FAQ
So you want to write a book! How much will it cost and how long will it take? What if the material is confidential? And ...
Here's a Q&A format that will give you a sense of what's involved.
But first: he, she, him and her
I'll refer to "him" and "her" at random, just to keep things fair.
Who would want to hire a writer, and why?
A: It can be:
* Someone who's recorded his life story in audio interviews and wants to turn that into a book.
* A family that wants to honor an elder member with a book that celebrates her life story.
* Someone who's been writing down his Torah thoughts and wants to share them with others, but doesn't know how to shape them into book form.
* Someone passionate about a project--whether translating her Yiddish memoirs or translating a classic Torah text.
* Someone who needs to produce a book to help advance his reputation and expand his business.
* Someone who's written a novel and needs an editor to look over her work.
A client is a person with an idea, a plan, a dream, a legacy. His goal may not be to write every word, but to reach others and communicate with them. If writing every word is not the best way for him to use his time, or if writing is not his strongest skill, he teams up with a writer who can take that vision and craft it into a book.
When a client comes with a project, what happens next?
A: The most important thing is that the client and I are in sync with each other. She describes the project and I give my feedback, to make sure that I understand her. Often I produce a sample so that she feels confident that I can produce the work that she wants.
Then, when we are working with one shared goal, the project goes forward.
Is it necessary for the client and writer to meet in person?
A: As a general rule, that hasn't been the case. Sometimes a client does want to see me before beginning the work. But I've done a good number of projects without ever meeting the client. She sends me material by mail or email and I send material back, and we talk on the phone.
How is the fee structured?
A: Some clients like to be billed by the hour, but usually they prefer a flat fee. Usually a client hires me to complete an entire book, but other times he might hire me chapter by chapter.
Because each project is unique, I arrive at a fee after I discuss a project with a client.
How does the client pay?
A: The client pays in installments, and at the same time receives installments of the work. The size and format of a project suggests how those installments should be organized.
This way the client gets to see the material as I'm producing it, and can suggest changes.
There's a wide range of fees among writers. Why is that?
A: That's because there's such a wide range of ability. Although price is important, it's more important to look at what the writer has produced and feel that you can get along with him.
Does the client pay for time spent talking with the writer?
A: Usually not, unless it's the type of project where discussions take a significant amount of time. In that case, I set up some guidelines. For instance, the client is allotted ten hours to discuss the book with me within the budget--and any time over that will be charged by the hour.
The cost of writing can sometimes appear formidable.
A: Yes. That's because a good writer is a highly-skilled professional, and a book can take considerable time to write.
So even before beginning a project, the client should ask himself: Why do I want to write this book? Do I intend to earn money with it? Or is it a labor of love--for instance, a family legacy?
Every answer is legitimate--but whatever it is, it has to be right for you.
What can a client do if he's afraid to share sensitive material?
A: I'll be happy to sign a confidentiality clause that legally prevents me from sharing the material with anyone else.
What if the client doesn't feel that she's receiving the type of work that she wants?
A: In actuality, this hasn't been much of an issue. Often at the beginning of a project there is a bit of experimentation as I get in touch with the client's goal. If I've written a dozen pages and the client says I'm off-track, I have no trouble backtracking and redoing the material, without asking for added payment.
I have found that almost always, the combination of good will and competence keeps problems from arising.
How long does it take to complete a book?
A: It all depends on the type of project it is. For instance, I worked on a 52,000 word book that took me a month to write. But another book that was 55,000 words took me three times as long.
The second book was an autobiography based on interview transcripts that the client provided me with, which consisted of rambling accounts of stories in scattered fragments that I had to piece together. And so it took that much longer to do.
A personal word: why do I write?
A: I started out by emulating my father. He was a journalist, humorist, author and playwright for sixty years, beginning in Warsaw and continuing in Melbourne, Paris and New York, where he worked on the Jewish Daily Forward and wrote books such as The Old Country and Adventures of a Yiddish Lecturer.
My mother loved literature and received an MA in literature from Brooklyn College when she was in her sixties.
Words can be information, communication and communion. They can be as harsh as a jackhammer or as calm as the ocean floor. They can give you eyes to see and ears to hear, and create new chambers of insight in your mind. They can even change your life.
That's why I love to use the power of words.
R. Lau on Pirkei Avos, 3 Volumes (Artscroll Mesorah, Brooklyn, NY, 2006-07).
Three-volume translation of six-volume commentary on Ethics of the Fathers by Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel.
Gutta: Memories of a Vanished World (Feldheim, Jerusalem 2005).
"Yaacov Dovid Shulman, editor par excellence, pulled extensive interviews together into a unified whole, engaged in historical detective work, and evinced sensitivity to the voice and style of Mrs. Sternbuch"-Professor David Kranzler (prize-winning historian and author).
Surfing the Leadership Wave, by Peter R. Ramsaroop (Evolvent Press, Washington, DC 2003).
