Kent Sanders

Reflections on Writing & Creativity

SBW 182: How to Tell a Better Story (with Alice Sullivan)

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“It was a dark and stormy night …” or so the story goes. As a kid, I read the Peanuts comic strip. Once in awhile, Snoopy would use those words to begin a story he was banging out on a typewriter. It was sort of a meta-joke since the Peanuts comic strip was in itself a story. 

Just like Snoopy, we are all crafting stories. If there is one skill in writing that trumps them all, it’s storytelling. I’m excited to share this interview where we have a true storytelling expert who can help us use the magic of storytelling even better.

My guest is Alice Sullivan, a successful ghostwriter with multiple books that have landed on the New York Times bestseller list (among many other places). Of course, you’ll never know which books she wrote because that would break the sacred code of ghostwriting … but just take my word for it, she’s a pro at the top of her field. In addition to being a ghostwriter, Alice is also a developmental book editor and author coach.

I got to know Alice a few months ago when I was going through the Publishing Ph.D. course taught by Honoree Corder. I immediately knew Alice would be a fun guest, so I’ve asked her to help us improve our storytelling skills. You’ll learn about Alice’s journey into ghostwriting, which is fascinating, why having a book is valuable, why people hire ghostwriters, and of course, the main topic of this interview, which is the principles of crafting a great story.

You can find Alice at her website, https://alicesullivan.com, on LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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