The Course

A New Professional Development Program That’s All Business


Ghostmasters 101: How to Break into the Business of Ghostwriting is an introductory course from Gotham Ghostwriters, the nation's leading ghostwriting agency, that leverages the insights and relationships we have gained from brokering nearly 1,000 collaborations over the past decade to help writers from all backgrounds make the leap into collaborations.


Offering best-in-class insights on how to get a successful ghostwriting practice off the ground, this is a course for writers, journalists, authors, and communications professionals who want to accelerate their earning curve—by making income on the side or starting a small business.



What you will learn

In 10 classes focused on the business of ghostwriting, you'll learn how to get started and what it takes to succeed. 


Classes comprehensively cover business fundamentals such as contracts, payment structures, and negotiations as well as more nuanced ghostwriting strategies on how to listen deeply, submerge your ego, and capture the author’s voice.


The course will focus on the mechanics of launching and growing a sustainable ghostwriting practice, providing step-by-step guidance on:

-Creating a business plan

-Positioning and promoting your services

-Setting fees

-Developing contracts

-Finding clients and closing deals

-And more

Curriculum


The curriculum for Ghostmasters 101: How to Break into the Business of Ghostwriting was developed by Gotham CEO Dan Gerstein and Toni Robino, a bestselling ghostwriter with 25 years of experience and a frequent Gotham collaborator. 


Our course is built like a university – Boo U, as we like to call it – with a diverse group of co-instructors who have developed best-in-class expertise in the different facets of running a successful ghostwriting practice, from marketing to negotiating to client management.

  • Make Your Business Plan with Dan Gerstein 
  • Build Your Infrastructure with Marcia Layton Turner 
  • Be a Visible Ghost with Pauleanna Reid 
  • Cultivate Clients with Salwa Emerson 
  • Close the Deal with Dan Gerstein 
  • Win the Confidence Game with Alice Sullivan
  • Know Thy Client with Jordan Michael Smith
  • Design a Smooth Process with Erika Winston 
  • Publishing 101 with Emily Heckman 
  • Write a Proposal They Can't Refuse with Catherine Whitney 


Past students said:


"Great concept overall, learned things I wouldn't learn anywhere else."

-Student (October 2024)


"The class was great--Toni was a fantastic guide through each session, the experts were all so helpful, engaging and approachable. ... The whole workshop really helped demystify ghostwriting."

-Student (October 2024)




Your Instructor:


Toni Robino
Founder, Windword Literary Services


Toni Robino loves developing and writing books that build a brighter world. A leading book architect, best selling ghostwriter and collaborative coach, Toni has helped dozens of authors to bring their books to life. Credits include New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestsellers, such as Humankind: Changing the World One Small Act at a Time, by Brad Aronson, The Male Brain: A Breakthrough Understanding of How Men and Boys Think, by Louann Brizendine, MD, and Age Later: Health Span, Life Span, and the New Science of Longevity, by Nir Barzilai, MD.


Her book architecture process guides authors to create original concepts that are authentically aligned with their brands and publishing goals. Recent titles conceptualized with Toni’s book architecture and developed with her coaching include Connected: Building Relationships to Achieve Success and Make a Lasting Impact, by Patricia Bathory, MBA, MACP, CCC; Magnificent Minds: The New Whole-Child Approach to Autism, by Suzanne Goh, MD; and We Are the Evidence: A Handbook for Finding Your Way After Sexual Assault, by Cheyenne Wilson, BSN.


Before becoming a ghostwriter, Toni taught personal development workshops with the Demartini Institute, hosted radio and TV shows featuring United Way agencies and clients, and wrote and produced award-winning fundraising films. She served as an associate editor in The Ohio State University’s department of communications and assistant editor of the faculty/staff newspaper. Like many ghostwriters, she began her writing career as a reporter and columnist for a daily newspaper, The Tribune Review in Pennsylvania.