‘I want to write a bestseller!’ is a comment I often hear from potential clients. And I always love the wonderful enthusiasm people from all walks of life share when it comes to penning their first book.
It’s an exciting time. You might have spent years dreaming about the book idea and reaching out to a ghostwriter to make it a reality is a pivotal moment. Not least because your book is far more likely to succeed!
I also believe in dreaming big. If everyone thinks their book will end up on a slush pile or in the bargain bin, there’s no point in even starting it. Writing a book is the ultimate form of communicating your ideas, thoughts, or experiences to the world. It’s a powerful form of art. Achieving bestseller status is about your inner most thoughts being appreciated by the maximum number of people. So who wouldn’t get blown away by this idea?
So, I always tell clients: Hang onto your bestselling dream, you never know!
However, the reality is that nobody, not an agent, publisher or ghostwriter can guarantee a book will become a bestseller. There are books that appeared to the market as a surefire bestseller which flop and other books that become surprise bestsellers every year.
Although there is a school of thought that some of the big publishers put so much marketing into certain books, they’re far more likely to become bestsellers, there are also questions over what even a bestseller is due to the number of categories and charts available.
But next the hard work starts. Before, (way before!), we consider whether a book will become a bestseller, the groundwork must begin. At the early stage of planning a book it’s far more important to focus on the book material and how to make it the best it can be. If finding a publisher is the goal, then understanding what books in this genre are out there and what makes your book unique is key. Publishers look for genres which already sell well and so understanding comparable titles and why your book stands out from the crowd is necessary.
Working with a ghostwriter will mean the material will be examined with a fine toothcomb. We look at every angle through the lens of a reader and if a publisher is required, then a commissioning editor too. Such an editor is interested in what manuscripts could potentially be a commercial success.
Here is when the ghostwriter must ask the author what their overall goal for their book is. Who is their target audience? What’s the most important message they want to get across?
These questions can sometimes only be answered during in-depth interviews. These are close conversations between ghost and author to bring the human side of the story to the fore. The ghostwriter needs to fully understand every angle of the story alongside the author’s dreams for the book before they can begin writing.
Then the real work starts. That’s when the ghostwriter begins the interview process and starts a chapter breakdown or dives straight into writing the chapters. Once an early draft is ready, an author can read the ghostwriter’s work, and give their opinion, collaborating to knock the manuscript into shape.
The amount of input at this stage from the author varies. If the interviews have gone well, the author is often very pleased with the draft early on, because their voice has been captured following the conversations. Occasionally things read differently when read in black and white on a page. Sometimes an author wants to change their tone slightly, softening what they want to say or how they say it. Sometimes they want to expand on a theme or take it out completely.
It's at this stage, when the nuts and bolts of the book are read and re-read multiple times that any notions of bestselling status are often long forgotten. Writing a book is a humbling, all-consuming experience. By the end of it an author might even wonder why they started in the first place. That’s totally normal.
But that’s where a ghostwriter steps in again. We are cheerleaders for your project. I only ever take on books I have a genuine interest in. I want to write about subjects I feel connected to, in respect for the author and their potential work. This means when an author runs out of ideas, I always have more to offer. If they are stuck at tricky parts, I will find us a path out of the woods.
By the time the final draft lands on the author client’s desk, they should be able to settle down into a more comfortable armchair and read their manuscript in one greedy gulp. It’s then that we both know the book is working. I always know the jigsaw of pieces have slotted together when I enjoy reading the manuscript at the final stages.
Once finished, I am always happy to help the author find their biggest audience. I can pass on industry insider contacts or sometimes I approach publishers or pass details onto my agent myself. Sometimes this involves surprise successes. I’ve seen authors who have been ignored by publishers previously, be snapped up and see their book become an Amazon bestseller. I’ve had authors who initially wanted to go straight to Kindle, find an independent publisher who stocked their books in WH Smith and Waterstones.
When a book becomes a bestseller, it can feel like icing on the cake. But equally when a book reaches the widest possible audience and the author feels genuine pride in what they have created, the sense of achievement is quite awesome. Once your book touches other people’s lives then nothing betters that sensation, whether it’s a bestseller or not.