Ted Merwin is a writer
Ted Merwin is an author and ghostwriter who works behind the scenes for accomplished leaders. He ghostwrites books, speeches, op-eds, and major communications for executives, philanthropists, and institutional principals, with particular depth in work with Jewish clients and Jewish communal life. He also coaches clients for book talks and major speaking engagements, drawing on a Ph.D. in Theatre and twenty-five years of teaching public speaking. He is the author of Pastrami on Rye, winner of the National Jewish Book Award, and his articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Haaretz, and other publications.
About
Ted Merwin is a writer who has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of American Jewish life and institutional leadership.
He is the author of Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History of the Jewish Deli (NYU Press, 2015), winner of the National Jewish Book Award, and In Their Own Image: New York Jews in Jazz Age Popular Culture (Rutgers University Press, 2006).
He serves as Senior Book Architect at Authority Company, the publishing imprint of Forbes Books, where he develops book plans and ghostwrites manuscripts for business executives, entrepreneurs, and senior leaders across industries.
Books
Practice
Ted Merwin works with executives, philanthropists, and institutional leaders across industries on projects where the writing matters and the stakes are high. His work focuses on four areas.
Books
Memoir, family legacy, and business or institutional histories, written through in-depth interviewing, research, drafting, and revision (also known as memoir and book ghostwriting services). Engagements typically run four to six months. Clients have included executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and institutional leaders in business, healthcare, philanthropy, and Jewish communal life.
Speeches
Speechwriting for senior executives, board chairs, and institutional principals on major occasions, including annual meetings, campaign launches, major donor events, conference keynotes, and significant public moments. Ted's speeches have been delivered by leaders of major nstitutions across North America at events from local community gatherings to national assemblies.
Editorial Advisory and Op-Eds
Ghostwriting of op-eds and essays under client bylines, editorial advisory work on long-form projects, substantive editing of existing manuscripts, and development of communications strategy for leadership messaging. Ted's ghostwritten op-eds have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Haaretz, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, JNS, JTA, The Hill, and other major publications.
Speaking Coaching
Preparation for book talks, conference keynotes, donor presentations, and other significant speaking engagements. Drawing on a Ph.D. in Theatre and twenty-five years of teaching public speaking and communications, Ted works with clients to prepare for delivery, refine content for the audience and occasion, and develop the presence and confidence to deliver under pressure.
Particular depth with Jewish clients
Ted's practice has unusual depth in work with Jewish clients across the religious, professional, and cultural spectrum. His credentials include the National Jewish Book Award–winning Pastrami on Rye, two decades of senior writing for Jewish institutional leaders, the forthcoming Kalushiners of Charleston (Forbes Books) on Jewish-American immigration history, and sustained engagement with the cultural, historical, and communal textures of American Jewish life. Clients have included federation board chairs, major donors, rabbis, executives, and individuals whose Jewish identity is part of the story they want to tell. Ted works with clients across industries and subjects. His expertise is in long-form structure, voice, and craft, applied to whatever subject the client brings to the table. All engagements are confidential. To discuss a project, please contact him directly.
Selected Writing
A more complete archive of published writing is available on request.
Featured In
(NYU Press, 2015)