What do Madeleine Albright, Billy Graham, Dr. Atkins and 43% of the authors whose books you find in your bookstores have in common?
They all employed a ghostwriter to help them write their books.
What’s a ghostwriter? A ghostwriter is someone who writes all or part of a book without getting credit for being the author. Depending on the circumstances, the person who is named as the author contributes anything from all the information, as in an autobiography, to practically none of it, as occasionally occurs with diet and exercise books.
Sometimes the ghostwriter’s name is on the cover or the title page in small letters. Sometimes she’s thanked in the acknowledgements section of the book. And sometimes her name isn’t mentioned at all.
But she is the one who actually takes the information that the author wants conveyed and turns it into a book.
Why would you want to hire a ghostwriter, rather than write a book by yourself?
Maybe you don’t have the time to write a book. Maybe you’re not quite Shakespeare when it comes to writing. Or maybe you’re more of a people person, and you don’t want to spend your life alone in front of a laptop.
Whatever the reason, hiring a ghostwriter is a legitimate way to take what you know and turn it into a publishable manuscript. And in many cases, you can actually write a book without lifting a finger.
How Do You Work With A Ghostwriter?
There are many of ways to have someone write a book for you. Here are a few:
Let the ghostwriter interview you for an hour a week over the phone until she has enough information to finish your book. Or meet in person for a massive three-day interview and let the ghostwriter create the book from that.
Give the writer whatever material you already have, whether it be a manuscript, videos, tapes or CDs, and let him turn it into a book. He can interview you as needed to fill in the blanks.
Have your ghostwriter do library work as well as interview your clients and other experts in your field. He can then add your comments to create your book.
You can mix and match any of the above, or find another way to work together.
What Does It Cost?
The price you pay for a ghostwriter depends on a) what you want them to do b) how much experience they have c) how much credit you plan on giving them and d) whether you are offering them a percentage of what you will earn from the sale of each book.
If you plan to sell your book to a traditional publisher like HarperCollins, Penguin, etc., you need to submit a sample of your work, called a book proposal, first. A book proposal consists of an outline of your book, a sample chapter or two, some marketing material and your bio.
Most experienced ghostwriters will charge between $3000 and $7500 to write one. And if the ghostwriter has written a bestseller or two, she might charge as much as $15,000.
Generally, the more you pay, the more confident you can be that you will receive a high-quality product. This is what you need if you want to impress a publisher. Not only that, but higher-priced writers will usually have connections to literary agents and editors that they will share with you when your proposal is complete.
If you are on a limited budget, you can look for an accomplished, but less experienced writer who will charge as little as $500 to write a proposal. And you might even find a talented amateur who will work for a percentage of what the publisher ends up paying you.
If you need a complete manuscript in order to publish it yourself, the price range is even more extreme. Experienced ghostwriters typically charge between $7500 and $75,000 to write a book. But again, a freelance writer may charge you less, typically $3000 to $5000, in order to publish her first book. And I have had talented students offer to write entire books as a college internship, for as little as $500.
Where To Find Ghostwriters
For more established ghostwriters, try:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors — This is the nation's leading organization of over a thousand independent nonfiction writers. They have a Writer Referral Service at (212) 398-1934, fax (973) 257-1851, or mailto:writers@asja.org. They charge $75 to $150 to help you find a writer, depending on how much they help with your search.
The Editorial Freelancers Association — They are a national, nonprofit, professional organization of self-employed workers in the publishing and communications industries. EFA has a job board where you can post your need for a ghostwriter at http://www.the-efa.org/forms/jobphoneform.html
The Authors Team http://www.AuthorsTeam.com - Has experienced writers who have written about every topic imaginable. Some have ghosted for bestselling authors, others have worked for the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and the L. A. Times. For more information, call 866-7-AUTHOR.
To find inexpensive freelance writers, try http://www.writersmarket.com. A subscription costs $3 per month. Look up magazines in your state, call the editors, and ask them for recommendations.
Or you can post a free ad in the ezine WritersWeekly.com.
You can also search for writers on http://www.elance.com, http://www.moonlightmedia.com, and http://www.writerfind.com.
If your budget is better suited to hiring a college student, call the English or Creative Writing department of your local university. Ask the administrator to send an e-mail to the students in her department about your need for a ghostwriter.
You can also try students who write for their college newspapers. There is a comprehensive web site that lists most college newspapers at: http://newsdirectory.com/college/press/
With a little effort, you can find a ghostwriter who will work within your budget. Make sure you check references, especially if you plan on having her come into your home. Put together a contract that includes how much you will pay, whether you will offer royalties, and how the ghostwriter will be credited. Make sure you include a sentence that says that you will be the exclusive owner of the copyright for your work. It’s a good idea to have a lawyer check over your contract before you sign it.
For more information, read Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger, available at http://www.writeabooktoday.com. For a free ezine with tips on how to find an agent, get published, publish your own book and get publicity for it, go to http://www.AuthorsTeam.com.
About the Author
Mahesh Grossman is the author of Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger (http://www.WriteABookToday.com) and President of The Authors Team (http://www.AuthorsTeam.com), a company that helps credible experts become Incredible Authors, through ghostwriting, editing, coaching, publishing and distributing books to bookstores nationwide. P: 866-7-AUTHOR E: mailto:GetPublished@AuthorsTeam.com.