Should You Hire a Ghostwriter?

Supporting you with your writing projects… Whatever they might be!

If you’re thinking of writing your own book you might have already contemplated the idea of hiring a ghostwriter to help with your project. There can be a daunting moment when you decided that, yes, you do want to write a book. But what comes next? Only you can decide that. You might want to go it alone, which is perfectly great. Or, you might want to bring in a professional to support you through the process, which is perfectly great too.

The definition of ghostwriting is ‘to write material for somebody else who is named the author’. You see this quite a lot in celebrity memoirs and autobiographies. However, this definition is somewhat limited in nature as ghostwriting has become so much more, especially in recent years. Ghostwriting has become a breakout topic of conversation amongst the literary community who love to discuss the ethics and efficacy of this type of work. Until I stumbled upon the career a few years ago, it wasn’t something I’d given much thought to. The meaning of ‘ghostwriter’ has morphed into something more than simply writing a memoir for a celebrity. Now, a lot of the blogs you see are ghost-written, as is a lot of the content on websites. That doesn’t make it any less valid, of course, the information is all accurate and likely came from the named author, via a ghostwriter. For me, it is great news that ghostwriting as a career is becoming a lot more accepted and acknowledged, and thanks to representations in the media, people are seeking out ghostwriter jobs and careers from a young age, which can only be beneficial for the community.

Ghostwriters work across a whole range of genres and types of content. It is important to find a ghostwriter that matches your needs and interests. This is how you gain the best content. You should be able to get a good idea of the ghostwriter based upon, firstly, their website and consequently your interaction with them. Whether you’re looking to write fiction, blogs, autobiographies/memoirs, self-help, non-fiction, or anything else, a ghostwriter can be of benefit at different stages in the process. Copywriting and content writing tend to be more focused on the web, whereas ghostwriting (to me) tends to focus more on books and print. However, the lines are blurred, and it really depends upon who is gaining credit for the end result. As a ghostwriter, I don’t mind not receiving credit. It’s part and parcel of the job, and it is what makes my job a ‘ghostwriter’ rather than just a ‘writer’. It’s the very definition of ghostwriting.

Ghostwriters can offer something for every budget. Ghostwriting rates vary remarkably depending upon the service required. Writing a full book for somebody is obviously going to be more expensive than mentoring or offering advice. If you’re not sure what your budget stretches to, the best thing you can do is reach out and ask, and the ghostwriter should be able to do their best to accommodate you. Because ghostwriting is such a niche topic, the expenses of hiring a ghostwriter are kind of unknown. The reason for this is simply that each project has different parameters to take into account and therefore writing a pricing list comes with issues. For accurate quotes or to discuss what your budget will stretch to, please do reach out and discuss this with me. When you consider hiring a ghostwriter, of course, your budget is going to be on your mind and can influence your decision whether to hire a ghostwriter or not.

What does a ghostwriter do? So, what could a ghostwriter (me!) do for you. That’s entirely subjective but I will do my best to briefly outline some of the ways in which I can help you out with your project. This list isn’t exhaustive and I do offer both proofreading and editing services too, if you’re interested. Focusing on ghostwriting, what can I do for you? Or, what can a ghostwriter do for you more generally?

• A ghostwriter can help you with the outline/plan for your book or project. A great way to do this is through a collaborative approach, either via phone call or video chat, to help with the development of an outline or plan. At this stage, a ghostwriter can also help you to flesh out and develop any ideas you might have. This can be particularly helpful for writing memoirs and biographies as there is often a lot of information to sort through and organise. A fresh pair of eyes never goes amiss.
• Ghostwriting of the manuscript. This is what people often think of when they hear the term ‘ghostwriter’. A ghostwriter takes your idea, outline/plan, or semi-finished manuscript and writes the full document for you (or with you, depending on your wishes). Personally, I would deliver this as a PDF or MS Word document after completion.
• Mentoring and supporting you throughout your writing journey. This is a great one for people who would like to write the manuscript themselves, by collaborating with a ghostwriter for mentoring and support, you gain all the benefits of a ghostwriter while continuing to write the project by yourself. This can be tailored to each client, and should be tailored to each client. Maybe you’d like feedback on each chapter as you go, or you’d like support developing a certain skill of yours. The possibilities are literally endless.
• A ghostwriter can take the first draft of your manuscript and develop it further. An example of this would be that you’d like to expand upon a certain character’s involvement in the storyline, or you need support resolving plot holes. Another way this works is if you have a chapter you think is particularly weak and could do with re-writing. Alternatively, you might have written a full manuscript but be unhappy with your delivery of it. By passing it over to a ghostwriter to re-write, your manuscript can gain a whole new lease on life.

A quick Google search will show you loads of ghostwriters for hire. Finding the right ghostwriter for you would be key. My advice would be to reach out to a few different ones who achieve your parameters. Maybe you’d like to hire a UK ghostwriter, or a ghostwriter who specialises in a certain area. I, myself, have been working through the website Fiverr for a couple of years now and find this to be a great platform to find freelancers for hire in most areas. You can hire me either through my Fiverr account (www.fiverr.com/sarahjules) or via my website (reach out in the ‘get in touch’ section). Having your book ghostwritten, or not, is not an easy decision to make. If you’d like to explore whether this option is right for you, drop me a message and I’ll be happy to help you out (no obligation to hire me).

Should you hire a ghostwriter? The short answer is that only you can decide that. Only you know in your heart whether that is the right decision for you. In my own opinion (of course, I’m biased) a ghostwriter can be an asset to your writing journey in many different capacities. My question for you this week, is have you ever considered hiring a ghostwriter? Have you hired one in the past? I’d love to hear about your opinions and experiences. If you have a topic you’d like me to explore in my next blog post, give me a shout!

As always, wishing you love and books that make your heart skip a beat,

Sarah Jules x