The Value of Constructive Criticism

I’ve often heard clients say that they are afraid of or nervous about giving a ghostwriter criticism and changes. This can happen for a number of reasons: the author doesn’t want to hurt the ghostwriter’s feelings, isn’t comfortable requesting that changes be made, or doesn’t know how to explain the changes he or she would like to see. But withholding your option can have serious consequences. Your writer could continue further and further down a particular writing path that isn’t right for your project. You writer could miss important facts or information. Most importantly, you could end up not being happy with your own book.

Enter constructive criticism. Think of yourself as the editor while your ghostwriter drafts your book. All editors tell their authors that certain parts of a book need to be altered or improved. Your feedback is essential to the success of your project, and—trust me—your ghostwriter can handle making changes. Ghostwriters are professionals; they won’t scream or cry or tear out their hair if you tell them they’ve done something wrong. In fact, they expect to make revisions during the drafting process. They will take your suggestions and alter the writing until it meets your specifications. That, my friend, is a very real part of their job.

Of course, you must treat your ghostwriter with professionalism and respect. If you want to make a change, let your ghostwriter know by bringing the passage or chapter to his or her attention and explaining why it doesn’t work for you. Give specific examples of what you don’t like and equally specific suggestions for changes or new approaches. Simply saying “I don’t like this” won’t help anybody. You are the expert in your field or on your topic, and a ghostwriter is an expert writer, but only by working together can you create a book that contains the presentation and the information you want.

A final note about feedback: don’t focus solely on the negative bits. By all means mark any and all changes you would like to make, but also take note of the things your writer did well or places where he or she improved upon your original ideas. Try to figure out what you like about a particularly good section of the book, and see how you can apply it to a more problematic passage. This method will benefit everyone involved: you’ll feel like less of a downer, your writer will have a better idea of what you like, and your book will reflect all the hard work you two put into it.

Contact the Jenkins Group and tell us about your project