Time We Discuss: Alison McBain, Make a Living as a Ghostwriter? (Author Versus AI)
Watch/Listen to this Episode Alison McBain, Make a Living as a Ghostwriter? (Author Versus AI)
Ghostwriter, Alison McBain, discusses her current project, Author Versus AI, in this episode of Time We Discuss. With this ambitious undertaking, Alison is writing a book every week for a year to demonstrate that human writers can create quality work at a rapid pace, competing with AI's output. Alison McBain, an experienced ghostwriter who regularly produces about 40,000 words per week, shared the logistical and creative challenges of managing multiple characters and genres without breaks. To prepare, she developed detailed outlines and summaries, enabling her to switch smoothly between diverse genres, including horror, romance, and fantasy.
One project she's excited about is a vampire novel incorporating Chinese mythology, set to align with Halloween for added thematic effect. Despite her intense schedule, Alison McBain reads weekly excerpts on her YouTube channel, and she has drawn some interest from publishers, although she anticipates needing multiple outlets for the 52 books.
Beyond her project, Alison McBain also talked about her ghostwriting career, noting it’s rewarding to help authors realize their visions, even if her name is not credited. She describes the process as flexible, sometimes expanding partially finished drafts or developing stories from brief ideas. Despite the anonymity, Alison McBain finds satisfaction in bringing stories to life, with her extensive editing background aiding in this process.
Alison McBain also shared insights on publishing, having experience with both self-publishing and traditional routes. Her first self-published book, "The Rose Queen," taught her the nuances of the process, and she now runs her own press, Fairfield Scribes, which she founded with her writing group to publish unique voices in anthologies and individual projects.
For new writers, Alison McBain emphasized the value of building relationships with editors and publishers, offering advice to maintain engagement with successful publications and editors. She also highlighted her involvement with *Scribes Micro*, a magazine that publishes ultra-short works and provides constructive feedback, particularly to emerging authors.
Links from the Show
Also Mentioned in the Show
- Become a Children's Book Author with Aubre Andrus
- How to Become a Publicist and What Does a Publicist Do?
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