One of next year’s ghostwriting projects, for me, might very well be a European travel memoir. Now, the last time I got to travel for a book, it was to the American South: an interesting and revelatory experience for this Yankee.

I saw the cotton fields of Alabama and met a lot of honest-to-gosh hillbillies. Before that, I went to India and Nepal. That one was an extensive trip that traced the escape route of a client whose story really was more exciting and suspenseful than anything I’ve seen yet on “locked up abroad.” Now, it seems to be in the cards that I visit a few of the key spots of another adventurous memoir, this time throughout Europe.

Traveling to Write

Alas, confidentiality prevents me from sharing the details of my client’s story, but rest assured, he’ll want the world to know everything once we’re close to publication, so hang in there.

Another idea I’ve been toying with is a South American travel memoir. Now, this wouldn’t be for a client, but for my own family. I’ve been trying to get around to writing my dad’s memoir for a few years now. It’s a story that starts in Philadelphia and traces a path through south and central America, through Argentina, to Chile, during the era that encompasses the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I’ve ghostwritten a lot of memoirs that take place in distant eras and places, but this would definitely be the biggest challenge yet, as both the place and historical period are very specific and pretty far outside my areas of expertise. But, of course, that’s the fun of being a writer.

A Ghostwriter Waits and Wonders

Looking forward to my next ghostwriting assignment is always a fun but scary time. A writer waits for the work to come in, hoping for something interesting, and often taking risks by turning down work that just doesn’t appeal. Then boom. There it is.

For instance, currently, I’m writing a fictional caper for a client who trusts me so much she tells me to “surprise her,” which is an incredible honor, really.

If my next assignment is a travel memoir, that’ll be a great break from the really intensive, internal work of writing fiction. But, who knows, during a phase like this, when I’m setting up my next year’s roster of work, all I can do is watch and wait. My own fate, as a ghostwriter, is pretty much out of my hands. Hoping for adventure!