Hush-hush Ghostwriting

What is ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is when someone hires a writer called a “ghostwriter” to

write his/her book.

Why?

 •No time•Not a writer•Need an expert’s help

FACT: There is no shame in

hiring a ghostwriter for your book.

Many well-known authors of bestselling books do

that. For example, for The 4-Hour Work Week, Tim

Ferriss sought the help of a celebrity ghostwriter to

lend her magic touch, and his book became an

instant bestseller!

Working with ghostwriters

Hiring a ghostwriter is a major undertaking. You are about to enter into a long-term relationship (3 – 6 months usually) with someone who will step inside your shoes, distill your wisdom and learn

to write with your voice.

How to make sure this person is a good match for you:

•Interview the writer a few times. Prepare questions ahead of time. Examples of topics to cover are:

1.The number of books they have ghostwritten2.Testimonials from past clients3.Their writing forte4.Their current schedule   

• Google their name and see what comes up. If they are successful writers, their books, interviews and articles should pop up. If crickets chirp, you know they aren’t very well established.

   

• Test your top candidates but never ask a writer to write for free. No professional ghostwriter should agree to that. You can ask them to write a few pages for you for a fee.

• You’re not only checking out their ability to write, but you should also observe their process. How do they respond to your feedback? How quickly do they answer your emails? These are vital points to consider when hiring a ghostwriter.

  

 •Most ghostwriters will give you a free consultation. This is a good time to talk to them about your project, giving them a chance to give you their thoughts on your book’s structure. How would they tackle the opening chapter?  

You should enjoy the process of hiring a ghostwriter. And enjoy the process of turning your vision into a bestselling book!  

Is there a standard ghostwriting deal?

There is no standard deal. Every deal is

different because each client and project is

unique.

For example, I’ve had some clients pass me 50 pages of notes and ask me to write a book. I’ve also had another give me 125 points and ask

me to form a book.

There are others who give me a rough concept of the book and ask me

to structure it.

Here’s the thing:

ALL METHODS WORK!

The first two options are easier, faster and more cut and dry. However the second option gives me

complete creative freedom.

Which option costs more?

The latter would be more expensive, because it will take more time. Extensive research will also

be needed.

Let’s talk about another important factor…Time!

Sometimes a client will ask me to write a book in three months. I can do that, but I pretty much

have to drop everything, kiss my social life goodbye and chain myself to my desk. This nearly

impossible feat costs top dollar.

Usually a book takes six to eight months to write and publish. Either way, the schedule is worked

out well in advance.  

Work process1. Sign book contract and proposal.2. I usually collect 50% down payment before I start work.3. Outline the story and run it by the client.4. Upon confirmation, I begin writing the chapters of the book. 5. After the first chapter or two are written I send it to them for review and wait. I won’t continue to write until I get their okay. 

Work process6. Once I have it, I know we’re on the same page and I can start cranking out a rough draft. 7. Once I’ve written another 50-100 pages, I’ll show them the next segment. After all we’ve now agreed to the structure and style, so I am confident that they will like it. The revisions should be minor at this point. 

What I will never do is write the entire book and then show it to the client.

That is a recipe for disaster on many levels. It is very important to me that my client be happy with my work, as happy as they’d be if they had written it themselves.

Their name is on the cover. They are the ones that will have to answer for each and every word. It is important that they love it!

How involved is the “author” in their book?

My answer to that is – “How involved do you want to be?”

You are the boss. If you want to help me write your book, great! We’ll work together and I’ll share my knowledge with you. If you prefer to be hands-off and simply review the chapters as they roll off my keyboard, that works too.

How to have a win-win relationship with your ghostwriter

You need to settle on a ghostwriter, sign a contract and pay them about 50% of the total fee to start.

- Interview ghostwriters until you find the perfect match, someone with whom you can really communicate well, someone who is excited about the project. Look for someone with experience in your genre.

- Never pay a ghostwriter the entire fee upfront. It’s a recipe for disaster. The writer will have no motivation to complete the book.

