samantha rose - tell your story and find your voice with nyt bestselling ghostwriter

How do bestselling books come to life when their "authors" aren't actually writers? Enter Samantha Rose, the founder of Yellow Sky Media and the invisible force behind seventeen books, including three New York Times bestsellers. In this fascinating conversation, Samantha pulls back the curtain on the mysterious world of ghostwriting and reveals how she built a thriving literary development business.

Starting with a simple blog about step-mothering in 2005, Samantha identified an untapped market that eventually caught the attention of a New York literary agent. That first opportunity launched her into a career channeling other people's voices onto the page. She shares the intimate process of developing trust with clients, capturing their authentic voice, and transforming their ideas and experiences into compelling narratives. "It's a pretty magical aspect of creativity," she explains, describing how writing reveals things the author didn't even know were there.

Beyond her ghostwriting practice, Samantha offers practical wisdom for aspiring writers: study books you admire, create organized "bucket lists" of ideas, protect your writing time religiously, and understand the various publishing paths available today. She breaks down her business model, combining percentage-based ghostwriting projects with coaching services sold in hourly blocks—and discusses the balance between solitary creative work and human connection.

Perhaps most moving is Samantha's journey publishing her own memoir, Giving Up the Ghost, which explores her grief following her mother's suicide. After years writing others' stories, she discovered the healing power of telling her own. "I had scenes and conversations in my mind that kept banging around in my head," she shares. "Once they were on the page, they lifted. They weren't so ever-present, playing back in my head, which was really freeing."

Whether you're curious about the publishing industry, considering writing a book of your own, or building any type of creative service business, Samantha's journey demonstrates how following your curiosity can lead to meaningful work that impacts readers around the world. Follow the show for more inspirational business stories, and remember, as Samantha wisely notes, "There is no other you, and we're all here for some reason."