Ghostwriters and the Importance of Quick Decisions

Let's see whether this story sounds familiar to you. You have a book idea in mind, and you decide you'd like to work with a ghostwriter. You do your homework, come up with a handful of potential writers, and interview them. Then you take some time to mull things over. You get busy with work and family and a million other things. When you reach out to one of those ghostwriters a few weeks (or maybe months) later, the writer is busy and can't take on your project. Then you're stalled. Do you wait for the ghostwriter to be available again? Do you work with someone else, even if you're not sure he or she is right for your project? Do you start from scratch? Or give up entirely?

Don't despair, but do know that in the world of ghostwriting, making fast, informed decisions is necessary for success. Most ghostwriters work as independent contractors and are happy to take on an interesting project that comes their way at the right time. But with any freelancer, timing is everything. Ghostwriters aren’t expected to sit around and wait for you to hire them, and good ghostwriters get bundles of projects each month. They could sign with anyone while you are making your decision, and you may miss the window of opportunity for working with your favorite writer.

The best way to ensure that you get the ghostwriter and schedule of your dreams is to give yourself the right amount of time. Even if you won't be writing your book, creating a book takes a lot of time and effort. If you just got a big promotion, had a baby, or are booked to travel around the world, hold off on your project. You should wait until you are in a settled state and have a reasonable amount of free time before you start the ghostwriting process.

Once you're ready to start on your book, set aside time to research different ghostwriters (you can look through this blog series for tips for finding the right one). Narrow your options, and then schedule interviews with your potential writers. Think of this interview process much as you would one for a job: you should choose the most qualified, interested person in a timely manner. If you wait more than two weeks to get back to your writer, you may find that he or she is now engaged in another project.

One way to make your decision simpler is to create a checklist for your interview. Write down all of the characteristics you are looking for in your writer, e.g., available, experienced in your field, comes highly recommended, shows interest in your project, is friendly, is deadline oriented, etc. After your interview, go through and check off everything you liked about that writer and add any other thoughts or impressions that you had about him or her. When your interview process is over, go back through your notes to find the writer who is best suited to you.

After you've made your decision, get in touch with your writer. As soon as you can, you two should create a schedule and get going on the project. You'll be far more likely to get the right writer, a good schedule, and an excellent product if you remind yourself to act quickly and decisively throughout the book-making venture.

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Working with a Ghostwriter on a Corporate Anniversary Project

A corporate anniversary project will hardly ever appeal to a mass market audience. But when it comes to the company writing the anniversary story, it couldn’t be more important. The owners, employees, shareholders, and clients all have a big stake in creating a continuing legacy of excellence. 

An anniversary book commemorates years and years of history, hard work, and success. And it doesn’t have to be dull recitation of what happened in what year. For best results
(unless you happen to work in the publishing or journalism industries), I recommend hiring a ghostwriter.

The ghostwriter will work with you to learn the history and the atmosphere the company. You’ll discuss the past, present, and future; where the company has been and where it’s going; and what you want the book to cover. For many ghostwriters, a corporate anniversary project is much like writing a nonfiction book; it entails a lot of research and a fair number of interviews, leading to a drafting process as they create your manuscript.

However, a lot of ghostwriting projects stem from a single author, and in a corporate anniversary book, that is rarely the case (unless the writer is working from the perspective of the CEO or another executive). It is important to choose the point of view, the tone, and the style of the book you want and discuss this with your ghostwriter early on.

One thing to have in mind is keeping the book “committee” simple. By this, I mean that there is no need to have every member of your organization review the drafts of the book and give feedback—that would drive the ghostwriter crazy! Instead, pick out a small but strong team. You’ll want someone with an eye for good writing, a company-history buff, and one or two other people invested in the project. That way, neither the company nor the ghostwriter will be overwhelmed.

To prepare for a corporate anniversary project (or any ghostwriting project), be sure to have your materials at the ready, as well as a strong vision for your book. The more information you can give the ghostwriter, the more likely you are to end up with the product that you want.

I’d suggest treating a corporate anniversary project much like any other ghostwriting endeavor. The subject of the book does not matter, but the content certainly does, and it is important to put your best foot forward in writing. Look through the previous blogs on this site to get a good idea of ghostwriter “best practices,” and, as always, focus on choosing the writer that is best for your project.

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Who Will Market Your Book Once It’s Written? You!

After you have completed your work with your ghostwriter and your editor, you may be wondering which steps to take next, especially when it comes to marketing your book. If you are working with a traditional publisher, it is likely that the publisher has a PR and marketing plan in place. However, if you are self-publishing or working with a publishing services firm, you will need to get a bit more hands-on with your marketing strategy.

You should begin to think about marketing before your book is published. But if you are running a bit behind, the good news is that you have a high-quality, well-written book to start with. Your great content should be the biggest selling point for your book. Almost anyone can publish these days, but not everyone can publish something interesting, informative, or groundbreaking.

If you are a natural-born seller, marketing your book will come easily to you. You can use social media websites (blogs, Facebook, and the like), explore options with book reviews, visit indie bookstores and set up a book tour, give out free books and discounts—the list goes on. Keep in mind that this will take a LOT of work, but if you target your market and work hard, your time and effort will pay off.

If you are more comfortable with your authorship role and less comfortable making a sale, you may consider turning to a publishing services firm for help. These companies can help you put together press releases, reach important media outlets, get started with websites and social media, and more. They have tons of experience marketing books and will guide you along a marketing path that suits your interests and your needs. In the book business, getting professional help from ghostwriters, editors, and others helps set your title apart from the rest.

Keep in mind that no matter which direction you choose to go with your marketing, you will need to be involved. With so many books in the market, every author has to fight for his or her spot with bookstores, libraries, and, most important, readers. With a book product at your fingertips, you are already a step ahead of the competition. Keep up your hard work to see your book go from some ink and paper to a desirable product for your audience.

