For ghostwriters
A Writer’s Scam Thwarted
The best emails writers receive are from potential clients expressing an interest in working together. So, when someone who represented themselves to be an individual named “Alice Smith” emailed about a potential project, with a subject line of “Writer Services Needed ASAP,” I, of course, wanted to learn more. Alice Smith said: Top of the…
The 2025 Ghostwriting Industry Report
Despite being one of the oldest professions on record, ghostwriting as an industry continues to evolve and grow. This past year was no exception, thanks in good part to technological advances and shifts in reader preferences. Seven of the developments having the greatest impact on book ghostwriters in 2025 included the following: 1. Artificial Intelligence…
7 Things Ghostwriters Should Do Now to Start 2026 Strong
Now that we’re officially in the last month of 2025, some ghostwriting clients are going to be shifting their focus to 2026 and putting off starting any new initiatives right now, while others may be trying to squeeze in some last-minute projects to spend any available funds. If you’re in the former camp and are…
Ghostwriting Gold: What 200+ Ghostwriters Taught Me at Last Week’s Conference
Although I go to writers conferences expecting to take pages of notes from experts on the panel discussions I attend, I frequently pick up even more gems from the people around me. This year at the 2025 Gathering of the Ghosts was no different. Co-hosted by the Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) and Gotham Ghostwriters, the…
Help Ghostwriting Prospects Find You
I’m always surprised to receive emails from individuals who are trying to get in touch with a particular member of the Association of Ghostwriters (AOG). In fact, I probably receive an email a month from prospects who are having difficulty reaching an AOG member. These are people who have a need for ghostwriting services and…
Why You’re Not Getting Responses from Ghostwriting Prospects and What to Do About It
I’ve had a few conversations with Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) members recently about job leads and how best to respond to increase your chances of hearing back. Whether you’ve heard about a project through the AOG, ASJA, Author’s Guild, EFA, or through a colleague or agency, here are some recommendations to help your response be…
Guest Post: Tips For Getting Started As a Ghostwriter
By Wintress Odom Although the practice of ghostwriting reaches back to antiquity when scribes toiled over papyrus scrolls, the ghostwriting industry is growing today more than ever—for a variety of reasons. The rise in SEO, eBooks, self-publishing, and social media means that more and more people are looking to communicate their ideas, even when they…
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…
Always Go to the Original Source for Verification
Most writers understand the importance of finding the original source of information before using it in a book, article, blog post, report, speech, infographic, or anywhere else it may be cited. Those who attended journalism school likely had it drilled into them, while others learned through other methods, such as books or workshops. The core…
Ghostwriters Who Operate as Business Owners Are More Successful
Do I have solid numbers to back up this assertion? No. However, based on conversations with other ghostwriters, editors, and coaches, I’m very confident that behaving like a business owner will earn you more money than operating as a hobbyist or pure creative. I speak from experience. Many of you know that my dad was…
Building a Ghostwriting Portfolio When You Can’t Share Most of Your Work
Ghostwriters face a marketing conundrum unique to the industry: How do you market your services when you can’t talk about previous clients? Many authors demand that their ghostwriters sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and/or confidentiality clause that prevents them from talking about their work together. This means that some of the most capable and qualified…
How I Would Get Started as a Book Ghostwriter Today
Like many of my colleagues, I became a ghostwriter out of happenstance rather than strategy or intention. When my agent asked if I wanted to help an author write a book that was overdue to a major publisher, I jumped at the opportunity. I also admitted to her that I had never written a book…