledge in the publishing industry, her vast experience understanding how to put together a bestselling book, AND her ability to help me feel calm and confident through the entire process. I recommend her without hesitation!”Sage Lavine, author of Women Rocking Business, Hay House
“Melanie is a total pro and a pleasure to work with. My clients have truly benefited from and enjoyed collaborating with Melanie on book proposals and books that sell.”Wendy Sherman, Literary Agent, Wendy Sherman Associates, Inc. Literary Management
“I will forever be blessed by the way Melanie brought my memoir to life.... There are not enough thank yous in this world to acknowledge my appreciation for everything she did for me. I highly recommend Melanie with my whole heart and soul to anyone who is in need of a book coach or editor.”Marla Lackey, author of Faith and a Tube of Lipstick
“Melanie has been incredible to work with. She has such depth of knowledge when it comes to wellness and mindfulness that I felt as though she understood me, my story, and my method of teaching. She was easily able to translate my ideas into a cohesive proposal that 'popped' on the page. Additionally, she was amazing at keeping with deadlines and keeping me on task. She is a skilled and quick writer who can bring your ideas to life. I can’t recommend her enough!”Erin Stutland, creator of Shrink Session and author of the Hay House book, Mantras in Motion: Manifesting What You Want Through Mindful Movement
"I had attempted to work with three other editors by the time I found Melanie. Each one had come up so very short from their promises that I was about to give up, but I gave it one last try.... She pulled them together and made the prose tight and vivid. My story had become something with breath and power, just what I had envisioned, but unable to do on my own.”Mark Turnipseed, author of My Suicide Race
“Melanie Votaw’s experience and devotion to the crafts of writing, editing, and publishing bring my heart and voice alive on the page with grace, depth, precision, and radiance. I am grateful to have her by my side for each of my books and wouldn’t want to write one without her.”Nancy Levin, author of the Hay House books Jump and Your Life Will Appear, Worthy: Boost Your Self-Worth to Grow Your Net Worth, Permission To Put Yourself First, and Setting Boundaries Will Set You Free
“I couldn’t have done my book proposal without Melanie! Her expertise, experience, strong writing skills, and dedication to her craft are second to none. I love how she gracefully guided me through the proposal process each step of the way. Mel really knows her stuff and is the real deal! I’m thrilled that we were able to create such a clear, focused, dynamic proposal together! Thanks, Melanie!!”Kate Eckman, Model, Confidence Coach, and author of the New World Library book, The Full Spirit Workout: A Ten-Step System to Shed Your Self-Doubt, Strengthen Your Spiritual Core, and Create a Fun and Fulfilling Life
Do you want to write a book? I can help.
- I can serve as your nonfiction ghostwriter, editor, or book coach, helping you make sure your book is of high quality.
- What do I know about books? I have more than 20 years of experience working in the publishing industry. I have authored, ghostwritten, or edited more than 100 nonfiction books for such publishers as Penguin Random House, Hay House, Macmillan, New World Library, Hyperion, Perseus, and more. This includes 40 nonfiction books that I have written – 11 as an author and 29 as a ghostwriter. Check out some of the books I’ve worked on.
- Literary agents and publishing houses regularly recommend me to their authors for books and book proposals. I specialize in self-help / prescriptive nonfiction and memoirs.
- Books that I have worked on have won 50+ awards, and some have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List.
- Book proposals that I write or edit regularly sell to big publishing houses, often receiving multiple offers and going into auction.
- I have also published poetry and fiction, so I bring my creative storytelling skills to my nonfiction work.
- Read my full bio, and read testimonials from my clients and students.
- As a coach in my Finish Your Book Group Coaching Program, I can work with you one-on-one to make sure your book idea, title/subtitle, and outline are professional and marketable. Then, you’ll feel more certain that your book is “good enough.”
Do you need a ghostwriter or an editor? Read my blog post on this topic and visit the Ghostwriting and Editing pages.
Discover Your Secret Writing Talent
When you know who you are as a writer, you can use your unique strengths to finish your self-help book.
Take my fun and interactive QUIZ, and tap into your writing gifts!
ANNOUNCING MY
LATEST BOOK!
My latest book, SPICE UP, LIVE LONG, with Dr. Melina Jampolis and Chef Aaron Robbins of Soho House was launched on the Live with Kelly and Ryan show. $1 from every book sold will be donated to No Kid Hungry.
It spent some time as #1 in Nutrition and #1 in Aging Nutrition and Diets on Amazon. It's filled with great information about nutrition, longevity, and the medicinal properties of spices. It also contains more than 80 terrific recipes. Buy it here.
My Latest Podcast Interview!
WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK FROM WRITING YOUR BOOK?
I talk to people every day who want to write a book, but something stops them. Usually, I hear one of the following:
“I don’t know how to do it.”
“I keep procrastinating.”
“I worry that my book won’t be ‘good enough.'”
“I started my book, but I don’t seem to be able to finish it.”
Some people put their dream of writing a book on the shelf for decades. It’s heartbreaking.
This is why I started my Finish Your Book Group Coaching Program for self-help / teaching book / how-to book writers.
Since ghostwriting and editing is so time-consuming, I was only able to work with a handful of people each year for the first decade of my career. Yet, I spoke every year with dozens of aspiring authors who needed and wanted help. They wanted to write their own book, however, or they simply couldn’t afford the five-figure cost of a ghostwriter.
Enter my Finish Your Book Group Coaching Program – a way for me to help more people finish their book and get their important message out into the world…for a fraction of the cost of a ghostwriter (and a fraction of the cost of most other book-writing programs out there).
I love helping people become published authors. It means a great deal to me to play a part in getting more positive messages into the hands of the readers who need them.
You’re invited to join my private Facebook Community
You will find Facebook LIVE Q&As, interviews with successful authors and industry experts, informational documents about writing and publishing, inspiration, lots of helpful info to help you become a successful nonfiction author, and a wonderful group of writers from beginners to professionals.