I truly believe everyone has a story. However, everyone is not a writer.
And that’s perfectly okay. Everyone isn’t supposed to do everything every time. You want to write but you don’t know how to do it right. Right?
Never fear. Ghostwriter is here. In steps one like me, who has the skills, expertise, and love of writing that others may not have been gifted with. Since I was a young teen, I’ve loved to craft stories, write essays, and (yes, call me weird) do research papers. History, English, Black Studies, it didn’t matter, I was always able to crank a paper out quickly, efficiently, and with relatively great success. Why I majored in Accounting instead of English or journalism, I still can’t figure out. It was during high school and college that others around me recognized my talent
to write. And boy did they take advantage of me not understanding (or valuing) my gift. I wrote everything from papers and essays to fraternity and scholarship applications. It seems I have a very unique ability: I can listen to a person for a certain period of time, then emulate their style, all while writing in their voice.
Ghostwriting is just that, writing a story for another person anonymously, then allowing them to take full credit for what was written. The earliest record of ghostwriting purportedly dates to the 5th Century BC, when palace scribes wrote edicts, speeches, and other formal writings for members of the Egyptian royal houses. However, I would argue that as long as there has been a written language, there has been ghostwriters. I can only imagine the first case of writer’s block birthed a whole new cottage industry.
Being a ghostwriter is a true labor of love. It has to be because we are writing without recognition from anyone except the one who hires us, and maybe a few trusted advisors, such as an editor or literary agent. I think the general public would be astonished to know how many successful “writers” in the literary world have never written a coherent sentence in their life, let less a whole novel. Because of confidentiality agreements and NDAs (non disclosure agreements), we will never truly know who is genuinely an author or not.
Ghostwriting in an extensive and often times long process. It’s not as simple as meeting once or twice and banging out a book. It takes a series of consultations, in person, to truly learn the behavior, mindset, and heart of the person who’s name will be on the title page. There is a type of shadowing that must occur, so I, the writer, learn to speak with the author’s voice, mannerisms, characteristics, and sense of life. I know that sounds really deep, but that’s what it takes to make another person’s story come to life in my hands. Though I’ve not experienced the honor of doing it yet, there are some ghostwriters that are in such demand by publishing companies and literary giants that they live a jet-setter’s lifestyle. They live with celebrities, travel to exotic destinations, and eat fabulous foods, just so they get the tone of who they are writing for down pat. I guarantee you, I am more accessible than that!
Ghostwriting can take anywhere from a few months to write a short story, to several months to a year to write a full novel. Conversely, writing a general article, website copy, or a short autobiography can take only a few weeks. The key I have found when working for others is transparency. The author must be willing to be an open book, even willing to share dark and scary feelings with me in order for the best writing to be done. In short, ghostwriting is not usually quick.
Another way ghostwriting is done is a client picks from a pool of already written articles, short stories, or novels. Basically, you read some work and find the one that fits your style. The downside of this type of ghostwriting is it’s usually generic in nature. And you might still find yourself wanting to “tweak” the details in the story to fit your personality. Which kind-of defeats the purpose of having a ghostwriter in the first place.
While a ghostwriter does not receive public acknowledgement for the work we do, most times we are compensated generously for our contribution to the “author’s” writing repertoire. While some people may argue, “I could do that for much cheaper!”, the truth is my gift has been enhanced by the countless hours of writing, researching, and learning about the English language over the past 30+ years. It not just writing. It’s an opportunity for you to take credit for the way my mind works as an author and creative. I promise you this. I am worth every penny.