Anthony Bourdain, rest his soul, was a writer in the true sense of the word. That is to say, he wasn’t so much a “writer” as someone who had a lot to write about. His background in the restaurant industry inspired his first book, Kitchen Confidential. That memoir, in turn, led to a career that grew more illustrious by the year.

That said, not everyone who has a lot to write about is good at actually writing; consequently, as a ghostwriter, I attract many interesting clients. Furthermore, my clients all share one trait: the desire to be heard. Overall, their ghostwritten memoirs either reveal little-known truths, as Bourdain’s work does; philosophize about life; or simply entertain readers.

Bourdain first attempted to reach out with a simple newspaper article, and that led to great things. All my ghostwriting clients would love to copy this success story, therefore Bourdain showed us that yes, it’s possible to go from relative obscurity to “getting discovered.” (Here’s a blog about attracting publishers)

Great writing led to a TV career

Bourdain’s television career followed his fame as a writer. Consequently, this aspect of his fame rested on his personality and entrepreneurial spirit. All my ghostwriting clients have that quality–an interesting personality that just needs a boost to get some recognition.

Memoirs like Kitchen Confidential can propel people into the public eye or toward their careers of choice. Nobody will ever fill Bourdain’s shoes, but his path to fame is one that, with a well-written book, others can emulate.