@VictoriaInBloom - Instagram Live
September 17, 2017 - 11:47 PM CST
[TRANSCRIPT]
"Guys, I need your help. I need everyone watching this to please, please share this. My brother Jackson is missing. [Candid photo of Jackson Reed inlaid in screen].
God, I can't believe I'm saying this. Look, I know what you all think of him after those field reports leaked. I know he's problematic. Okay, you know I blocked his ass when I saw what he said. I was so angry and embarrassed and—" [voice breaking] "—but he was right about her. About Irina Sterling.
He’s now the fourth that’s missing. Just that we know about. This is so real you guys. It’s not a prank, and it’s not just my misogynist brother trying to deflect. This is so real. He's not at his apartment, his car is there but he's not, and his phone goes straight to voicemail.
I'm scared. I'm so fucking scared. If you've seen my brother, if you know anything, please. I don't care what he's done or said. He's still my brother. Please help me find him."
[Stream abruptly ends]
The Ghost Behind the Gurus: How Oklahoma City Native Jackson Reed Became Publishing's Secret Weapon for Female Empowerment
By Sarah Chen | Photography by Michael Torres
405 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2017
[PULL QUOTE: "I've always been passionate about amplifying women's voices. Growing up with a single mother teaches you that strength has nothing to do with gender."]
In the downtown Oklahoma City loft where Jackson Reed conducts most of his business, there's no indication a highly-paid author lives here. Not a single author photo on the wall. No book covers, no publicity shots, no evidence of the dozen New York Times bestsellers he's helped create. Just a Marine Corps challenge coin on his desk and a view of the city where he grew up—a far cry from the Choctaw trailer park where his story began.
"I prefer to stay behind the scenes," Reed says, adjusting his MacBook Pro. At 34, he's built a seven-figure ghostwriting empire from this very desk, transforming aspiring female thought leaders into publishing powerhouses.
His Twitter handle, @HeForSheWrites, has become a bat signal for women seeking to break into the male-dominated self-help industry. "My name isn't the product. Their message is."
It's this philosophy that's made Reed the go-to ghostwriter for what Publishers Weekly dubbed "the new wave of feminist manifestos." His latest collaboration with Irina Sterling, the Russian-born relationship coach whose YouTube channel reaches millions, promises to be his biggest success yet. Reclaiming Your Power: A Woman's Guide to Relationship Sovereignty hits shelves next month with advance orders already exceeding 100,000 copies.
"Working with a pioneer like Irina has been transformative," Reed says. "I'm grateful she waived confidentiality—not all my clients do. She wants people to know that even the strongest voices sometimes need help finding the right words."
FROM TRAILER PARK TO TWITTER FAME
Reed's journey to becoming publishing's most sought-after feminist ally began in the unlikeliest of places: a single-wide trailer on the border of Choctaw and OKC. Raised by his mother Linda after his father left when Jackson was three, Reed learned early what he calls "the economics of female struggle."
"My mom worked three jobs just to keep the lights on," he reflects, gazing out at the city skyline. "Watching her navigate a world that seemed designed to keep her down—that shaped everything I'd eventually write about."
After graduating from Carl Albert High School, Reed majored in Communications at OU before being commissioned in the Marine Corps, serving as a Military Police officer from 2003 to 2009. It was there, he says, that his commitment to amplifying women's voices truly solidified.
"The domestic violence cases I handled, the sexual assault reports—you see the worst of what happens when power imbalances go unchecked," Reed says, his jaw tightening. "I supervised so many female MPs who were twice as capable as their male counterparts but got half the recognition. It opened my eyes."
THE MYSTERY MAN OF TWITTER
Reed's faceless online presence has spawned its own subculture of speculation. Twitter threads devoted to guessing his appearance regularly go viral, with users of all genders expressing interest in the man behind @HeForSheWrites.
"Is @HeForSheWrites gay or straight? Asking for myself and literally everyone in my DMs," tweeted @BookishBabe23, garnering 5,000 likes.
