Is A Ghostwriter Your Key to
Getting Your Book Written?
A
ghostwriter is honorable way to get your book written
One way to get a book written is to
hire a ghostwriter to do it. A ghostwriter is simply a writer who writes
with and for another individual on an anonymous basis. That is, a
professional writer does the writing, and you get the credit.
Ghostwriting has an honorable
tradition. Although the exact origin of the term, ghostwriting, is
obscure, people who either can’t write well or simply who don’t have the
time, often hire a someone to write books for them. Politicians and
celebrities are obvious examples. I mean, can you imagine trying to get
a book written while you were running for president? Or serving in that
position? Celebrities often face the same lack of time issues.
But hiring a ghostwriter certainly
isn’t limited to politicians and celebrities. Many business people use a
ghost to generate a book or two; people who want memoirs written may
hire a ghost. Even fiction gets written by ghosts.
How does the
ghostwriting process work?
Every ghostwriting project is
different but one way or another, as the author, you've got to get the
information into the hands and head of the ghost so they can do the
writing. This can be done in a variety of ways, including:
Face to face interviews
Phone interviews
Recorded sessions
Emailed or snail mailed
information
Often it this transfer of
information will happen in a combination of ways. And usually, the
information is passed in chapter-sized bits, rather than all at once.
Once the ghost has the information,
they begin writing. When they've got a chapter or a chunk of a chapter
written, they send it to you for comments. You make your comments and
return it to the ghost for editing.
And so it goes until the manuscript
is complete.
For ghostwriting to work well, the
author must fully participate in the process. This means timely return
of drafts, honest comments, and reasonable expectations as the project
grows toward the finish.
How do you choose
a ghostwriter?
Ghostwriters come in a variety of
stripes. Some work only with people who are already famous; others will
take on anyone for a price. Some have specialties while others are
generalists. Some will ghost only fiction, others only non-fiction.
Ghostwriting is an oddly intimate
relationship. What you want is someone who can get into your head enough
to duplicate your voice. After all, if the book is to be in your name,
you want it to sound like you.
You can determine this in part just
from phone conversations with the prospective ghost. If there is a
certain rapport or resonance, you're on the right track. On the other
hand, if there isn't some sort of a connection, move on.
Assuming there is some sort of
connection, a good next step is to ask for a sample. Many ghosts charge
for this, some don't, but essentially the ghost, after a brief
interview, writes a two to five page sample for you to review.
What do you need
to bring to the project?
You need to be clear on the exact
nature of your project. Working on a
ten word purpose is a good way to
start. Your ghost can help you with this, but it requires your clarity.
You need to have some idea of where
you want the book to go. A working table of contents is one of the
better ways to achieve this.
Some notion of your
ideal reader
will also help your ghost understand the project.
Next week I'll talk about costs and
what should be included in a ghostwriting contract.
