I’ve co-authored and ghostwritten several books, including two Idiot’s Guides, one Dummies book, and two Chicken Soup for the Soul books, so I was excited to see that my friend Kelly James-Enger just published Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: The Writer’s Guide to Making Money Ghostwriting and Coauthoring Books. Kelly also teaches an e-course on ghostwriting, and blogs at Dollars and Deadlines. Ghostwriting can be a great gig, so I asked her what’s involved and how other writers can get started.
Can you tell us about your book?
Just as my book, Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, was a guidebook for self-employed writers who wanted to work more efficiently, Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: The Writer’s Guide to Making Money Ghostwriting and Coauthoring Books is a roadmap for book authors and freelancers who want to add ghostwriter/coauthor to their writing resumes. It addresses everything from what types of clients to pursue, what qualities you must have a successful ghostwriter, and how to pitch potential clients as well as how to negotiate fees, work with clients, address common problems that arise during the process, and take advantage of the growing demand for talented ghostwriters.
What exactly is a ghostwriter? Is it always writing for a high-profile figure like a celebrity or politician?
To my mind, a ghostwriter is anyone who writes without a byline. Sure, some ghostwriters do high-profile books, but most work for “everyday” clients including subject matter experts who want to publish a book in their specialty and people who want to publish a book but lack writing skills or time to do so.
If you ghostwrite a book, do you need to sign an agreement that you won’t tell anyone who really wrote the book? If so, can you use the book as one of your publishing credits when applying for other projects?
It depends on the client. Some insist on confidentiality agreements and you may not be able to use it as a credit in the future; other clients recognize/acknowledge their ghosts (such as in the acknowledgments) and are fine with you using their work as samples.
Can you make good money ghostwriting? How do the deals usually work out? For example, do you get a flat fee, or a portion of the advance and royalties, etc.?
Yes, you can make good money—otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it! Seriously, again, it depends on the client. Many want to pay a flat fee while others will agree to a percentage of the advance/royalties. However, if your client is working with a traditional publisher (as opposed to doing print-on-demand or self-publishing), you want to make sure you’re protected if a book fails to sell or garner the advance you’re hoping for. I’ve had clients that paid half the advance/royalties for a deal that was already in place, clients that have paid a flat fee for all rights, and clients that have paid an hourly rate.
What kind of experience do you need to become a ghostwriter?
If you’re going to be ghosting books, you really need to have a book or two under your belt. (Keep in mind, though, that ghosts also write speeches, articles, blog posts—you name it.) It also helps to have experience in the subject matter you’re writing about. This is where experience as a freelancer writing about certain topics—say, business or health—can help you nab ghosting gigs as well.
What are the pros and cons of ghostwriting ver
Add a Comment