When hiring a ghostwriter, you might be most concerned with what qualifications they should have. However, you may not need to be quite as concerned about their formal education and credentials as you are about their skill level in certain areas. This is because writing is not necessarily an art form that someone professionally trained for in college. Many good writers never … [Read more...]
Why Hire a Ghostwriter?
You’re an expert in your subject matter. You know it inside and out. You can explain it, present it, analyze it … but can you write about it? Not sure? Don’t have the time or inclination? Perhaps you don’t even want to. Let’s face it, if you’re not a writer, or simply lack the time or desire to write, do what many best-selling authors do. Get help from a professional … [Read more...]
Ghostwriting: 30 Smart Questions to Ask About Payment -Before- You Sign the Contract
Ghostwriting is a business. If you write a book or any other major project for a client, you are providing a service for which you deserve to be paid. While some ghostwriters accept an hourly fee, most arrive at some other arrangement with their clients regarding contracts, budgets, fees, benefits, expenses, and payment terms. What follows are 30 questions you should ask … [Read more...]
Tips on Becoming a Effective Ghostwriter
This is a follow-up to The Invisible Writer - The Art of Becoming a Ghost. 1) Can ghostwriting be handled remotely, or do you need to meet your client? Respondents agreed that it generally wasn't necessary to be able to meet one-on-one with your client. "I prefer to talk to people over the phone and to, with their permission, record the conversation," says Wayne Pollard. … [Read more...]
The Invisible Writer: The Art of Becoming a Ghost
The world is filled with people who have brilliant ideas, valuable information, or fascinating experiences to share -- but who lack the writing or communication skills to share them. Enter the ghostwriter -- the "invisible" writers among us who labor, not to make their own voices heard, but to enable others to make their voices heard. Ghostwriters make it possible for … [Read more...]
Ghostwriting Isn’t For Sissies: 6 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
When I decided to become a ghostwriter, I was quite naïve. I had been writing professionally for close to four decades and freelancing for most of that time. I had written 12 nonfiction books on a range of topics. I had developed a workbook and taught many people how to write nonfiction books. I had even written an e-book called So, You Want To Be A Ghostwriter? I thought I … [Read more...]
Will You Write My Life Story?
Here is an excerpt from a real email I received last week: "I don't know anything about the publishing business and I'm not a writer but I have a great story to tell! How do I go about speaking with professionals about writing my story for me and then getting it published?" We see this type of inquiry a lot and most people with a "story to tell" are surprised when they … [Read more...]
What It Takes to Be a Ghostwriter
Do you have what it takes? Take this simple test, and find out. Do you have a special knack for crawling inside people’s heads? Can you understand what they really want to say? Are you able to speak in their voices? Can you distill a great deal of information into tight prose? Is one of your strengths translating feelings into words? Can you organize a complex … [Read more...]
7 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Ghostwriter
1. What is a ghostwriter? As the title suggests, a ghostwriter works behind the scenes. The spotlight is on you, the author. Ghostwriting is a business transaction. Ultimately, you will have full control over the copy. Terms and details are agreed upon before the project is begun. You and the ghostwriter are expected to live by the terms of that agreement. You have a right … [Read more...]