Ghostwriting is basically a phenomenon in which a writer is contracted to work on a writing project which they do not take the credit for.
Sometimes, a ghostwriter absolutely handles a writing project alone. Other times, they write alongside the person that gets credited for the writing project.
Well, irrespective of how the writing project is carried out, a ghostwriter never gets credited as the author of a book. The major aim of a ghost writer is to express the feelings of their clients in the right words.
There are various types of ghostwriting.
Some are very well known, others are not. Some of the most popular types of ghostwriting include:
- Books proposal
- Lifestyle books
- Business books
- Speeches
- Social media posts
- Blog posts
What is Ghostwriting? Difference between Ghostwriting and Co-Authoring?
Ghostwriting differs from co-authoring because a co-author unlike a ghost-writer gets good credit for some of the work done.
In as much as getting the credit for work done is one of the major differences between ghostwriting and co-authoring, there are other significant differences.
As a ghostwriter, you simply write to follow instruction, you have no say in the direction the book being written takes. Well, unlike a ghost-writer, a co-author has the freedom to dictate the direction the book being written takes.
The Cost of Hiring a Ghostwriter
If you are interested in hiring a ghost-writer to do some writing you, it is important to find out the cost of hiring the services of a ghost writer. It is not enough to just know who a ghost writer is. It is important that you find out the cost of hiring the services of a ghost writer.
Ghostwriters do not charge a fixed rate. There are lots of factors which determine the cost of getting a ghostwriter to do some writing for you.
Some of these include:
The duration of the project:
This is quite straight forward. The longer the project, the more the amount you should be ready to part with when you need a ghost-writer to help you out.
This is simply because in addition to paying the ghostwriter for their skill, you are also paying for their time.
The Experience Level of the Ghostwriter:
The experience level of the ghostwriter handling your project is perhaps the most pronounced factor that can have an effect on how much you need to pay for the services of a ghost-writer.
Ghostwriters that are high in demand and have a good reputation will definitely charge more than ghostwriters that are new to the game and do not have a lot of people demanding for their jobs.
How much will you Demand of Them:
If all you need a ghostwriter to do is help you out with some chapters of your book when you get stuck, you might not exactly have to pay a lot.
However, if all you have is an idea and you expect them to help you put it in words, then, you will have to get ready to part with some amount. One way to get the best rates when working with a ghost-writer is to have a budget.
With a budget, you can always contact a ghost-writer that you can afford.
Is Ghostwriting Really Okay?
There are certain categories of people that do not think it is okay for people to work with ghostwriters. They are of the idea that taking the credit for the job done by another person is not right.
That brings us to the question: is ghostwriting against ethics? Well, there is no exact answer to the question above. The right answer will be determined by the surrounding situation.
More often than not, the answer to this question is dependent on the intent of the person that is believed to be the author of the book.
If the author of the book is an authority in a certain field and is trying to pass some information but knows next to nothing about writing, then, hiring the service of a ghost-writer will not be unethical in any way.
On the other hand, if the author of the book is a writer and perhaps does not have the time or the ability to come up with a great write-up about a certain topic, giving the job to a ghost-writer and taking the credit for the work well done might not exactly be ethical.
Things Every Aspiring Ghostwriter Must Know
It is not enough to just be a skilled writer. If you have any plans on becoming a ghost writer, below are things you should know.
Ghostwriting is about your Client
It is important that you are an excellent writer before you can actually attempt to ghost-write.
In spite of this, it is not good enough to be a great writer if you must be successful at ghostwriting. To be considered a great ghostwriter, you have to be able to successfully write a story in the tone of your client.
If you are not telling the story as your client would, then, you are not actually ghostwriting in the right way. Telling a story in the same way your client would include making use of the exact speech style that your client would use, using the same vocabulary, as well as the same pace as your client.
If, you can’t do all the above mentioned, you actually might not be ready for ghostwriting yet. You see, if you think your client writes just as good as or even better than you do, you actually might not have any issues with writing in their voice.
However, if you are of the opinion that you sound better than your client, successfully writing in their voice might not be really easy. Well, the thing with ghostwriting is it is okay to give your clients some advice.
Nevertheless, you can only advise them. You can’t tell them what to do but they can tell you what to do.
You should know about Book Publishing
Over the years, a lot has changed about book publishing.
Unlike a couple of years ago when people could only publish their books through publishing houses, nowadays, there are lots of ways to get books published online. It is important that you stay abreast with the changes occurring in the publishing sector.
Being able to give your clients valuable advice about how to go about publishing their books is a great ability and one you should not take lightly.
Be Properly Branded
Being a successful ghost-writer is not just about having a hobby. You should see yourself as a business owner. Seeing yourself as a business owner involves networking, branding, and even getting the right tools for the job.
It is Important to Have good Organization Skills
The ability to handle more than one project at a time, carry out amazing research, meet deadlines, and present jobs done in a much organised fashion will help you always please your clientsand leave you with good income.
A lot of people are very talented writers and can come up with very beautiful write-ups when they are inspired. They, however, are unable to properly carry out the right level of research and come up with something fantastic within a given time frame.
If you can write very beautifully but cannot meet very strict deadlines, then you most likely are not ready for the job of a ghost-writer yet.
Charge Based on your Level of Experience
As a ghostwriter, it is sometimes normal for you to have more jobs than you can handle in a given period of time. When this occurs, it can be a little difficult to meet your deadlines. I am certain you do not want to have a reputation for not meeting deadlines.
Well, one way to ensure that you always meet your deadlines is to charge your clients according to your level of experience. As you get more experienced, your rates should increase. With an increased rate, getting to turn down lower paying jobs will be quite easy.
Why you Should Try Ghostwriting?
There are lots of reasons everyone that can write and also meets the requirements of a ghostwriter should try ghost writing.
Some of these reasons are:
- You can always have a constant stream of income right from the comfort of your living room if you are good enough.
- You can put out really amazing articles, make your money, and still hide your identity if that is what you want.
- When you acquire a reputation for churning out very well written articles, your income can automatically skyrocket even if the client you wrote for is unable to make a lot of money from the write up.
This counts only for write ups written for commercial purposes.
Conclusion
Ghostwriting comes with a lot of advantages and disadvantages both for the ghostwriter and for the clients.
However, for it to be done in the right way, agreements must be met.
The inability to meet agreements will lead to a lose/lose situation for both the client and the ghost-writer.