How To Make a Career from Ghostwriting Books, Get Clients and Earn Fabulous

Income Presented By

Chinedum Azuh

About Chinedum Azuh

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Aims & Objectives

• Understand what ghostwriting is all about• Learn how to make money• Discover the ethics • How to get clients• And build a career out of

ghostwriting

What is Ghostwriting?

The business of writing for other people without taking the credit in exchange for money is professionally called "Ghostwriting".

Becoming a Ghost Writer

Consider for a moment some of the greatest speeches in

history. The authors of those speeches are forgotten; it is the speech and the person who delivers it who is remembered. Authoring a work, whether based on another writer's outline or not, is still a labor of love for a ghost writer. The completion of a job well done and the remuneration are often the only satisfaction the ghost writer receives. Therefore, it's necessary to protect yourself and your work with a strong ghost writer contract and fees that are sufficient compensation for your services.

Breaking Into the Lucrative Book Ghostwriting

Business• Define Your Specialty and Identify Your ClientDo you have experience writing on the topic of health and fitness, medical or science, or business and finance? Writers who specialize instead of generalize are often more successful at attracting projects. The same holds true for attracting the right clients - when you can clearly identify your ideal client ("established business leaders in the field of finance") you're more likely to acquire those clients.

• Create a Portfolio of Work Include the books you've authored under your own

name, as well as magazine and newspaper articles. If your writing hasn't been published, collect your blog posts and expand them into full articles or book chapters, or use excerpts from your manuscripts.

• Get Your Name KnownLet everyone - your clients, friends, editors, and associates - know you offer ghostwriting services. Set up a blog or website to establish an Internet presence and add "ghostwriter" to all your online profiles, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

3 Secrets To A Successful Book Ghost Writing Career

1. Learn How To Capture The Client’s Voice The ability to capture and convey the client’s voice is an essential

component for a successful career as a ghostwriter. Being able to effectively structure content and manage a project are also necessary skills for ghosting, but the ability to mimic the client’s speaking style and make it come alive on paper is the skill that will land you recurring, high-paying projects. Carefully listen to the client during your interviews and conversations (and review any available audio – videos, podcasts, etc. – as well previously published material written by the client) to learn how he or she structures sentences. Listen for specific phrases, word patterns, vocabulary choices, and tone, texture, and energy – and then practice recreating it until your words and the client’s words blend seamlessly.

2. Position Yourself As One Of The Experts In Your Niche

Are you the go-to writer for women’s fitness and health? Do you mostly write narrative essays or opinion pieces? Are you the how-to article guy or the relationship advice guru? Are you a freelance writer with a background in accounting or experience in social media? Ghostwriters who specialize in specific genres (such as memoir, finance and investing, or women’s issues) tend to be more successful than those who generalize. Capitalize on your experience and expertise by focusing your ghostwriting in one to three areas of specialization.

3. Connect With Business Consultants• Business Consultants are one of the best

referral sources for quality ghostwriting projects. Many experts, business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, actors, television celebrities, sports figures, chefs, doctors, professors, gurus, and media-darlings-of-the-moment, lack the necessary skills to write a compelling book.

6 Ways to Find Great-Paying Ghostwriting Jobs

1. Make connections Most clients who are going to invest significant

money to have a book ghostwritten are going to want a recommendation or referral from a trusted source. That's why it's so important to begin to build your network and get the word out about your ghostwriting services. To find high-paying ghostwriting assignments, attend networking events, become more active in the community (both local and online), make contacts with other writers and editors, and expand your network.

2. Use your expertise to conquer a niche• Use your current skills and experience. If you're

career coach, then you're already well positioned to write for a client who wants a career book. If you've got a background writing sports features, you'd be a great ghostwriter for a sports figure. The same goes if you've got any experience in health care, law or general business. Use your expertise to find clients in those areas. Many doctors, lawyers and executives want to write a book, but don't have time. That's where you come in!

3. Use Guru.com, elance.com, craigslist and other online sources•Writing websites and freelance

sites are another great route to ghostwriting gigs. Sign up on sites like these and check their many freelance job listings, online forums and resources.

4. Locate and market to busy corporate executives and CEOs• Business leaders and executives

are perfect candidates for ghost writing clients. Use your business contacts and network to find CEOs and other business leaders who may be ready to write their book.

5. Use opportunities in Online Marketing• The web offers almost unlimited low-cost

ways to market and promote your ghostwriting services. Visit writer's sites such as WritersDigest.com, WritersMarket.com or Mediabistro.com. These and other sites provide resources, classes, links and info to get your writing on the fast track. In addition, be sure to launch your own website or blog to market your services.

6. Follow the ghost trail• Fellow writers and ghostwriters are also

a great source of leads and referrals. Since ghostwriters can typically only handle one or two clients at a time, buddy up with fellow writers and offer to take on their "extra" clients. You could even offer a finder's fee to the writer you "sub-contract" with.

Doing Ghostwriting Research

Step 1 The first thing you need to do is make a list of what you need

to research. If you are working on a book, the chapter list will serve as this list.

