I’ve been listening to As Told To for the better part of two years, and it’s become one of my favorite podcasts—not just about ghostwriting, but about the writing life in general. What makes the show special is that host Daniel Paisner approaches every conversation as a master craftsman. His decades of experience as a writer and collaborator shine through in every episode. While the podcast certainly offers fascinating glimpses into the business of ghostwriting, at its core it’s a craft podcast. Paisner consistently steers conversations toward the art of storytelling, interviewing, collaboration, and the hard-earned lessons that come from a lifetime spent writing professionally. The quality of the guests is exceptional. Paisner comes from an era when professional ghostwriters were a relatively small community, and many of them worked with A-list clients on high-profile projects. As a result, listeners get access to stories, insights, and personalities that simply aren’t available anywhere else. At the same time, the podcast does a wonderful job exploring how the profession has evolved and expanded, and how ghostwriting intersects with journalism, fiction, memoir, and other forms of professional writing. Beyond the content itself, the production quality is excellent. Paisner is a thoughtful, engaging host, and his calm baritone voice has the reassuring quality of an old-school radio broadcaster. Whether you’re commuting, exercising, or sitting down to write, he’s easy to listen to while delivering consistently valuable conversations. If you’re a ghostwriter, journalist, author, editor, or simply someone interested in the craft and business of writing, As Told To is an absolute gem.

A wonderful show. Paisner is a wise and sympathetic interviewer and I love hearing how different writers approach their work. A favorite pod.

Until I found this podcast a few years ago, I felt pretty isolated in my career as a ghostwriter - I knew so few people working in this field at the time. Through Dan Paisner’s insightful interviews with experienced ghosts, I felt privy to insider industry knowledge that has helped me better advocate for myself and gain confidence in my skillset and worth. My business and network have grown significantly as a result of what I’ve learned by listening. Thank you, Dan, for holding space for these conversations!

As a working ghostwriter, I’ve found As Told To to be the closest thing we have to an MFA for the invisible class — those of us who live behind the curtain. Dan’s combination of deep experience, curiosity, and easygoing social grace makes every episode feel like a conversation you wish you’d been invited to years ago. What I love most is the range of guests — from marquee names to quiet craftsmen — and the honesty that runs through it all. There’s a shared, unspoken truth that many of us in this trade are misfits by nature: we don’t fit neatly into one genre, or one lane, or one idea of what a “writer’s career” is supposed to look like. Dan gets that. He draws it out in ways that are funny, wise, and quietly subversive. If you care about the art and heart of storytelling — not the hype, not the hustle — this show is essential.

I discovered this podcast as I pivoted into ghostwriting and can’t recommend it enough. Dan is a great interviewer, full of hard-earned wisdom, and his show is entertaining as well as informative. He is also very gracious to up and comer writers. A must-listen!

This is a fun one. I just listened to the Alan Zweibel episode. Great! You may think you don’t know who Alan Zweibel is - but you’ve definitely laughed at his jokes on TV or in a movie or award show or something. Check it out!

I’m late to these conversations, but so glad I’ve now tapped in. Paisner is an excellent interviewer and storyteller, and there is much to learn here about celebrity memoirs and what it takes to build a writing life.

I’ve enjoyed both participating in and listening to As Told To. What a great platform for us invisible writers to connect through! It’s taught me so much about how my colleagues approach the craft as well as the $ side of the ghostwriting profession. Daniel is a great interviewer who gets us saying more than we probably should!

This podcast pulls back the curtain for a refreshingly honest and transparent accounting of life in the ghostwriting world. It is a must-listen, whether you’ve chosen this work as a career or are simply intrigued by its mechanics.

I listened to a bunch of episodes. Always very interesting. Highly recommend.

“As Told To” is a consistently interesting podcast, even for those outside the “book world”. Dan Paisner is not only a great writer, but a formidable interviewer as well.

by shining an overdue spotlight on the business, craft, and people that fuel nonfiction, As Told To illuminates the creative and career secrets of a vast world of writing and writers about which most of us are either misinformed or, more likely, unaware.

Really enjoyable, informative, and insightful. Thanks for covering this niche topic in such great detail!

Great interviewer, great guests, great pod

Such interesting guests!

I am three months in writing my memoir and wanting to gain knowledge on the subject of writing I found myself reading Quaddafi’s Point Guard. My love of basketball and political happenings the title intrigued me. Alex Owumi with Daniel Paisner wrote the book. A very good read. Paisner shows up on my Twitter feed one day. That led me to this podcast which is great. Multiple listens on my part.

Great conversations with the writers who bring some of the most popular books to life. The behind-the-scenes tales, insights into the publishing industry, and nuts-and-bolts technique talk make this not just an essential listen for fellow writers but a highly entertaining podcast for anyone who appreciates stories and storytellers. I’m telling you, add “As Told To” to your pod rotation!

Dan and his guests know all the inside dope on how celebrity books get made. Such a interesting topic, and Dan is a fun and engaging interviewer. Learn something and be entertained, all at once!

Interesting expose of the writer’s mind.

This podcast takes you behind the scenes of so many best sellers. Great stories about both the writers and their subjects. Fascinating!

Dan is a great interviewer - and a good poker player as well!