Ghostwriters and Fiction: Can They Mix?

I’ve heard people ask, “Can a ghostwriter help me write a fictional story?” Yes, a ghostwriter can help you write a fictional story. The operative word there being help.

You see, the truth is, fiction writing can be tricky. Characters evolve as you go, plot points change, and sometimes the guy you thought would be the hero is actually the villain. Now imagine that you’ve been hired to write someone else’s story, one that they’ve conjured up in their head and one that still doesn’t have an ending. Sounds a bit like mind reading, doesn’t it?

Unlike non-fiction, which is supposed to be at least loosely based in fact, fiction is all a product of the author’s imagination. If you, the author, hire a ghostwriter and say, “Look, I’ve got this great idea for a fantasy novel…” he’ll probably cut you off right there. For many ghostwriters, writing fiction is too hard and too personal to do for a client. The issues of authorship and credit get so much more complex, and it can become hard to tell who has created what.

That being said, ghostwriters and fiction are not quite as bad as oil and water: they can mix. Rumor has it that from time to time James Patterson writes a detailed outline of a book, then hands it off to a writer who has a knack for his style and tone to write the first draft. How else could the man be turning out a book or two a month?

What I’m trying to say is that it’s not a lost cause. There are plenty of ghostwriters who will help you with a fiction project, but you will have to plan accordingly. Most fiction ghostwriters will require a thorough layout of your story, complete with characters, places, plots, themes, symbols, motifs…you get the picture. There needs to be more than just a spark for the novel in your head—your writer will need all the nitty-gritty details to get the story right.

You will also have to be prepared to work hand-in-hand with your writer to make sure the novel is turning out the way you want it to. Remember that you are placing a creation of your imagination in the hands of another person, and asking them to develop it and mold it to your specifications. That’s a pretty tall order. Try not to get frustrated if your writer changes things here or there or suggests a new direction for a character. If you want complete control over your manuscript, you might want to consider working on your own.

Be very careful when selecting your ghostwriter—make sure you two have compatible book tastes and will work well together even when you’re not in agreement. Your project won’t succeed unless you two can work past differences and keep moving forward. In the end you will have to decide if the story is one that needs a helping hand, or if it is a one-man project.

Contact the Jenkins Group and tell us about your project