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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.

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Editing a Ghostwritten Manuscript: Part Two

The manuscript has been written, money has exchanged hands, and now you have a 400-page book and only an inkling of what to do next. If you’re lucky enough to have a publisher, the next steps are quite simple: turn the manuscript over to your editor and wait for his or her revisions.

If, however, you’re self-publishing or going another route, who will edit your ghostwritten manuscript? The good news is you have no shortage of options. Let’s work through a few common scenarios to see which path is right for you.

Scenario A: Working with a Publishing Services Firm

Let’s say you are working with a company that will help bring your book to life and you met your ghostwriter through said company. Don’t stop utilizing their resources now! Talk with your representative at the firm and ask about editing options. Odds are they also provide editing services or can put you in touch with a freelance editor to copyedit and/or proofread your manuscript.

Scenario B: Self-Publishing

If you are taking this project on all on your own, your ghostwriter may be your best bet at finding an editor. Ask him or her for recommendations. In some cases, ghostwriters work for companies that specialize in writing and editing, and they can direct you to a colleague.

Scenario C: Looking for a Publisher

You may not have a book deal yet, but now that you have a manuscript, you’re on the hunt for an agent and a publisher. I suggest being up front with whomever you speak with and telling him or her that the book has been ghostwritten. Don’t worry that publishers are afraid of taking on authors or books that have used a ghostwriter—it happens all the time.

The final question in your mind may be: “What do I do when I get edits back from any and all of the aforementioned sources?” If the edits are minor and you feel you are able to take care of them yourself, go for it. However, if the manuscript needs major revisions, you may want to get in touch with your writer for some help. Carrying a consistent tone and style throughout a book is important, and your original ghostwriter will be able to rework the draft better than someone less familiar with the writing. Besides, maintaining a relationship with your writer is always a good idea—who knows when the next book idea will come along!

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How Long Does It Take to Ghostwrite a Book?

Many authors want to know how soon a ghostwriter will have their book ready. Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy answer to that question. Each project is unique and thus takes a different amount of time. However, you can pinpoint a few factors that will speed up or slow down the writing of your book. I even came up with a handy acronym—PACE. Preparedness, availability, complexity, and expectations.

1.     Preparedness. Say you have all of your notes, audiotapes, files, interviews, case studies, and outlines ready and raring to go (properly organized and synthesized of course). If so, you’re a ghostwriter’s dream—they can immediately get to work on writing your book. But if you’re struggling to put together your layout and materials when you hire your writer, it may take some time for the two of you to collect and work through the information that you have.

2.     Availability. This goes for both parties. The more often that you and your ghostwriter can connect, the faster the book will come to fruition. But if you are a busy executive or your writer is juggling several projects at once, expect a slower turnaround time. Try to email, meet, or talk on the phone at least once a week to check in on the status of the book.

3.     Complexity. By nature, some books are straightforward and others can be Pandora’s boxes of intricacy. It stands to reason that the more complex your book, the longer it will take to write. To help expedite the process, look at your project and your materials as if you were a stranger to them, like your writer will be at first. Try to anticipate possible questions, tricky spots in the narrative, or confusing parts of your concept. The better you understand your book, the more helpful you will be to your writer.

4.     Expectations. Ghostwriters are happy to work with a deadline in mind, but try not to place them under the gun. Expecting a perfect, polished manuscript in a month simply isn’t reasonable. In any situation, you will want to give your writer at least 3 – 6 months to complete the project. This time frame gives you two enough time to get to know one another, transfer materials, and go through at least two drafts of the book. Don’t fall for the ghostwriting services that promise you a completed book in 90 days—even if you get your book back in that time frame, it is unlikely that you’ll be happy with the final product.

Some authors spend years slaving over manuscripts, while others are able to write 100,000 words in a month. Project goals and deadlines are important, but keep in mind that it is not the physical book that is important, but the words on the page. The more time and care you spend working with your writer to get your draft to its best possible state, the more successful your book will be.

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Editing a Ghostwritten Manuscript

Your ghostwriter has just finished the first draft of your book, and now it is time for you to review the manuscript. Follow our guide below to make sure your writer has hit the mark and to guide your revisions.

1.     Does the writing sound like you?

a.     Yes: Excellent! Gold star for your writer.

b.     No: Point out passages that do and do not sound quite right. Specific examples of word choice, tone, and style will help your writer get a better sense for how to revise.

2.     Is the writing truthful and factually correct?

a.     Yes, everything is based on my experiences or research: Great. Make sure to avoid any unnecessary fabrication.

b.     No, some parts were embellished: Be wary of passing off exaggerated stories as your own. Remember what happened to the A Million Little Pieces guy? Stick to the truth and nothing but the truth unless you’re writing fiction.

3.     Did the writer hit the key points of your narrative or idea?

a.     Yes: Good news. Make sure the big points are present and prominent.

b.     No: If you think any key items are missing, let your writer know. It can also help to pinpoint a chapter or section where you think the missing pieces should be included.

4.     Do you like the book?

a.     Yes: You should. If all has gone according to plan, you and your writer have worked together on the project and your input has been put to good use.

b.     No: Perhaps you don’t hate it, but you’re just not happy with the first draft. Be honest with you writer, and explain why you aren’t in love with the manuscript. This is your book, and you should be proud and enthusiastic to be the author.

If you are able to answer yes to all of those questions, the rest of the revisions will be easy. Pay attention to the details (such as diction—if you’ve never said obsequious in your life, don’t put it in the book) as well as the overall flow of the book. Honest, detailed feedback is the best kind, and you and your ghostwriter can work your way to an even better second draft.

Contact the Jenkins Group and tell us about your project