It might not be easy to figure out how to hire a ghostwriter for your project. When you are working with ghostwriters for your project, you will be discussing ideas, solving difficulties, and attempting to consolidate all at the same time. All of this adds up to a really personal experience.
Needless to say, finding someone you can trust with that connection while also having the skills to pull off your book is difficult. However, if you approach the ghostwriting process correctly, you will find yourself with a fantastic partner. We have put up a simple tutorial to teach you how to do it correctly. But first, let’s clear up some misconceptions.
What To Expect From A Ghostwriter?
In general, working with ghostwriters for a nonfiction project will rely on the author to give all of the narratives, studies, research, and other materials needed for the project. In order to obtain information and stories, the ghostwriter may undertake interviews with the author and other specialists, as well as might conduct additional research.
In literature, the role of the ghostwriter is less well defined. Some authors hand over a plot, a cast of characters, and a few ideas about how the book may end to their ghostwriter, then walk away. However, some authors will collaborate with the ghostwriter to break down each chapter and work with them precisely before creating the first draft.
While working with ghostwriters, an experienced ghostwriter can also help you flesh out your main point or plot, arrange your content in a way that sounds sensible to the readers, and guide you in making decisions that are in the best interests of your book, in both nonfiction and fiction. You must select a ghostwriter you can trust, not just because of your sensitive information and connection but also because you will be relying on their insider expertise and guidance.
The Standard Process of Ghostwriting
Most ghostwriting partnerships go through the following steps:
- The first draft is written by the writer.
- Using a tracking tool, the author puts remarks in the margins.
- The writer and the author talk about the author’s comments.
- The second draft is written by the writer.
- Any revisions to information or factual inaccuracies are noted by the author.
- The third draft is completed by the writer.
After the writer has completed the third draft of the full book, the next phase is editing, followed by proofreading, both of which should be completed by someone other than the ghostwriter.
Now that you are up to pace, let’s tackle the million-dollar question: how do you employ a ghostwriter?
How To Hire A Ghostwriter?
Hiring and working with ghostwriters isn’t simple, but if you put in the time and effort to discover the right one for you, it will be well worth it — and you will finish up with a beautiful book at the end of your collaboration. Without any further ado, here is a step-by-step guide on how to employ a ghostwriter.
Define Your Project’s Objectives.
You must first be clear with yourself about what you want to achieve before investing any of your hard-earned resources in this undertaking. This can come in handy when you describe your ambitions and goals to your ghostwriter later on in the process. Consider the following questions:
What benefit will your initiative provide to your readers or customers?
Do you want your readers to learn something useful or revolutionary from your book? Do you want to keep them entertained? Do you want to startle them with another world or awaken them to a new perspective? So, clear up with your ghostwriter what you aim for your book and how your readers should perceive it.
What does your book project mean to you?
Do you want to broaden your reach, boost your credibility, or establish a brand for yourself or your company? Do you want the book to lead to speaking opportunities? Is it your ultimate objective to make the New York Times fiction list? Consider how you want this book to benefit you; this will be a significant component in judging the book’s worth.
Find Out Where To Look For Ghostwriters.
Next, you must locate the best ghostwriters, which is more difficult said than done! Ghostwriters aren’t the easiest people to track down. We at Writers Clique tend to retain modest profiles and are constrained in our ability to share our work. As a result, professional writing services like Writers Clique are a great place to start your quest.
Alternatively, you can refer to some best freelancing platforms and make a list of three to five best candidates. Then, after reading the profiles and considering the projects presented, choose two or three that appear to be the greatest fit for you.
Before quoting a charge, contact your top two candidates and briefly describe what you want and need for your book. Grant some time to your potential candidates so they can have a full understanding of the topic.
Determine The Ghostwriter’s Level of Expertise
Strong writing and narrative skills, as well as problem-solving abilities and the capacity to absorb and organize huge volumes of data, are required of the greatest workers in this industry. The best writers are also able to capture the author’s authentic voice. Your goals will determine if you need the best in the business or merely a good writer for your project.
If you have a trusted literary agency or editor, consult them about any potential ghostwriters. You will be able to differentiate good writing from bad writing. Still, a traditional book publishing service with experience in the area will be aware of some of the subtle differences that make a major difference. You can also make a judgment based on your personal preferences and what sounds good to you.
Ghostwriters with a track record in traditional publication are among the most desirable writers on the planet. However, there are a lot of fresh ghostwriters that aren’t going to make it, which leads us to our next point.
Explore Your Ghostwriter’s Previous Projects
We are not talking about stalking somebody on Facebook, but you could come across some intriguing information there! We are talking about the track records of your ghostwriters. What they have authored and how long they have been working as a book writer.
Authors and ghostwriters will bargain over whether or not they are allowed to disclose to potential clients about the extent of their work with them. As a result, there’s a good likelihood that the ghostwriter you are planning to hire has manuscripts they can show you as well as the manuscripts they are not intended to share.
There are still methods to gain a sense of what ghostwriters have accomplished by visiting their websites. For example, the Writers Clique website mentions the books on which we have collaborated but does not specify the role we performed in each one. We co-authored a few, wrote a few, edited a few, designed and doctored a few, and co-wrote a few. Unless the ghostwriter’s sole professional experience has been as a deep ghostwriter, they should be able to provide you with some public acknowledgments.
