An Interview...with ghostwriter Cecil Murphey

Cecil "Cec" Murphey is one of the hardest working men in the literary world. He's written 108 books at last count, many of which spent time on the New York Times Best Seller list and two have been option for film by major studios. He has more than 700 bylines in magazines and other publications. At age 75, he puts in 10-12 hour days beginning before 8:00 a.m. But do you know his name? Maybe not. Cec is a ghostwriter. He writes other people's life stories, and until recently, his name never appeared on his books.

How does one become a ghostwriter?

In Cec's case he had written a really bad novel and submitted to an editor at Revell. "He had read some of my articles," Cec says, "so he said he had something else for me to try." It was an autobiography of 1970's singer B.J. Thomas. His clients include Franklin Graham, the son of the Reverend Billy Graham, Dr. Ben Carson who performed the first successful separation of Siamese twins, NFL player Shaun Alexander, and Don Piper, a Baptist minister who died then returned to life having witnessed heaven. 90 Minutes in Heaven has been on the best sellers list since October 2006. The sequel Heaven is Real was released in August 2007 and debuted at number 15 on the NY Times extended list for hardback nonfiction.

What skills must a ghostwriter have?


Cec recommends learning the art of interviewing by writing personality profiles. The interview is the cornerstone of ghostwriting.

Cec spends three days interviewing, maybe 12 hours a day, while living in a subject's home. "I get as much information as I can so I can shape it and I can understand who they are and I can sound like them (when I write)."

"I can get inside their heads and their hearts."

"Learn to listen non-critically, non-judgmentally," he advises. "You don't have to believe what they believe. You just have to believe that they believe." While you're learning to listen, he says, "Shut your mouth. Just let him (or her) talk. You might have to clarify or something, here or there but that's it." Ninety percent of the tape should be your subject's voice.

"You also have to take yourself off the page."

He tapes everything, sending the interviews to a transcriber so he'll have them waiting when he returns home to write. First he pulls out the focus of the story, the theme about which the book will revolve. His job now is to stay true to that theme. Then he writes a first draft in three to four weeks.

"Sometimes they'll (the subjects) will call and say, 'Oh I don't think I want that story in there.' Or they'll have a great story they forgot that they want in the book," Cec says, "and I have to decide if it 'goes with' the book. If it fits the theme."

All in all he spends three to four months working on a book. During that time he becomes "their best friend, their therapist and their confidante."



"You get so close, so intimate," he adds. But when the book is finished, he goes off to another project and they go in their direction. "You might write a few notes, but you don't keep in touch. That's the hardest part."

When asked if he had a favorite among his book subjects, Cec exclaims, "That's like asking me which one of my children do I like the best!"

So what does Cec look for in an assignment?

"I ask three questions," he says. The project has to have valid answers for all three or he won't do it. "A lot of times, they'll get two of the questions but not the third." His questions:

1. "Why is the story unique?"
2. "What platform do you have to sell this book?"
3. "Do I feel passionately about this book?"

Cec was recently approached by a man who wanted him to co-write a book on finance. "It was probably a great book and probably would sell very well," Cec says, "but I didn't want to do it. I don't have any passion for that subject. There are others who do."

Is Cec's career winding down?

Don't bet on it! Cec has been writing since 1971, full time since 1984. At 75, most people think about retirement, but not him. "I'm still having fun. I love what I do and the people I meet."

Now Cec is diversifying. He recently finished writing his third book of a trilogy of "cozy mysteries" for Barbour, the first volume, Everybody Loved Roger Harden, was released in January. Cozy mysteries focus on the characters as they solve the crime.

"There's dead bodies everywhere," he admits, but the violence is off-stage. His agent wants him to continue with the mysteries to open up new markets for him.

Cec also has written a collection of gift books, such as When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's, Aging is an Attitude and Committed but Flawed, covering topics like care giving, spirituality and spiritual growth.

Cec doesn't want to do the same thing over and over again and claims if he finds himself heading that way, "that's when it's time to quit."

To read more about Cec Murphey, visit The Man Behind The Words. Most of his books are available online and in retail stores. Everybody Loved Roger Harden is currently sold exclusively through the Heartsong Presents - Mysteries! Book Club.