2 March 2010
by 
by Laura Cross
Book industry insiders estimate that ghostwriters author 60% to 80% of books published each year. And with book ghostwriting fees range from $10,000 to $100,000 per project — $10,000 being the very low end and $100,000 usually paid to more established writers (“celebrity” ghostwriters earn $250,000+ per book) – more and more freelance writers are discovering that authoring books as a “hidden writer” or collaborator can be a viable and lucrative career.
Here are three secrets to help you create a successful career as a book ghostwriter:
1. Learn How To Capture The Client’s Voice
The ability to capture and convey the client’s voice is an essential component for a successful career as a ghostwriter. Being able to effectively structure content and manage a project are also necessary skills for ghosting, but the ability to mimic the client’s speaking style and make it come alive on paper is the skill that will land you recurring, high-paying projects. Carefully listen to the client during your interviews and conversations (and review any available audio – videos, podcasts, etc. – as well previously published material written by the client) to learn how he or she structures sentences. Listen for specific phrases, word patterns, vocabulary choices, and tone, texture, and energy – and then practice recreating it until your words and the client’s words blend seamlessly.
2. Position Yourself As One Of The Experts In Your Niche
Are you the go-to writer for women’s fitness and health? Do you mostly write narrative essays or opinion pieces? Are you the how-to article guy or the relationship advice guru? Are you a freelance writer with a background in accounting or experience in social media? Ghostwriters who specialize in specific genres (such as memoir, finance and investing, or women’s issues) tend to be more successful than those who generalize. Capitalize on your experience and expertise by focusing your ghostwriting in one to three areas of specialization. Use your portfolio and online presence (website, blog, social media profiles and interactions) to establish and build your platform. Consistently deliver quality content and exceptional customer service to solidify and maintain your status.
3. Connect With Literary Agents
Literary agents are one of the best referral sources for quality ghostwriting projects. Many experts, business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, actors, television celebrities, sports figures, chefs, doctors, professors, gurus, and media-darlings-of-the-moment, lack the necessary skills to write a compelling book. Literary agents need to match their clients with professional ghostwriters or collaborators. Connecting with literary agents, and growing and nurturing those relationships over time, is an invaluable element to a successful ghostwriting career. (You can download a free chapter on “Finding and Selecting an Agent” from my book The Complete Guide To Hiring A Literary Agent at GetALiteraryAgent.com)
Laura Cross is an author, screenwriter, ghostwriter, freelance book editor, and writing coach specializing in nonfiction books and script adaptation (book-to-film projects). She writes two popular blogs, NonfictionInk.com and AboutAScreenplay.com, and teaches online writing workshops.
Laura’s latest book is The Complete Guide To Hiring A Literary Agent: Everything You Need To Know To Become Successfully Published. You can download a free chapter, view the book trailer, read the full table of contents, and purchase the Book in electronic format at GetALiteraryAgent.com.
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The Complete Guide To Hiring A Literary Agent
Have you every considered ghost writing? Are you in the process of finding a literary agent? Laura joins us today on her blog tour. You’re invited to ask questions in the comments. What would you like to know?
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Thank you so much for being with us today, Laura. I’d love to rub shoulders with literary agents but can’t help feeling a little “in awe” of them. As a writer, it sometimes feels like these people can hold our success in the palm of their hands. A great deal of the work they do is in knowing who to know.
Do you have any advice for humanizing literary agents, and for approaching them without gazing up at them upon their giant pedestals?
Rebecca Laffar-Smith shares: Writing in Bed and Other Strange Habits of Freelancers
Hi Rebecca:
Thanks for having me here at Writers Round-About. What a great resource!
As for lit agents — it’s good to keep in mind that the author-agent (and ghostwriter-agent) partnership is a two-way relationship. Literary agents need writers as much as writers need them. An agent is part of the team that helps a writer become published (or in the case of a ghostwriter, land a good gig) – but at the end of the day it is the writer who is responsible for his or her own success. You are the driver of your own writing career. Where that path goes is up to you. The more you learn about the publishing industry and the writing craft – and what agents and publishers want – the more success you will have as an author or a ghostwriter.
