Working with a Ghostwriter on a Technical Subject

Working with a ghostwriter on a technical subject is not as daunting as it sounds. There are plenty of ghostwriters who are versed in advanced business, science, mathematics, and humanities. Below is a step-by-step guide to helping you work with your writer to create the technical book of your dreams.

Step One: Find the right ghostwriter. Of course, this is step one for any project, but a technical subject can be much more challenging than a memoir or an autobiography. Look for a ghostwriter who has experience and an education in your field. Gauge both the ghostwriter’s interest in your subject and his or her familiarity with the concepts you’ll be discussing. Unless your work is so groundbreaking that no one has ever heard of it, you’ll want to find a writer who is comfortable with the basics of your field.

Step Two: Choose an audience. Before you even get started on the book, you’ll need to decide who you want your readers to be. The beauty of ghostwriters is that they are chameleons, able to adapt raw materials to almost any type of book you desire. Decide whether you want your book to reach an audience of your peers, a scientific community, the general public, or another group entirely. It is important to shape the rest of the project around your intended readers.

Step Three: Create an outline. Using your materials and the advice of your writer, put together an outline of how you’d like the ghostwriter to proceed. The complexity of your outline depends on your schedule and your ghostwriter’s familiarity with your subject. Nonetheless, you’ll want to give your writer a guide through your materials to help him or her shape the book.

Step Four: Hand over your materials. As always, the more relevant material you can provide your writer, the better your book will be. Try not to overwhelm your writer with stacks of briefs, essays, and findings, but do give him or her all the materials you think are necessary to complete your book. In this stage, organization is key—using a color-coding system or something along those lines can help your writer sort through your materials and use them correctly and efficiently.

Step Five: Communicate. Be on hand via phone or e-mail to answer your ghostwriter’s questions. Technical subjects can be … well … technical, and no matter how educated your intended audience is, you want your message to be as clear and correct as possible. Help guide your writer toward the book you want and the content that best suits your topic. If the two of you work together closely, you will be more likely to have a comprehensive and well-written book.

Step Six: Revise carefully. Technical subjects often rely on data, statistics, and the work of other experts. Be sure that everything you and your writer include in the book is accurate and properly cited. Because you are the expert in your particular topic, you are the one who can give the best critiques and complete the most thorough revisions.

Contact the Jenkins Group and tell us about your project