What is the Association of Ghostwriters?

At the inaugural Gathering of the Ghosts convention in NYC in early 2024, I was surprised by how few attendees had heard of the Association of Ghostwriters (AOG). Granted, a solid percentage of those in attendance were already AOG members, but the rest generally had not heard of the professional association for the industry. After nearly 15 years of service, that was disappointing.

That was a lesson learned for many of us in the AOG — we need to be more vocal so that we can attract more skilled ghosts into our midst.

So, what is the AOG?

Who we are

Members of the AOG are ghostwriters. Some have years of experience, others are shifting from freelance or content writing into the niche, while others are aspiring ghostwriters working to break in. Members range in age from twenty-somethings to 80+ and are divided approximately 60/40 on gender lines, with 60 percent of members being women and 40 percent men. Most have college degrees, though not necessarily in English or English Literature.

More importantly, members are committed to leading the way in establishing standard policies and procedures that protect members and their clients and result in higher quality written works.

The role we play in helping ghostwriters

First and foremost, the AOG is an advocacy organization established to bring ghostwriters together to elevate the profession.

Many ghostwriters feel alone and disconnected from other writers, and the AOG provides a built-in community of professionals whose days look much like their own. Our online discussions and monthly meetings in real-time provide an opportunity to connect, share information, receive recommendations and advice from others, and refer business amongst ourselves.

The larger purpose of the AOG is more about helping members build thriving ghostwriting businesses.

Helping members find work or identify sources of potential work is a key goal.

Why people join

AOG members join for the same reasons that they usually end up staying — community, information-sharing, commiseration, referrals, and job postings.

Monthly Office Hours sessions on Zoom are a chance for members to see each other live and to interact face-to-face in real time. These are among our most popular events and a big reason members frequently renew year after year.

Occasionally, we’ll have guest experts present on a topic related to landing more work. We’ve had traditional publishers, hybrid publishers, literary agents, attorneys, and marketing pros share their expertise.

Members also stay because they find value in their membership, often by finding new sources of work, improving their marketing tactics, or landing projects that come through the AOG Find a Ghostwriter service or via the public member directory. Some members have generated tens of thousands of dollars of business thanks to their AOG membership.

How to become a member

Associate members can click on the PayPal link and pay to join immediately.

Professional members who have ghostwritten at least two traditional-length books can apply for consideration. If approved, Professional-level members receive the benefits that Associate members receive as well as a listing in the member directory and access to project leads that are submitted by potential clients.

As soon as Associate members have their second ghostwritten book published, they can transfer their membership to Professional level.

AOG is a tight-knit community of ghostwriting industry leaders who are also very generous with information and assistance.

If you’re looking to get to know more of your fellow ghosts, consider joining us.