And to discover just how human agents really are – read a few of of their blog posts sometime (my free chapter download lists my favorite agents’ blogs.)
Yes, I considered ghost writing. I submitted a query/cover letter/application yesterday and received a personal note from the receive thanking me for my outstanding application!
I would like to find a literary agent, but I desire an agent who will work for me. A writer in one of my writing groups had a contract botched by an agent because the agent wanted to get the contract signed so she could get paid. She was not concerned for the well being of her client.
What questions could you ask a literary agent to make sure it’s the right business relationship for you?
Rebecca shares: Are You a Special Freelance Writer?
Hi Rebecca:
Thanks for your question. As a ghostwriter, you will work with many literary agents (as well as publishers) who serve as referral sources. It sounds like perhaps you submitted an application to a ghostwriting agency? If that’s the case, important questions to ask the ghostwriting agency are:
“What types of projects do you most often refer?”
“Which publishers do you work with?”
“Do your ghostwriters work directly with the editor and the client?”
“What compensation can I expect per project?”
“How many project referrals can I expect each year?”
“What do you consider a successful project?”
“What would make me a successful ghostwriter with your agency?”
and of course, “What fees do you charge?”
For questions an author should consider asking a literary agent (very different than a ghostwriter considering a ghostwriting agency), you can check out my blog post “12 Essential Questions To Ask A Literary Agent Who Offers To Represent You” at http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2010/02/12-essential-questions-to-ask-a-literary-agent-who-offers-to-represent-you/
Laura Cross shares: 3 Secrets To A Successful Book Ghostwriting Career
Hi Laura,
A local doctor requested an estimate on ghostwriting a popular lay book version of a technical book he’s written. He asked me for an estimate. What questions should I ask before giving him an estimate?
@Peter – You never want to quote a fee until you have reviewed the material (in your case, the current book the doctor already wrote), so you have a good understanding of how much writing, research, and editing will be involved. What is the demographic – who are you writing for? What will be the framework you use to present his expertise? You also need to determine the goal of the book – is he planning to self-publish, will he need you to coordinate with the typesetter, proofreader, and copyeditor? Does he have a deadline in mind and is it practical? Is he looking for a traditional publisher? If so, he needs to develop and submit a pitch package prior to writing the full manuscript – is this a service you can provide for him? There are many questions you need to ask when accessing a ghostwriting project, recommending specific services, and determining your fee.
If this is your first book ghostwriting project, you may wish to consider a training course, such as Claudia Suzanne’s Ghostwriting Certificate Training at http://www.claudiasuzanne.com/gct. I also offer a 10-week intensive program “Ghostwriting: How To Make Serious Money as a Hidden Author” at http://www.scenariowritingstudio.com/workshops
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Thank you so much Laura – this is quite an informative article. I use ghost writers for writing my articles – I am in internet marketing and to use articles to promote my websites. It is not easy to find that ‘perfect’ ghost writer – someone you click with. But I have learned that if I actually provide them with detailed information of what I am after and what keywords I am planning to target with the article, the better.
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When I saw this site was like wow. Thanks for putting your effort in publishing this site.
[...] books (fiction or non-fiction) [...]
I agree the ability to capture and convey the client’s voice is an essential component for a successful career as a ghostwriter.
This is really good information. I’m going to mark it as a favorite.
Hi Laura
Great Post and advice. Your three recommendations apply to so many business fields and can be used by entrepreneurs in ntheir business not just ghost writers!
What I mean is the top 3 things for an entrepreneur to have a successful career:
1) Understand Your Client/Customer/prospect – know their concerns communicate in a manner that resonates with them!
2)Specialize and become an expert in your Niche. Do not try to be evertything to everyone
3)Network and coopoerate with other leaders in your field!
Thanks for the great post and reminder success has common themes
Glenn
“Build A Buisness That Serves Your Life”
http://www.BeASuccessfulEntrepreneur.com
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Thanks
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