Five ASJA Members Receive Ghostwriting Scholarships

ASJA has chosen the five recipients of scholarships to an upcoming ghostwriting workshop hosted by Gotham Ghostwriters, the New York ghostwriting agency.

A scholarship subcommittee of ASJA’s DEAI task force oversaw the selection process. The subcommittee awarded scholarships to ASJA members who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, or from other historically underrepresented populations. The recipients are: 

• Pamela Appea, an ASJA professional member and New York City-based freelancer who specializes in health and science, among other topics.
• Lynn Brown, a New York-based ASJA professional member and writer, teacher, and digital storyteller who creates content that illuminates marginalized voices.
• Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, an ASJA professional member and board member in Central Florida, who writes about tennis, sports in society, home and garden, small business, and general interest. (Corbett’s board work is not connected to the DEAI task force.)
• Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez, an ASJA professional member and co-chair of ASJA’s DEAI task force, and Manhattan-based freelance journalist, author, and content marketing writer. (Gonzalez co-chairs the task force but was not part of the scholarship subcommittee.)
• Dawn Reiss, an ASJA professional member and long-time Chicago freelance journalist and book author.

ASJA collaborated with Gotham Ghostwriters to provide scholarships to Gotham’s new course, Ghostmasters 101, How to Break Into the Business of Ghostwriting.

The scholarship subcommittee awarded scholarships to member writers and freelance journalists who demonstrated excellence in their work and a commitment to advancing their careers in ghostwriting. According to the subcommittee, this year’s recipients represented diverse individuals from various backgrounds and experiences, united by a passion for storytelling and dedication to the craft. 

More About the Ghostmasters 101 Course

The Ghostmasters course is an introduction to ghostwriting for experienced writers and journalists hoping to enter the field. It runs Sept. 30 to Oct. 11, 2024, and covers such fundamental topics as how to create a ghostwriting business plan, set fees, and find clients. Experienced ghostwriters will lead each day’s 75- to 90-minute session, which will include a Q&A. All sessions will be recorded for registered participants who cannot attend or want to review what was covered. 

Registration for the course is $899 through Sept. 9, and $1,095 after that; sign up here. For more information, watch this introductory video featuring the Ghostmasters course creators Toni Robino and Gotham Ghostwriters CEO Dan Gerstein. 

The Ghostmasters scholarship is the latest collaboration between ASJA and Gotham Ghostwriters. ASJA previously worked with Gotham Ghostwriters on the Gathering of the Ghosts ghostwriting conference in January, and on the inaugural Andy Award for excellence in nonfiction book ghostwriting collaboration.

Congratulations and good luck to the scholarship recipients!

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Olga Torres is an ASJA board member and heads the 2024 conference scholarship committee. Her freelance work on health care, disability rights, and diversity issues has been published in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Next Avenue, and other publications. She attended her first ASJA conference in 2022 as a scholarship recipient.