Resume

Melanie Votaw

Accomplished nonfiction book author, ghostwriter, book coach, editor, journalist, and creative writer who has written 43 nonfiction books – 11 under her own name and 32 ghostwritten – published by such houses as Hyperion, Macmillan, Hay House, New World Library, Little Brown, and Perseus Books. Fiction, poetry, and photographs have also been published in anthologies. Proven ability to write or edit/book doctor creative and trade nonfiction that is entertaining, clear, instructive, and informative.

Subject Areas: Self-help, popular business, leadership, marketing/branding, medical/health for lay audiences (including cosmetic surgery and dentistry), food/nutrition, cookbooks, coffee table books, gift/novelty books, psychology, sexuality/erotica, new age spirituality, adult education, travel, entertainment (film, television, music, theater, art, dance), law, memoir, nature/ecology/wildlife including bird watching.

Writing, Editorial, and Related Background

Ghostwriting: Ghostwriter of 32 nonfiction books published by such houses as Hyperion, Macmillan, Hay House, Little Brown, New World Library, and Perseus Books. These include self-help and memoir, primarily on psychology, spiritual, and business topics.

Books: Author of 6 nonfiction books published by Running Press, 5 self-published ebooks, ghostwriter of 32 nonfiction books, and contributor to 3 additional books (1 nonfiction and 2 fiction compilations):

• Spice Up, Live Long with Dr. Melina Jampolis
• The Cocktail Kit, Running Press
• The Art of Chinese Calligraphy, Running Press
• Hummingbirds: Jewels On Air, Courage Books/Running Press
• 52 Weeks of Passionate Sex, Running Press
• The Art of Belly Dancing, Running Press
• Passion Starters: Seduce. Surprise. Satisfy., Running Press
• 52 Ways to Romance Your Muse & Launch Any Creative Project, Self-published ebook and 3 additional ebooks
• 32 ghostwritten titles in medical, popular business, memoir, self-help, and new age genres
• Faces of Freedom, (contributor)
• Five Minute Erotica and More Five Minute Erotica, (contributor) Running Press

Editing and Book Doctoring: Developmental editor/book doctor and line/copy editor of nonfiction and fiction books, articles, white papers, website copy, brochures, and speeches for both individuals and publishing companies. Developmentally edited books – published by such houses as Penguin Random House, Hay House, Macmillan, and Ulysses Press – have won 50+ international book awards, including the Best Beach Books Festival Grand Prize. Ability to diagnose manuscript problems, organizing them for optimal clarity and flow. Also experienced with copy editing, particularly recipes.

Book Proposals: I have ghostwritten and edited numerous book proposals that have gone into auction and sold to top publishers, such as Penguin Random House, Hay House, Little Brown, New Harbinger, and New World Library.

Medical/Health Writing: Ghostwriter of full-length books about nutrition, thyroid health, cosmetic dentistry, eye surgery, and diseases, and ghostwriter of articles for dentistry trade publications. Ghostwriter and developmental editor of cookbooks. Produced several patient publications and website copy for more than 50 ophthalmologists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas, and large medical groups, describing medical procedures for lay audiences.

Journalism: Specializing in travel, entertainment, health, and sexuality, Melanie has written for such print publications as Woman’s Day, Travel Savvy, Medical Economics, South China Morning Post, Executive Travel, His and Hers, Independent Restaurateur, Restaurant Management, Fit Focus, Kraze, American Moms, and several online publications, such as Broadway World, Luxury Web, City Room, Just Luxe, Business Insider, Minerva Place, Farewell Travels, Reel Life With Jane, Antenna Free TV, Travel Mindset, Travelers Digest, Super Yacht Times, and Copper in the Arts Magazine. She is the Publisher of the longstanding travel magazine, LuxuryWeb Magazine.

Business and Corporate Writing: Developer, writer, and editor of a wide range of business materials, including SEO website copy, speeches, brochures, product descriptions and packaging, sales letters, newsletters, white papers, case studies, press releases, bios, and more. Proven ability to use creative writing skills to enhance marketing materials.

Teaching, Lecturing, and Public Appearances: Melanie was a guest speaker for the Women in Publishing Summit in 2022 and 2023, as well as for Revel Eleven in Washington State. She was an Invited instructor of erotic poetry writing course for The Discovery Center in New York and for The Learning Annex in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Instructor of Discovering Your Life Purpose seminar for The Seminar Center, The Learning Annex in New York and California, and com. Invited lecturer on creative expression for the Los Angeles Mensa Society. Lecturer at the New Life and Source of Life Expos in New York. Author and producer of two lecture/meditation CD’s entitled Discovering Your Life Purpose and The Creative Impulse, which are sold on iTunes and elsewhere. Appeared on Sony Worldwide Radio Network and Manhattan Neighborhood Network’s television program, Woman of the Week. Provided Valentine’s Day tips on the New Jersey Good Times Magazine Radio Show and appeared for a half-hour interview on the Knowledge for Living-Awakening Your Potential program on MoneyTalk Radio.

Photography: Published nature, wildlife, and travel photographer. Amazon River photograph was made into a mural for an exhibit at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. Exhibited at Westside Camera in New York City. Eight photographs published in the coffee table book, Hummingbirds: Jewels On Air, 14 photographs published in The Ultimate Bird Book published by Health Communications, Inc. (the Chicken Soup for the Soul publishers), one photo in The Exultant Ark, and numerous photos in online/print magazines and New York Times blog. Images have been used in corporate marketing materials, logos, and websites, including the National Honey Board. Brazil photos have graced the walls of Sting’s Rainforest Foundation NY office.

Poetry and Fiction: More than 50 poems published in the literary magazines of the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Finland, and Australia, including American Writing, Folio, Poetpourri, and The Lullwater Review. Erotic fiction published in The Erotica Reader, which accompanies the non-fiction book 52 Weeks of Passionate Sex, and in the book anthologies Five-Minute Erotica (September 2003, Running Press) and Five-Minute Erotica 2 (2008, Running Press.) Served as poetry contest judge for the Bronx Council for the Arts.

Education

Bachelor of Arts degree in English, magna cum laude, Bellarmine College, Louisville, Kentucky

Many years of training and experience as a professional dancer, singer, actress

Memberships

Member of Association of Ghostwriters; International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association; International Travel Writers Alliance, New York Travel Writers Association

References provided upon request.