For ghostwriters
The Right Way to Think About What You’re Worth…
By Robert Bruce Woodcox Talking about oneself is generally not the way to begin an article that enlightens others, but it is necessary to talk about why you should listen to me carefully as you read this. Most of you ghostwriters are not charging enough for your talents, time, education, experience and the results of…
Tips for Hiring a Ghostwriter
By Erick Mertz Finding the right professional service provider for your needs is often tricky. This can be especially true when it comes to hiring a ghostwriter for your writing project. What makes hiring a ghostwriter so tricky? One reason is this: published rates are difficult to find. Then on the off chance you are…
How Does the Money Part Work with a Ghostwriter?
By Laura Schaefer I recently updated my website and asked a friend for her feedback. She said this: “It easy to understand the value you bring to the project of writing a book. What I don’t understand is how much potential money I would make if I wrote a book, and what percentage of that…
Marcia’s 13 Favorite Things for Writers – 2023
I’m a big fan of Oprah’s “Favorite Things” List, which she publishes in her quarterly magazine each November. In it, you’ll find luxurious clothes and slippers, high-end appliances, electronics, facial creams and treatments you never knew existed, decadent desserts, as well as toys and gifts anyone would be thrilled to receive. Well, I’m a much…
Even Geniuses Need Writing Collaborators
Guest Blog Post By Jennifer Locke “My Shot.” “You’re Welcome.” “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” What do these songs have in common? Answer: They were written by certified MacCarthur genius Lin-Manuel Miranda. And, perhaps, they were reviewed by John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats before the rest of the world was exposed to these earworms.…
Scribe Media on the Rocks
“Ghostwriting and publishing services firm Scribe Media abruptly shut down yesterday, laying off its staff,” reported Erin Somers today on Publisher’s Lunch, summarizing an apparent sudden change of fortune for the venture. Scribe’s approximate 100 employees were apparently notified by email Wednesday night that “Based on unforeseen business circumstances and faltering business based on unavailability…
“Ghost Karma”: The Key To Creating Your Dream Ghostwriting Business
By Laura Elliott, your go-to ghost 👻 One night at sunset, after our outboard motor had failed, a good Samaritan named Tom towed our dinghy behind his. We were in the waning days of summer camp—our annual boating adventure on the Salish Sea. The sweet inland passage, home to the San Juan Islands on the…
10 Tips for Interviewing Trauma Survivors for Their Memoirs
By Jennifer Upton Being a ghost writer of memoirs involves meeting with clients in person, getting to know them, and recording their histories. When I first started ghost writing memoirs, I naively thought most of my work would involve constructing family trees and describing nostalgic tales of yesteryear. I had no idea the vast majority…
How Ghostwriters Provide Writing Samples
Because many ghostwriting clients demand that their ghostwriter sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to preclude them from sharing any work they’ve done, how can ghostwriters demonstrate their skill and experience? What can ghostwriters show prospects when asked for writing samples without violating their NDA? It’s a good question and, fortunately, there are some ways to…
The Best Way to Quote Your Ghostwriting Fee
One of the most common discussions we have as ghostwriters has to do with how to figure out what to charge for ghostwriting services. What’s fair? What’s the going rate? How should I structure payments? These are the frequently-asked questions. And the best answer is to quote and structure payments in the simplest way possible…
Guest blog post: How I Raised my Ghostwriting Fee from $7,500 to Over $100,000 per Book
By Robert Bruce Woodcox When I started ghostwriting 27 years ago after selling my advertising agency of 25 years, I remember how nervous I was negotiating my fee with a first “potential” client. I had only written one book, so I had what I called, “light credentials,” and a very thin resume (with the exception…
How Ghostwriters Multitask
How Ghostwriters Multitask There are frequent discussions in the Association of Ghostwriters private Facebook group about how many projects ghostwriters take on at any one time and how they manage their workload. I always find it interesting to hear how members schedule their assignments and organize their tasks, so as not to be overwhelmed by…