Mike Wicks

Author & Ghostwriter

About me

I ‘m a ghostwriter, ghostblogger, freelance writer, author and publishing consultant.

Books have been my life since I joined my first publishing company at eighteen. I’ve written on just about any topic you can imagine, from mutual funds to the fire-bombing of Japan in WWII, from the decline in world trust to the fourth industrial revolution, and from how not sell and manage people to baby boomers to Dungeness crab. I write under my own name and as a ghostwriter and writer-for-hire for clients as diverse as a renowned financial advisor, a WWII veteran, a multi-billionaire, a popular life coach, a Vietnam helicopter pilot flying hunter/killer missions, and a sex trafficking survivor.

I co-wrote the Wall Street Journal bestseller, Built Not Born: A Self-Made Billionaire’s No-Nonsense Guide for Entrepreneurs with Tom Golisano. It was a bestseller on many lists, including Barnes and Noble, Publisher’s Weekly, and Amazon.

Harper Collins Leadership publishes my two books: How Not to Sell and How Not to Manage People (pub. August 2020).

Fire From The Sky – A Diary Over Japan won a silver medal for the best military memoir of 2005, awarded by the Military Writers Society of America.

My sales and marketing column appeared in Douglas business magazine for ten years. I have written small business, food, lifestyle, and travel articles.
I have over 40 years of experience in mainstream and custom book publishing, working at many great publishing houses, including Random House, Michael Joseph, and the Pearson-Longman group. I founded one of the industry’s first special publications divisions, publishing corporate-sponsored books and specialist publications. I subsequently became the managing director and part-owner of two custom publishing houses.

I am a member of the Association of Ghostwriters.

At eighteen, I entered the publishing world as a trainee sales representative. By my late thirties, I’d gained experience as an area manager, sales manager, head of special publications, and managing director at some of the world’s mainstream book publishers. I then decided to head west and become a ghostwriter and author in North America.

For the last quarter-century, I’ve been a UK ex-pat writing for authors and writing agencies across the United States from coast to coast, especially in New York City, Florida, Arkansas, Arizona, and California. I also have clients in Canada.

Today I have a major co-authored book (Built Not Born) due for publication by Harper Collins Leadership and am working on two new books for HCL that will be published solely under my name. In addition, I am currently ghostwriting five books for a diverse range of authors.

In 2011, I launched Blue Beetle Books Inc., a custom book publishing house. In 2016 Blue Beetle Books Inc. brought onboard a new business partner, took a new direction, and morphed into Your Better Business Content. Today, Paul Abra, my business partner, manages YourBBC, and I have a behind-the-scenes role as the lead writer for Your Better Business Content.

If you need a professional writer with over 40 years of experience who loves to be creative and approaches each new project with high-level energy and enthusiasm, call me for a no-obligation chat!

Click below for my bio.

Mike_Wicks_Bio_Jan_2023

There are thousands of good writers out there, so why hire me?

“Mike Wicks’ commitment and passion for the project were inspiring. His contribution to the content and his ability to find my voice helped make the book both readable and accessible.”

Tom Golisano (Bestselling Author: Built Not Born: A Self-Made Billionaire’s No-Nonsense Guide for Entrepreneurs, Harper Collins Leadership, 2019).

“Mike listened to me talk about my life for hundreds of hours and was able to accurately transpose my words and thoughts to the written page. His commitment to helping me find my “voice” and tell my story was invaluable.”

Tom Golisano (Author: The Italian Kid Did It, Harper Collins, 2021).

“I hired Mike Wicks as a ghostwriter, but he ended up being so much more. He became a friend and colleague and guided me through the book publication process. He has become a champion for my book, helping me connect with the right professionals and better understand the publishing industry’s expectations of me.”

Darryl Stickel (Author: Building Trust, Exceptional Leadership in an Uncertain World).

“I cannot thank Mike enough for bringing an otherwise dull and predictable book on practice transition to life with his writing style and stories. It is fantastic to work with him.”

Manfred Purtzki (Author: The Simple Guide to Selling Your Dental Practice For More Money).

“Mike Wicks is a true professional and a pleasure to collaborate with on multiple levels. Responsive, dedicated, talented, and always receptive to feedback, Mike is one of my favorite writers to work with. One of our recent projects with Mike sold to Harper Collins for a mid-six-figure deal and looks as if it will become a NYT bestseller. What impressed me most with Mike’s work on that book was his willingness to make revisions as needed (which were often extensive) as well as his flexibility—traveling to Naples (Florida) and upstate New York on multiple occasions for extended periods of time to ensure the author was happy with the process. He’s also a great team player and I never worry about any project when Mike is the lead.”

Kevin Anderson (Kevin Anderson and Associates, New York).