I had always been pretty determined to be a writer. It's simply what I was going to do, if and when I ever grew up.
So, at 19, when an opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it. To be honest, I really had no idea what I was doing and was wholly unprepared for what was to come. But the experience that I gained there and the lessons that I learned would prove to be absolutely invaluable to me for the rest of my ongoing career.
It was a ghostwriting gig for a small start-up of a production company, writing everything from novels to screenplays. Most of the time, I would accept an assignment and have to immediately run to Google for some guidance on precisely how one would go about fulfilling it. In my six years of working for that company, I worked on pitches to major studios and publishers, graphic novels, regular ol' wordy novels, scripts for television and even two movies.
Even though my name would never be anywhere near even one of the finished products, I gave it everything I had. Which was a challenge. Frankly, I did not believe in the company's flagship story. It was predictable, formulaic and had been done a million times before. Still, I did what I could to improve the product, which often involved completely ignoring the client's directions.
I was actually pretty proud of some of what I wrote.
Despite all of my efforts though, the company eventually folded and nothing I wrote for them has ever been published. None of it. Every word is gone.
Which is pretty disappointing. Some of it wasn't totally terrible.
Even though it wasn't completely fruitful, the experience gave me something to build on. Overall, my writing improved as I gained more experience. But, I also now knew what it was like to express the thoughts of someone else. Finally, I learned how to manage a client, even when we didn't agree on some aspect of the project.
I also received a recommendation letter that would land me my first publishing contract. Under my own name, I have since published two novels, one fitness book and hundreds of digital and print articles.
But not all of my work since has been bylined. In fact, most of it has been ghostwriting. Although I am a credentialed health and fitness professional, most of my words on the subject have been released under the name of other, better-known individuals.
Why? Well... because it's easier work to get.
If you know how to handle it, ghostwriting can be a fantastic way to start and continue your writing career. It can provide a steady flow of work, even when other sources have dried up, and help you build a network of other professionals in your niche.
Of course, like everything else, it has its challenges.
Which is exactly why I wanted to write this book: To help you make your way through the wilderness that is professional ghostwriting. I've been there. And, for the most part, I made it through the ordeal relatively unscathed.
In these pages, I hope to be able to give you a deeper understanding of what you can expect as you pursue ghostwriting professionally, help you develop the skills that you'll need and give you some tips about finding (and keeping) work. Most importantly, my goal is that by the end of this book you will learn how to enjoy your time working as a ghostwriter.
Before we really delve into all the details of how to ghostwrite, I need to make sure that it's clear what I mean when I use that term. Why? Because, in my career, I've encountered many people – both clients and other writers – who misuse the phrase.
Beyond just being incorrect, this can lead to all sorts of problems. I once had a potential client, for example, approach me about what they deemed a ghostwriting job. When I asked them exactly what they expected from me though, it became clear that they were really looking for a copy editor. And that's not what I do.
I've also seen writers bill themselves as ghostwriters who, upon further inspection, really wanted to function more as editorial consultants.
The truth is that the literary industry is far more compartmentalized than many people realize, with tons of different titles that all fulfill very distinct and necessary functions. In order to operate successfully in that environment, you need to be fully aware of what title best fits your skill set when looking for clients.
Put simply, ghostwriting involves authoring a work for which someone else will get all the credit. Very often, these are cash jobs that involve a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) binding you to secrecy. The length and severity of these NDAs will vary from job to job. I've signed some that were effective for three years, others for a full ten years.
Other jobs do not require you to sign an NDA. It's entirely up to the client.
There are lots of reasons why someone may want a ghostwriter, as well, and this will change the workflow. Your potential client might be someone with a great story who would like to write out a memoir, but doesn't know where to start. Or, they might be an expert in their field with limited time or interest to spare on writing a manuscript.
Occasionally, you might even stumble across a well known author who just doesn't feel like writing his or her own novels anymore.
As I've already alluded to, people often think that ghostwriting and editing are the same thing. They're not.
Not even close.
The primary difference, of course, is that ghostwriters are writers. They write.
Granted, some ghostwriters are capable of performing certain editing services (and some editors are extremely talented writers), but they are two distinct jobs. If a client approaches you and wants you to guide them through the process of writing their manuscript, or wants you to touch up an already completed work, they're looking for an editor.