- However your ghostwriter will need to be paid ahead of the writing. The first segment is always the most time consuming because it includes the outlining and research phase, which is why it often requires the largest payment.

 

You need to get all the research information to the ghostwriter.

-When you realise that you will be working with a ghostwriter, you should begin gathering all your research information and notes together. Think about what your writer will need in order to tell your story or prepare your non-fiction manual.

 

- Sure, you can pay the writer to do all the research, but remember you are the best source for information on your book!

- Also, the cost for your ghostwriter will increase substantially if the writer needs to research from scratch. In the long run it will save you money and time if you can do the bulk of the research for your writer.

 

You need to review all the material your ghostwriter sends you in a timely manner.

-Your ghostwriter will email you segments of the book on a regular basis. Make sure to read the pieces and provide the writer with detailed feedback. If it is good, tell your ghostwriter why it works. If it isn’t, tell him or her why.

 

- Work on one revision per segment. You don’t want to get into a ton of back and forth at this phase, but you do want to guide the project.

- Remember the outline has been hammered out by this time, so now you’re just settling on the details and voice of the book.

 

- It is a bad idea to wait until the entire rough draft is written to tell your writer what you think of the book. By then it may be difficult to change things.

- By the time you get through this process, chances are you’ll have a very nearly completed manuscript.

Again, no two writing relationships are the same. Each client has different needs and each story is unique, but these are commonalities that you can expect when working with a ghostwriter!

 

How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter?

The answer to this question depends on a lot of factors:

•What do you want written?•What is your deadline?•How long is the piece?•How much you value the quality of the writing? The cost to hire a writer fluctuates greatly, but I can promise you, you get what you pay for!

Tip!It is a good idea to

propose a trial when working with a ghostwriter

for the first time.

You will need to pay for the service, of course, but in the end you’ll own the rights to the piece and

can use it anytime.

Trial rates range from 50cents to $1 a word

WARNING:

A lowball offer to write your book can sound attractive, but it is dangerous.  I have met a number of prospective clients who made “excellent” deals

hoping to save money, only to find they had to spend a lot more to have everything re-written. It’s

frustrating for them and frustrating to the ghostwriter who has to take over the project. The client is usually

not a happy camper.

Writers for hire fall into three main categories:

Cheap writers can be found who will write a 100-page book for as little as $5,000. If this is your budget (and you’re a gambler by nature), your

best bet is to find a student or fresh grad specialising in Mass Communications.

Professional writers will usually charge between $10,000 to $25,000 to write a 100 – 300 page

book. This price varies depending on the writer’s level of expertise and the amount of work

required for the project.

High-end celebrity writers are usually hired by actors, politicians, musicians and other famous personalities who will sell books just by virtue of their name. The writers for these celebrities are

well-established authors with a lot of experience. They can charge $150,000 – $750,000 for a

book. This is more common in the United States.

 

Most people recognise that they would like a mid-ranged professional writer. It’s a reasonable budget range for most people. A lot of time,

energy and hard work goes into writing a book.

*If you’re paying a fraction of the usual price, you often get a fraction of the quality.

 

About Me

Pearlin Siow

Pearlin runs Boss Of Me, a boutique book writing agency. She has written several bestselling books, including Boss of Me!, Sleep & Get Rich! and Secrets Of Asia’s Most Successful Internet Gurus, and Do You Have What It Takes To Be Boss? where all proceeds were donated to the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

Her latest book, I Don’t Want To Be Poor – The Boyd Au Success Story, landed on The Straits Times Bestsellers’ List one week after it was launched!

 

Books Published: • Boss of Me! (2008) – Bestseller!• Sleep & Get Rich! (2009) • Secrets of Asia’s Most Successful Internet

Gurus (2009) • Do You Have What It Takes To Be Boss?

(2010) • I Don’t Want To Be Poor – The Boyd Au

Success Story (2012) – Straits Times Bestseller!

• Privately commissioned: Chua Kim Yeow, Singapore’s First Accountant General (2012)

For more information about her work, go to:

: www: www.pearlinsiow.come: pearlins@gmail.comm: 9025-4524