Step 2 Many ghostwriters go to Wikipedia to find the information

they need, but this is not always the best option. Wikipedia is edited by others and it is not always accurate. Rather than use Wikipedia, use its sources. Each article there has a source, go to the source to get the information you need.

Step 3 Do a search on Google for the information using basic

keywords.

Step 4 If the page you visit does not cite its sources, DO NOT USE IT.

You want to make sure that your information is correct. If it is not and the client is contacted because of false information with their name on it, they will be mad at you, their ghostwriter, and want their money back. Always look for sources from reputable websites. Blogs have lots of information, but they are not always accurate and the same is true for some websites.

Step 5 Once you have the information, you can copy and paste it into a

temporary Word document. From here, read through the information and make notes and then, using the information you made notes on.

DO NOT COPY INFORMATION AND DO NOT COPY AND PASTE. The best way to lose a client is to plagiarize and thanks to programs like Copyscape, it is easy to find plagiarism. Too many ghostwriters plagiarize, and it is something you should never do.

Negotiating a Ghost Writer Contract and Fees

When negotiating a ghost writer contract and fees, the first step is to identify the type and length of the work to be written. The Personality of the client should also be considered. Freelancers who make a living as a ghost writer must be careful to not sell themselves short, nor price their work too high.

Out Clauses All contracts negotiated for a ghost writing service should contain

an out clause for the client and the writer. The out clause should stipulate that a writer's fees will be paid up to all the work currently completed if the client decides to stop the ghost writing for any reason. This protects the writer from completing three-quarters of a manuscript, only to be told the author has changed their mind.

The out clause for the writer should include ceasing and holding all work completed if they have not been paid per the stipulated contract. For example, if a contract states that a 10 chapter book will be paid per chapter submitted, the writer may withhold further submission and maintain their own rights to what is written if they are not receiving payments on schedule.

Fees for Simple Books

If you are writing for not so rich clients and it not a biography/autobiography, you can charge a minimum of N1500 and a maximum of N3000 per page.

But for a rich client you can charge between N3500 and N5000 per page

for simple books (not biographies).

Fees for Biographies & Autobiographies

My Advice is that you concentrate on Very Rich Clients Only.

Here are 2 Options: A one time fee of between N350, 000 and

N1 million depending on the personality. 30 to 50% of the Proceeds from book

launch.

Secrets of The Man Who Made Over 100 Million Naira Writing Books For Other People

His StrategyThe man said that he sends proposals to the people he wants to work with. Basically, he will write the persons autobiography or biography as the case may be, print the book which will be financed by the personality involved and then organize the book launch. At the end of the day, he will share the proceeds with the personality involved or the person may even as him to take all the money.

In one project alone, which involved a book launch, he made over N20 Million Naira for himself.

Biography & Autobiography Writing for Dummies

This is idea I shared with my friend Nnanna

Udeh, The author of “The Man, Bishop Bethuel Korakpe”

I gave him a copy of the book Billy Graham The Great Evangelist and he used it as a format or template for the book on Bishop Korakpe. The simple idea is this, look for a book(s) that is/are similar to what you want to write on and use as your format or template.

7 Deadly Ghostwriting Business Sins and How To Avoid Them

There are some things that can be deadly when carrying out a ghost writing job. These sins as I like to refer to them as, will harm your business and your possible future business. Read them carefully and be sure you don't commit them.

1. Plagiarizing someone else's work or infringing on copyright can ruin your career as a ghostwriter and may also land your client in a lot of trouble. When doing research remember facts are facts and it not repeating the fact but how you repeat it. Always use your own words.

2. Failure to meet deadlines is another. The client has deadlines to meet too, and if you say you can produce the work by a certain time make sure you do.

3.  Substandard work causes a client a lot of grief; they are relying on you for a quality product. Once again client's recommendations are as good as money in the bank and if you do not produce work to the clients standard the only recommendations you will get is for his or her colleagues is to use someone else for their ghostwriting jobs. 4.  The inability of a client to contact you. Phones should always be answered, if you are extremely busy, make sure the answer machine is on and return the clients call as soon as possible. The same goes for emails. Check emails at least twice a day and reply quickly. Not only does the client obviously need to talk to you but there may be a change in information etc. regarding the project you are working on.

5.  Not asking questions. It is vital that you understand the client's wants and needs. There is nothing wrong with going over the details one more time e.g. the clients says he wants blue text, in italics with paragraph 3 underlines in red. You can then say "let me just repeat that, you want ......" Not only do you sound extra particular but it can avoid nasty errors.

• 6. A big deadly sin is not setting out the proper costing and terms of payment. You are selling your services and this is your business. Never be afraid to talk about the monetary side and when and how you will be paid. Have a clear set of rules for yourself and do not waiver. 7. Rudeness. Yes, every one has a bad day but there is no excuse for rudeness on your part. You are a professional running a business and no matter how bad your day has been, how irritating the client is, always be polite. Even when your client is rude!

If you want to have a long and successful ghostwriting career then you are strongly advised not to commit any of these ghostwriting job sins.