Ghost Writing
The Business of Ghost Writing
A ghost writer is basically what the name implies – a professional writer who provides services designed to assist people intending to publish a body of work in their own name. They can help you develop and refine a book that you are writing yourself, but typically are commissioned to develop and write an entire book project from scratch. By hiring a ghost writer they could literally write your entire book on your behalf, but it’s your name that gets credited in print.
Why hiring a ghost writer benefit the written quality of your book
If you are full of wonderful ideas and imagination that you want to share with the world, but freely admit that creating elegant prose in written form is not your natural forte, hiring a ghost writer could be the essential bridge that will enable you to translate your thoughts onto paper. A good writer will work closely with you to understand exactly what you want to say, and lend their talent and professional skill to crafting the phrases that encapsulate it. This is often the biggest benefit to hiring a ghost writer – when you know what you want to say, but simply don’t know how to say it. A ghost writer will find these words for you.
How to find a professional ghost writer
There is a variety of options for finding top quality ghost writers. Conventional avenues such as the yellow pages can help you to find writers local to your own area if geographic proximity is a priority. If you are happy to work with someone from further a field or even internationally – then the internet is your ideal search and selection tool. Websites such as elance.com, monster.com and guru.com are now the online hubs for independent freelance writers. You can either post your job as a set project, and the service providers will bid for your work – or you can review the service provider profiles, form your own selection of potential candidates and contact them directly.
Selecting a ghost writer that best fits your needs
Whichever route you use to find your ghost writer, taking the time to review their background, experience, portfolio and general suitability for your project is essential for ensuring that it runs smoothly and that you get the outcome and results you expect.
Carefully review the credentials and portfolio samples of each candidate. If you intend to hire a writer to research, develop and write your novel from scratch, you need to see proof of previously published work developed to this scale. A writer with only limited professional experience in developing brochures or press releases is really a commercial writer – a vastly different discipline to developing novels. The writer should also have some level of experience in the general subject or topic matter – if direct knowledge is not available. For example, a comprehensive book about DIY Home Heating Installation would be a complicated subject matter for a writer with no previous experience in anything to do with construction or engineering – but a writer who has produced work in either of these broad fields, would probably be able to handle it.
Writing a novel from scratch, with all of the research and development included, is a major, major undertaking. The quotes that the candidates present to you will reflect that. The monetary arrangements need to be agreed in advance of the final commission. Some writers may require a deposit up front, with progress payments throughout. Others might work for a reduced fee, in return for a percentage of sales.
Lastly, consider their personality and how well you generally ‘gel’ with them as an individual. Developing a book is a time intensive process, and your person-to-person compatibility throughout, will significantly affect the quality of the end result.
Working effectively with the ghost writer
Once you have chosen and commissioned your ghost writer, your top priority is achieving the results that you desire, on time and on budget. To do this, you must maintain a delicate balance between giving the writer the clarity and guidance that they need, in order to fully understand and align themselves with your vision for the end result – while at the same time, trusting them enough to give them a little space in order that they can get the job done.
Keep in touch with the writer at regular intervals throughout the project, and ask to see various drafts and even individual chapters as they develop. This gives you the opportunity to lend your input also, and request changes to the tone and style of the work as it is being developed. Listen to their take on your ideas and to their reasons for writing something a certain way.
Your ghost writer is now effectively your business partner. In essence they are working for you, but trust their perspective and professional insight. It can add a whole new depth and vision to the project that you may not have previously considered.
