Ghostwriting is a mysterious profession for many people. In fact, the publishing industry as a whole can appear confusing and a tricky place to access information. But here is a breakdown of the basics you need to know about ghostwriters and ghostwriting.
Like most things in life, it’s simple when you know how it works!
1) Deciding you need a ghostwriter.
If you’re serious about writing your book but do not have the time or expertise, then a ghostwriter can and will help. A ghostwriter will make sure your book gets written to a high standard, to a deadline and that it appeals to a target market. Public awareness of ghostwriters has grown significantly in the past few years, with articles appearing in the press on a regular basis. There is no shame in wanting or needing a ghostwriter to get this all-important job done properly.
2) Looking for the right ghostwriter
This can be an easy and straight forward process, but it’s good to consider questions to ask yourself beforehand. What kind of ghostwriter do you need? What is your budget? Here’s another blog to help.
3) Working with a ghostwriter
A ghostwriter cannot write a book without significant input from the author. There is a misconception that using a ghostwriter is ‘cheating’ ,whether it’s for a blogpost or a book! But a professional ghostwriter does not make up words from scratch. Instead they work closely with the author. All professional ghostwriters aim to capture the voice of their client but also write the best book possible with the information given. After all, it’s in the interests of the ghost that their book becomes successful. This will include chapters filled with original insights or informative views that comes directly from an author.
To get this information, a ghostwriter will need to spend time with the author. An average length book (for a memoir) is around 70,000 words, and on average this will take about 20 hours of interview time. Sometimes the author wants to make a stab at writing parts too or shares other information in the form of previous blogs or diaries. Anything goes! The ghostwriter must be flexible and open minded, as every client has a unique process. Once the ghostwriter gets enough information to start writing, they will begin.
4) Drafting the book
After the first round of interviews many ghostwriters will begin writing straight away. Other may adopt a different process and might want all the interviews in the bag first while others might want to work around the needs of a busy client.
On average it takes around three to six months to write an average length book (70,000 words).
Some ghostwriters offer to show their client the book chapter by chapter, for others it’s after the first few chapters or even after the entire first draft is finished! It’s probably best for a ghost to show a sample of a draft early on to make sure the client is happy with the tone and direction of the book.
5) Editing the book
Either as the book is being crafted or once the first draft is complete, the ghostwriter will send the partial manuscript to the author for their opinion. At this stage the author can delete or add in extra information, or perhaps suggest ways of rewriting parts. A professional ghostwriter is always open to suggestions and happy to discuss any necessary changes with the author. This is the opportunity for the author and ghostwriter to collaborate to get the best possible result.
Many ghostwriters offer two rounds of edits for the whole manuscript to get things absolutely right.
6) Publishing the book
No ghostwriter can guarantee a book will get published. If you are looking for a traditional publisher to publish your book it’s most likely you will need a literary agent to agree to take on your manuscript who will then send it to commissioning editors at publishing houses. Championing books to publishers is what agents do for a living.
However, many ghostwriters have contacts within the industry and if they see potential in the manuscript, they are often happy to pass on contact details. If self-publication is the preferred route, a ghostwriter can also signpost to where a client can find further help.
Hiring a ghostwriter to write your book needn’t be a complicated process. In many areas of our lives, we choose to hire professionals to get the best possible job done. When it comes to writing a book, a ghostwriter can turn this dream into a reality quickly.