To fully appreciate the differences, we need to look at all of the various types of editors out there, roaming the literary jungles. You may be totally prepared to take on some of these jobs. Others might be totally outside of your comfort zone. Understanding that will help you define yourself as a professional and communicate clearly with your clients.
(I should also state that there are types of editors that won't be on this list. They're exclusion is not because I find them unworthy, but because their particular roles are specifically designed to function within certain publishing houses and publications. It's unlikely that someone will expect you to act as a freelance Managing or Acquisitions Editor.)
Copy Editor - This is what most people think of when they use the word “editor.” The act of copy editing requires one to comb through a manuscript, looking for errors. All errors. Of any form. That means checking spelling, grammar, punctuation and word choice, along with making sure the document is factually accurate. Or, at least, that's how the job will likely work for you as freelancer. Larger publishers sometimes divide the responsibilities up between different employees. As an individual though, you'll generally be expected to complete all of these associated tasks.
Developmental Editor - Really more of a coach, the developmental editor will work alongside the author from start to finish, helping to shape the idea and guide how it's expressed. This may involve planning the structure of a manuscript or even helping to draft a story. The developmental editor will also assist in doing research and will usually work through several different drafts.
Substantive Editor – Although there is a little bit of overlap here, the substantive editor is distinct from those of the developmental variety primarily based on when they step in. While the developmental editor is with the author before words are set down through to the end, a substantive editor won't usually show up until the manuscript is already finished. At this point, the editor will read through the manuscript, checking for logical progression, solid sentence structure and anything else that could impact the overall strength of the project.
Before moving on, I feel like there's a pretty pervasive myth about ghostwriting that must be thoroughly squashed: It is not an entry-level or beginner's position.
All too often, I see clients looking for ghostwriters specifically state in their ads that it's a “perfect fit for beginners.” No, it's probably not.
To ghostwrite well – which we'll get into later on – requires a fairly skilled and confident writer. At the very least, you need to be familiar with the specific genre that you'll be working in. The reality is that most of the best, most sought after ghostwriters out there are actually well known and respected writers when they write bylined work. Ghostwriting is just another form of income for them, one that capitalizes on their already established name within the industry.
Of course, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't bother looking for ghostwriting gigs if you're still green. Just don't expect it to be easy.
It's also important to make this clear because, very often, clients attempt to underpay ghostwriters. Which is a gross injustice. In addition to plying their trade, ghostwriters do so without receiving any credit – which means that you are left with nothing to add to your portfolio. Getting future work, then, becomes more of a challenge. (Which we will address in Chapter Five.)
Now—all that having been said about what ghostwriting entails—it's vital that you realize you may be asked to do editing or work that does not fit inside the ghostwriter's scope of practice. And, horror of horrors! You might actually agree to do it.
Which is totally fine. As long as you have the ability to take on that extra work and fulfill your client's expectations. This is why clear communication from the outset is so important. When your client says they want you as a ghostwriter, does that also mean that you'll be responsible for self-editing? Or, if they specifically ask if you can edit, what type of editing do they have in mind?
Equally as important are your own desires and expectations. Do you even want to edit? Or do you (like me) loathe the act? There's nothing wrong with that, given that you make it clear to your clients that editing is not a service you offer.
Drawing these lines is a pretty logical conclusion in other industries. For some reason, things tend to get blurred when it comes to writers. To borrow from the late comedian, Mitch Hedberg: If you were a chef and someone asked you to farm, how would you react?
Sure, there are chefs out there who do keep a farm for their restaurants. And those people are awesome. But they're also outliers. Most of the time, they partner with a farmer to do the farming.
You might very well be okay with being both a ghostwriter and an editor. Go for it. But you might not be. Make that plain to your client before you proceed with the project.
Boundaries may have to be drawn for another reason. You may be uncomfortable writing about certain topics or for certain people. While you don't always have to mention these restrictions to your clients, since this can lead to unnecessary confrontations, you may want to be judicious in what sort of jobs you even apply for. If you have any doubts while just reading the ad, it's probably better not to even apply.
To fully understand how your personal values and ideas interplay with those of the client, we need to delve more into the actual day-to-day work of the ghostwriter. Which happens to be the subject of the next chapter.