Read book reviews and rankings of books they have worked on and see whether they have written any award-winning books. Find out the list of books if a writer claims to have written bestsellers. Because so many writers claim to be bestsellers, the phrase has nearly lost its true essence. You can declare your book a bestseller if it is the best-selling book on your street. If the ghostwriter’s books appear on a list as reputable as the New York Times bestseller list, it bears some weight.
Check To See Whether The Ghostwriter Can Imitate Your Voice And Style
Impersonators imitate others’ voices and facial expressions. The language, rhythm, and tempo used by ghostwriters are carefully picked. An experienced ghostwriter can usually match a number of writing styles and voices, especially if they have written more than a few novels or scripts. As a result, looking at the ghostwriter’s previous work may not be the greatest indicator of whether or not they can write in the voice and style you need for your project.
An experienced writer can help you identify or capture your voice if you don’t have a defined style or voice in fiction or if you can’t seem to write as you talk in nonfiction. You don’t want your book’s voice to sound like it belongs to someone else if it’s nonfiction. Readers who have met you personally or have heard you talk and are familiar with your voice will create a distance. It’s also disconcerting for individuals who first meet you in your book and then hear you talk.
Make Sure You Know Exactly What You Want
After selecting the most suitable ghostwriter for your job, make it clear to the ghostwriter if you want to be involved in the project or not. Are you allowing them to be creative or requiring them to follow your exact plan? When working with ghostwriters, it’s critical to set clear boundaries. Are you willing to listen to your ghostwriter’s suggestions and feedback? On the other hand, is the ghostwriter prepared to provide some original thoughts, or will they just rely on the stuff you provide?
Consider if you want the ghostwriter to meet with you in person or whether virtual sessions would suffice. The majority of ghostwriters communicate with clients over long distances, which is quite successful. However, in certain circumstances, the author wishes for the ghostwriter to be close by or accessible to meetings, events, or interviews.
Discuss the process’s specifics.
Working with ghostwriters necessitates communication and collaboration between the author and the ghostwriter, although the extent of both is determined by the author’s needs and the ghostwriter’s working style. Some ghostwriters will spend a significant amount of time with the author at the start of a project, gathering information, asking questions, reading and processing research, or conducting interviews, and then disappear for months while drafting the chapters, showing the author the chapters in batches or the entire finished book. Others collaborate with authors on a chapter-by-chapter basis, collecting data and giving drafts as they go.
What matters is that you comprehend the ghostwriter’s working style and are consistent with your working style. The first example will drive you insane if you are used to micromanaging. For example, you may prefer that the ghostwriter send you a few chapters at a time if you are really busy and want them to operate as autonomously as possible.
When you get the written manuscripts, decide what part you will play. Will you use a tracking tool to make your ideas inside the text, or will you put them as comments and let the writer incorporate them? How many rounds of edits does the ghostwriter go through, if any?
Keep In Mind That Accessibility Isn’t Everything
Because they are in a hurry and need a writer at once, many authors miss out on working with the best writers. Sorry, but that’s similar to picking the restaurant with the fewest customers. There’s a reason they are not busy.
What are the possibilities that a capable ghostwriter will be accessible right away? Unfortunately, there aren’t many of them. Talented authors are in high demand and schedule their work months in advance. Typically, the longer the project, the longer the lead time is. Writers specializing in short projects are considerably more likely to start working on a project right away.
Consider this part of the selection process carefully. If you have been talking about writing a book for years and suddenly decide you need to finish it this year, that’s not a good excuse to hire someone just because they are available to start next week. A book is a long-term endeavor with an indefinite lifespan, and it should be addressed as such.
Don’t Deceive Yourself
If your project is important to you emotionally, professionally, or both, don’t choose a writer exclusively on the basis of expenses. Of course, costs must be factored into your selection, but with ghostwriters, the saying “you get what you pay for” remains true. Your book is a representation of yourself. It is, in a sense, your calling card to the rest of the world. Why would you save on something so crucial?
Readers are hard reviewers who don’t give authors much leverage. They want you to give it your all if they have spent money on the book and taken the time to read it. While books are no longer carved into stone, they do survive an indefinite amount of time, working for or against you. However, you don’t want to overpay for something you don’t require.
Will ghostwriters be willing to work for a lower fee in return for royalties?
Some ghostwriters will charge authors a lower fee in return for a larger share of their income. Others will lower their prices in return for a credit on the front cover or title page. This may be worth thousands of dollars for some ghostwriters because it raises them from ghostwriter to co-author. Unless otherwise mentioned in the contract, the author maintains the copyright in this scenario.
Keep in mind that this normally happens when the book has a decent possibility of becoming a success. For the most part, professional writers will not write for free or at a significantly reduced fee in exchange for a share of the book’s revenues. Ghostwriters work for a living, and the majority of them require consistent revenue rather than speculative money. However, if a writer is charmed with a book proposal and feels it has a strong potential of success, they may be ready to work for a fraction of their normal price. But keep in mind that this is an uncommon occurrence.
Don’t be hesitant to ask a writer what they would be prepared to do to make it feasible for you to collaborate with them. Instead, writers want to be paid what they are worth, but overall worth isn’t necessarily measured in dollars.
Final Thoughts
So, now that you know all you need to know before hiring a ghostwriter, we hope you will be able to discover a competent ghostwriter to turn your thoughts into a fictitious reality. However, at Writers Clique, we have a talented group of professional ghostwriters that can write for a wide range of genres. So, if you have a project that has to be finished and released, call us right away.
