Posts
Even a “Duck Dynasty” Star Uses a Ghostwriter
Even a “Duck Dynasty” Star Uses a Ghostwriter Most ghostwriting clients approach the process of finding and hiring a ghostwriter or collaborator very methodically. They begin with an idea for a book or a message they want to impart and the realization that they need help in articulating that message or, more commonly, that they…
George Takei has a ghostwriter? Shocker (Not)!
George Takei has a ghostwriter? Shocker (Not)! I love George Takei’s Facebook posts, don’t you? In addition to being a well-known star of “Star Trek” – of which anyone over age 35 is probably aware – Takei also shares funny photos, humorous cartoons, and jokes on his Facebook page. Anyone under 35 probably knows him…
Beyond ghostwriting – income opportunities of the future
While this blog is primarily devoted to all things ghostwriting and ghostwriters, today I want to talk about emerging income opportunities that I hope Association of Ghostwriters members are exploring, or at least interested in. We all have areas of expertise – specialties that we frequently leverage in the pursuit of new writing projects for…
Finding ghostwriting gigs online
Each month members of the Association of Ghostwriters have the opportunity to learn from guest experts, who agree to participate in hour-long teleseminars. Today’s esteemed guest was Graciela Sholander of GhostwritingPlus.com. Sholander is a ghostwriter and freelance writer who also shares links to ghostwriting gigs she uncovers online. She is friendly and helpful and certainly…
The secret to getting paid what you’re worth as a ghostwriter
Charging a fair price for ghostwriting work – or writing work in general – has become far more difficult now that we have to compete with overseas writers willing to accept $.01/word or less for their work. Granted, the finished work product is rarely of the same quality as that of a professional writer, but…
Overcoming the feast or famine cycle in ghostwriting
Ghostwriting, like so many forms of freelance writing, has feast or famine work cycles. One month you’re bombarded with so many new projects and assignments that you wonder how you’ll ever get all the work done by the deadline. Then the deadline arrives, the work has magically been done, and you’re left wondering, “What’s next?”…
How one ghostwriter gets past overwhelm
Sometimes when I am fortunate enough to have more work than I need, I get overwhelmed. Panic creeps in and immobilizes me momentarily. Client projects I should be working on come to a standstill as I wonder how in the world I can research and write and edit what needs to be created. It…
How much of a specialist should you aim to be?
Some of the most successful ghostwriters specialize in a particular niche or subject, such as health, or business, or parenting. By knowing more than most about a particular topic, writers who specialize reap a number of rewards, from needing to do little background research when given an assignment, to being connected to major industry players,…
Ghostwriters: What are you really good at?
I just got off the phone with a potential ghostwriting client who asked a question far too potential clients bother to ask me. She said, “Before you tell me about the types of writing projects you’ve done, tell me about what you’re really good at.” Fortunately, I had previously spent some time contemplating this…
4 Ways Ghostwriters Can Get Paid Faster
We’ve had discussions on past Association of Ghostwriter (AOG) teleseminars about getting paid and, in particular, getting paid in a timely fashion. Contract terms seem to be the most popular way to establish a working relationship that gives the writer better odds of being paid sooner rather than later. But there are other tactics…
Avoiding Brain-Pickers and Time Wasters
I once worked with a local businessman who decided he wanted to be an author. I had done some small projects for him so it was natural that he would turn to me for information about writing and publishing a book. When he called, I was happy to chat about the process, how a…
Get More Writing Done in Less Time
Long ago while working in marketing at Kodak I heard the phrase, “Tasks will expand to fill the time allotted.” Then we were typically talking about meetings, but the notion applies to nearly all business-related activities. Shorten your deadlines. I was skeptical of the adage at first but have seen it hold true consistently. Give…