Ghostwriting, aka Hiring Me to Work With You
Ghostwriting is such a funny term, but I like to think of it as any work you might need in the “words” realm that (most likely) wouldn’t end up with my name on it.
I’ve been working with words professionally for more than 20 years. Seven of those years I spent in an alt-weekly newsroom as a copy editor, associate editor and reporter. Since 2013, I’ve been self-employed, and the majority of my income comes from gigs ghostwriting or editing.
My client list is wide and varied. To give you an idea of some of my larger projects right now, I’m the production editor for the Colorado College Bulletin (alumni magazine), a storyteller and editor for Pikes Peak Library District, and a copy editor for USA TODAY.
My primary interests include health and wellness, yoga and self-care; personal growth; books (especially author interviews); nonprofits; animal welfare; travel; and anything foodie, but I’m open to all sorts of possibilities.
Here are some examples of what clients hire me to write or edit:
• Articles • Bios • Blog posts • Educational materials • Fundraising letters • Grant proposals • Newsletter content • Press releases • Annual reports • Social media content • Special event materials • Speeches • Training curriculum • Website content •
If you think I might be a good fit for your business or project and you’d like to discuss details, please reach out here or drop me a note via email: kirsten@kirstenakens.com.
Oh, and a few folks have been kind enough to say some nice things about working with me, if you’re curious:
"Quite simply, Kirsten excelled at anything she committed to doing, and handled challenges of all kinds with aplomb." — Kirk Woundy, former Editor in Chief, Colorado Springs Independent; current owner of Time Capsule Memoirs
“Kirsten and I worked together for seven years at the Colorado Springs Independent, and in that time she proved endlessly competent, dependable and valuable in literally countless ways to the organization.
Kirsten is one of those rare people who has both an eye for detail and a deep understanding of big-picture issues. As a copy editor and then an associate editor, a big part of her job was getting into the weeds on stories, tracking even the most Byzantine of statements to make sure they were factually accurate, and nailing down proper grammar, spelling, etc. But often, she would also be the one to point out holes in our overall coverage, or to tell us about something newsworthy that we would have missed otherwise. Many times, she’d write such stories herself.
Quite simply, Kirsten excelled at anything she committed to doing, and handled challenges of all kinds with aplomb — even when juggling more than one of those challenges at once. I firmly believe that the same thing will happen wherever she goes in her career.”
"Kirsten is both detail-oriented and broad thinking, a rare combination." — Janet Kerr, consultant/psychotherapist, former Executive Director at TESSA
“As Director of Resource Development at the Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence and then TESSA, Kirsten skillfully managed a broad range of tasks including grant writing and reporting; planning and executing special events; coordinating the annual campaign; updating the donor data base; interacting with board members; and supervising development staff.
Kirsten is both detail-oriented and broad thinking, a rare combination. Her problem-solving skills made her a valued member of the management team. Kirsten is in the top three percent of the dozens of employees I have supervised.”
"...if there was ever an error in the paper, it was likely because Kirsten had been away during that production cycle." —Rebecca Tillett, graphic designer and photographer
“I worked with Kirsten for more than six years at the Colorado Springs Independent and have never before or since worked with someone as meticulous and with such a keen eye for detail. Always taking pride in the printed product, if there was ever an error in the paper, it was likely because Kirsten had been away during that production cycle.
Aside from copyediting, Kirsten is also an incredible writer and I recall forever being astounded at the tasks required of her to write a great piece; whether it meant having to read 10 books in 2 months or interviewing intimidating and bigger-than-life personalities, I’ve never seen her back down from an assignment. She’s always seemed to face every new challenge with positivity and unrelenting courage.”