Rising Stars: Meet Alice Sullivan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alice Sullivan

Hi Alice, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started my professional writing and editing career right out of college, when one of my professors hired me to work on his books. After two years of freelance work for a local newspaper, several Home and Garden magazines, and a children’s publishing company, I was hired by Thomas Nelson Publishers (HarperCollins) to ghostwrite two books. That opportunity jumpstarted my career in writing. Now, with 24 years in the publishing industry, I’ve ghostwritten 64 books and edited over 1,300 titles.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been mostly smooth with a couple white-knuckle moments along the way.

The first scare happened in 2006, the same day I was supposed to close on my first house. That morning, I learned my publishing division was shutting down and I was laid off. I worried all day whether I should still sign the paperwork and not say anything about getting laid off. Thankfully, I got the house, and two weeks later was offered another editorial position in the company.

The second scary moment came in 2009, when I knew I needed to resign and become a freelancer, instead of keeping my corporate position. I saved my money, reached out to all my contacts, and gave my notice. Thankfully, it worked out really well and I’ve been a freelancer for the last 14 years.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in nonfiction ghostwriting, specifically memoir and business leadership books. I love these genres best because I get to learn all about someone’s story, including the ups and downs, lessons learned, acts of resilience, and how they’ve gotten to where they are today. I find it inspiring and motivating to work with someone who wants to share their story for the benefit of others.

What I believe sets me apart from some of my peers is that I’ve worked very hard to become a great listener and interviewer. My goals are to create trust quickly and for the author to feel completely at ease during our conversations. In order to write as them and for them, I need to learn everything I can about their story, personality, communication style, quirks, and thought process. Once I have a better sense of who they are, I can accurately write in their voice.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
As a Native Nashvillian, I still miss Opryland!

I like that we’re still a smaller city with a lot of things to do each day. From sports to music, art, food, and cultural events, you can’t really be bored in Nashville. I also love hiking at Radnor Lake. It’s my happy place, especially at 6 a.m. when there are fewer people on the trails and you can see a lot of wildlife.

I dislike the traffic greatly and the potholes that can easily bend your wheels.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alicesullivan.com
• Instagram: @alicewrites