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Deborah Stansil

Author, Editor and Ghostwriter

Self employed

Deborah Stansil, an author, editor, and ghostwriter, turned a lifelong passion for storytelling into a full-time career after realizing she’d regret not giving it a real chance. Over nearly a decade, she’s written hundreds of novels for clients while continuing to publish her own work, driven by the simple measure of success that matters most - when a client truly loves her writing. In this interview, Deborah shares the lessons that shaped her journey, from trusting her instincts to proving that it’s entirely possible to make a living as a writer.

1. What inspired you to pursue your current career path?

   I always wanted to be a writer but life got in the way and I went down other career paths. The dream never really went away though, and I started doing a bit of writing in my spare time. One day it hit me that if I didn’t make the leap and make a go of being a writer, I would always regret it.

2. What lesson from your first job still guides you today?

   One of my first ghostwriting jobs felt a bit off. You know the saying about something being too good to be true? Well, that was this job. My gut told me not to do it, but I was new to the ghostwriting world and I told myself I was being paranoid and took the job. Needless to say, I didn’t end up getting paid. It was only a few hours of work luckily, and I learned a valuable lesson early on - to trust my gut, and if something feels off, just turn down the job.

3. How do you define success in your current position?

   As a ghostwriter, I most often don’t see the finished product, but sometimes clients send me the nice reviews the book has received or a screenshot of it hitting number one on Amazon. That’s lovely, but ultimately a lot of that is also down to the cover, the blurb, and the marketing - none of which I am a part of. With that in mind, success as a ghostwriter is when the client loves my work.

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

   Nine years later, I would still have to say publishing my first novel. I have published more work since then and written hundreds of novels for clients, but nothing beats that feeling of excitement and accomplishment of seeing your first book come to life.

5. What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

   When you first start out as a writer, you will get people telling you it’s impossible to make a living from it. My advice is to remember that isn’t true at all - just because those negative voices couldn’t make it work for them does not mean you can’t make it. Believe in yourself and don’t give up, because it is entirely possible.