My bookcase takes up one whole wall in the family room, from
floor to ceiling. It shows my eclectic reading tastes...
fiction, non-fiction, Harry Potter next to murder mysteries and
metaphysical literature. Also there are books I've written for
the business sector - on negotiation, writing letters,
communication skills, real estate sales and a lot more. The
business books, however, have other people's names on them. I'm
merely the ghostwriter.
These days, I've moved from writing fiction and being a
ghostwriter to a new career as an information marketer on the
Internet. (What is an "information marketer"? Just what it
sounds like. I do extensive research to find out what
information people are searching for, and then I find a way to
create it, package it and sell it to them. It's a bit like
ghostwriting, really, except that I'm doing it for myself
instead of someone else.)
My experience as a ghostwriter was invaluable for doing what I'm
doing now. So was my experience in writing fiction. Fiction
writers make excellent ghostwriters, because they use their
skills to bring scenes and people to life in non-fiction. You
see, people love to read about people.
Not things.
Not places.
Not strategies.
Rather, they like to read about the people behind all these
things: this is what brings non-fiction to life. If you are a
skilled fiction writer, then you can easily adapt your talent to
ghostwriting. And the happy news is this: you will probably earn
a lot more as a ghostwriter than you ever will writing fiction.
"Ghostwriter" will be only one of the terms for what you do.
Sometimes you will find yourself acknowledged as a "consultant";
sometimes as a "copywriter". Most often, you will not get any
recognition at all... because that's why people hire
ghostwriters: they want to produce a book (or e-book or article
or a report) without having to slog away at the actual writing.
So... they hire a professional.
Really, the label is not important, and nor is whether you get
acknowledged for what you do. What is important is that you get
paid regularly for doing something you enjoy. Plenty of people
would kill for a job like that!
Any competent writer can earn a steady income from ghostwriting.
You can establish a ghostwriting career online or offline - but
I would recommend that you start ONline, if you haven't done
this before. Thanks to the Internet, it's possible to establish
a portfolio of work and get up and running within weeks. Yes,
that's right: not months... weeks. If you already have a few
samples of articles or work done for others, then you're off to
a running start!
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Start Building Writing Credits.
My first work in ghostwriting came about because I had a
portfolio of published articles. What I did not have was a
background in journalism. I learned how to write articles by
reading how-to books and articles in writers' magazines, and by
analyzing the structure of articles in a range of magazines and
newspapers. Then I started sending my work out. Luckily, you
don't have to take as long as I did to build up credits. You can
write a number of articles on different topics, post them to
article sites on the Internet, and earn yourself an 'expert'
rating within DAYS.
2. Talk About What You Do / Network.
ONLINE: (1) join in forums and mention that you're a
ghostwriter; (2) email your friends and acquaintances and asking
them to put the word out; (3) create an email signature that
advertises your ghostwriting services; (4) set up a website to
promote your services, and (5) take the fast route and sign up
at Internet sites where potential clients post work.
OFFLINE: (1) Always mention what you do (you never know who
knows somebody who knows somebody etc etc...); (2) Do a mailout
to businesses in your local area; (3) Put an ad in the paper;
(4) Join professional organizations where business people go
(the local Chamber of Commerce; Rotary etc)
3. Create a Professional Image From Day One.
Make sure that your work is as close to perfect as you can make
it: DEFINITELY no typos or grammatical errors. Sample articles,
book outlines, reports etc should be attractively presented and
easy to read. As soon as you start getting work, make sure you
MEET YOUR DEADLINES. This is crucial!
Invest in quality equipment. With a computer, a high-quality
word processor and a laser printer, you can produce not only
books and articles, but also proposals, fliers, and an
attractive letterhead for your business. For fast, efficient
online research: a broadband connection is well worth the
additional expense. These days, an entry-level broadband
connection is almost as cheap as dialup anyway.
4. Organize Your Material.
As your client base increases, you will find yourself speedily
becoming an "expert" on a dazzling variety of subjects. Keep
your subject matter organized by client, by subject or both.
Eventually you will be able to save time by looking up previous
articles - but always give it a new slant.
5. How to Decide What to Charge for Your Services.
Initially, I suggest you charge modest fees and concentrate on
building up your client list and your reputation. As a rule of
thumb, decide on what you would like to earn in an eight-hour
day, then derive from that an hourly rate to use as a basis for
costing work. If you start working for online outsourcing
agencies, you will be able to get an idea of what to charge very
quickly - you'll be able to browse the jobs posted and the bids
being made.
6. Time Management - a Dual Writing Career?
You can tackle ghostwriting full time, or create a dual career
(use ghostwriting to give you a part-time income while you write
your novel). You will find that mastering the art of writing
pacy, entertaining business articles and books pays off in all
your writing. Your editing skills will improve as you get used
to cutting articles and copy; your fiction-writing skills will
help you in writing anecdotes for articles. The essence of
managing a writing career in different fields is forward
planning. Keep a desk or computer diary, a pocket diary and a
wall planner. Write in deadlines, assignments and consultation
times (and make sure you transfer the information from one to
the other). Always have a mental map of what is due in the next
week or two. Write out a 'to-do' list each morning, and rank
jobs in order of importance.
7. Different Clients, Different Styles.
Different clients like to work in different ways. I had one
client who cheerfully admitted he "couldn't even spell, let
alone write". For him, I worked from audio interviews or a few
brief points on a page, and did a lot of research. Other clients
sent me each chapter as it was finished, then I set to work
fixing elements of style and tone; re-writing or adding
anecdotes, and making suggestions about structure. When it comes
to Internet clients, you're likely to find that they want a
swift turn-around (2-4 weeks for an e-book of between 50-80
pages with straightforward research). Information marketers will
often provide you with a list of questions to be answered or
points to cover, and require you to do the research.
8. Confidentiality.
If you want to be a successful ghostwriter, it is VITAL that you
maintain confidentiality. Unless your client gives you
permission to use his or her name as a reference, don't do so.
Some people are happy to acknowledge you as a 'consultant', but
not as a ghostwriter. That's their decision. As a ghost, you're
supposed to be invisible.
You'll find plenty of work out there a good ghostwriter if you
set about looking for it. You don't need to work from 9-5
outside the home in order to pay the mortgage or put food on the
table. If you need to earn an income, why not choose a job in
which you can use your skill with words? You could find that
ghostwriting is the perfect solution for you.
(c) copyright Marg McAlister
http://www.TheEssentialGuidetoGhostwriting.com
About the author:
Marg McAlister has created a "Mini Guide To Ghostwriting" for
all those frustrated writers who are eager to make their skill
with words pay. Sign up for a free 7-day e-course on
Ghostwriting at mailto:mini-ghost@aweber.com
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