"Yaacov Shulman's creative writing skills and research skills were excellent and more than met my expectations"- Peter Ramsaroop.
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise (privately published, 2003).
"Yaacov rescued a floundering project, and brought it back to a vital life! I found Yaacov a pleasure to work with: bright, quick, responsive, and sensitive to my 'writer's voice' as well as my intent for the project. I recommend him highly"-Dr. David Kamnitzer.
The Sefirot: Ten Emanations of Divine Power (Jason Aronson, Inc., NJ, 1996).
"Beautiful, poetic, and inspiring"-Norman Lamm, President, Yeshiva University.
"An elegant and impassioned book that translates Jewish mystical wisdom into a contemporary idiom"-Daniel Matt, The Essential Kabbalah and God and the Big Bang.
"Drawing on many different sources, Y. David Shulman has offered us a book of ancient teachings that can enrich and elevate the modern soul"-David Wolpe, The Healer of Shattered Hearts.
Reb Israel Salanter (CIS Publishers, Lakewood, NJ, 1995).
"A superb biography....Lucid style and skilled scholarship"-Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
The Maharal of Prague (CIS Publishers, Lakewood, NJ, 1992).
"I would like to thank you for the superb story of the king's dream in The Maharal of Prague. Dreams are my hobby, but I've never come across anything with the clarity of this story"-Nancy Nachum, Jerusalem.
Understanding the Tanya: Volume Three in the Definitive Commentary on a Classic Work of Kabbalah by the World's Foremost Authority Tanya (Josse-Bass, San Francisco, 2007).
My translation of the commentary of famed Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz on Tanya.
Zichron Av (Feldheim Publishers, Spring Valley, NY, 2002).
"A wonderfully translated work"-R. Cheskel Grunwald, grandson of the author.
The Chambers of the Palace: Teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav (Jason Aronson, Inc., Northvale, NJ, 1993).
Main Selection of The Jewish Book Club.
"For those seeking an entrance into the realm of Jewish spiritual and mystical teachings, there is no better guide than Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav. Nor is there a better introduction to Rabbi Nachman's teachings than The Chambers of the Palace. In this beautifully translated work, Shulman has selected the essential teachings from a vast library of writings and organized them into 42 primary categories"-Howard Schwartz (Gabriel's Palace, Elijah's Violin, et al.), St. Louis-Post Dispatch.
"A scholarly, well-researched, well-written contribution to Judaic studies"-Wisconsin Bookwatch.
Pathway to Jerusalem: The Travel Letters of Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura (CIS Publishers, Lakewood, NJ, 1991).
A translation of the vivid travel letters written by a major Torah scholar of the fifteenth century.
People of the Book (Targum, Jerusalem, 2008).
I edited some of the chapters in this book by Osher Levene.
An Angel Among Men (Kol Mevaser Publications, Israel 2003).
A biography by Simcha Raz. My translating contribution was noted in the acknowledgements as "commendable work on the formidable last three chapters."
Little Psalms (Wings of the Morning Press, Monsey, NY, 1987).
"I so much liked your perfect Little Psalms-some of them so much in the spirit (and often the language-of-feeling) of Yiddish poetry. You've created a fine amalgam of the American tongue and its sensibilities, and your new/old yeshiva explorations"-Cynthia Ozick.
Are you eager to bring your book project to completion ...
And could you use some professional help in doing so?
Your book may have been languishing in your drawer, or your mind, for years. With professional assistance, it can be completed quickly--perhaps even within months!
You need the assurance of finding someone with...
--A proven track record and excellent testimonials from grateful clients and recognized literary figures.
...Someone who will:
--Produce elegant, clear prose
--Work quickly with little need for instruction
--Create a fee structure that you will be happy with.
You need to feel confident...
that you are receiving the help of a conscientious, honest, self-motivated professional who can produce high-quality work at a fair price in a short period of time.
Please bring your book manuscript to me.
My name is Yaacov David Shulman, and I'm a writer, editor and translator with over thirty years' experience. In that time, I've published over thirty books (under my own name and under that of others), and I will be glad to help you with your own writing project.
I specialize in:
Ghostwriting autobiographies and Holocaust memoirs (working from manuscripts and interview transcriptions).
Editing Torah and academic book manuscripts.
Translating Torah-related and literary manuscripts from Hebrew and Yiddish to English.
I've also ...
ghostwritten books on business inspiration, a political program and holistic healing. I've written speeches, penned pieces for periodicals such as the Forward, the Village Voice, the Jerusalem Post and Midstream Magazine, and--yes--composed lyrics for a Jewish rock band.
Look around, and then be in touch!
Have a look at the list of work I've done, and the testimonials that I have received for the quality of my work.
Then send me an email or give me a phone call, and let's talk about your vision for your project.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Yaacov David
P.S. Perhaps you've been wistfully dreaming of turning your project into a real book. You can make that dream a reality--perhaps within only a few months. Contact me today.