"The way this man writes about female desire... he's either the world's most empathetic straight man or he's one of us 🏳️🌈," added @RainbowReads, spurring a thread of 200+ replies.
Reed laughs off the speculation. "I'm single, I'm straight, and I'm flattered by the interest from all quarters. But my love life isn't nearly as interesting as people imagine."
"He has this uncanny ability to capture experiences he's never lived," says one client who requested anonymity. "Reading his words, you'd swear they came from someone who's walked in your exact shoes. And his books sell. Like, really well.”
THE BIRTH OF @HEFORSHEWRITES
After his military service, traditional employment felt constraining after the Marines. "I'd learned to write reports that could make or break someone's career. Marketing copy felt trivial by comparison."
The breakthrough came in 2014 when a female veteran struck up a conversation with him on Twitter and she asked him to help write her memoir about military sexual trauma. The book became a surprise bestseller, and word spread. Soon, Reed was fielding requests from women nationwide who had powerful stories but struggled with the writing process.
"Twitter changed everything," Reed explains. "I could connect with clients without ever showing my face. My avatar—just a simple sketch of me and my sister as teens—became my brand. The anonymity actually helped. These women felt like their stories were safe with me.”
His Twitter followers now exceed 85,000, including Fortune 500 CEOs, celebrity activists, and political figures. His DMs, he admits with a laugh, are "a masterclass in modern feminism and occasionally a dating app I never signed up for."
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Success runs in the Reed family. Jackson's younger sister, Victoria Reed (@VictoriaInBloom), has built her own empire as a lifestyle influencer with 350,000 Instagram followers. Her perfectly curated feed showcases fashion, travel, and wellness tips that have landed her partnerships with major brands.
"Victoria's got the photogenic gene," Jackson says when asked about their respective careers. "I'm not famous enough to warrant a spot on her grid." He delivers the line with a smile, one that his fans on Twitter would likely love to see one day on his sister’s feed.
When asked about future collabs with Victoria, Jackson doesn’t have any announcements. "We're both busy building our brands. She's killing it in her lane, I'm doing my thing in mine."
*[SIDEBAR: Twitter's Most Eligible Mystery Man A sampling of recent tweets about @HeForSheWrites:
"The way he writes about female rage... I need to know if he's single" - @FuriousFeminist
"Taking applications to be @HeForSheWrites's husband. Yes I'm a dude. Yes I'm straight. Don't care, the man's prose changed my life" - @BrokeWriter88
"Petition for @HeForSheWrites to do a face reveal. For science." - @CuriousCat2017 Reed remains unmoved: "The mystery is part of the brand now. Why ruin it?"]*
THE COST OF ANONYMITY
Reed's decision to maintain a faceless online presence stems partly from his MP background. "When you've testified in courts-martial, when you've put people away for serious crimes, you learn the value of operational security," he explains. "Some of those people are out now. I prefer they don't know where to find me."
But the anonymity serves another purpose: It keeps the focus on his clients' messages rather than his own story. In an industry where male feminists often face scrutiny for centering themselves in women's narratives, Reed's invisible approach feels refreshingly authentic.
"I've seen what happens when male allies make it about themselves,” he says. "The message gets lost in the messenger. My job is to be a conduit, not a celebrity."
LOOKING FORWARD
As our interview concludes, Reed's phone buzzes with notifications. Three potential clients, two speaking requests he'll politely decline, and what he describes as "the usual Twitter chaos." Sterling's upcoming book is already generating buzz, with pre-release reviews calling it "revolutionary" and "the relationship guide women have been waiting for."
"People ask if it bothers me, not getting credit," Reed muses. "But every time I see one of 'my' authors on The Today Show or giving a TED Talk, reaching women who need to hear that message? That's worth more than any byline."
"The best ghostwriters," he says as he walks me to the door, "are the ones you never knew existed."
For more profiles of Oklahoma's most intriguing citizens, subscribe to 405 Magazine at 405magazine.com
