Posts
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…
Should Gender Matter in Ghostwriting?
As many of you know, I’m a female ghostwriter. I have worked with male clients and I have worked with female clients – actually, more male than female. Nearly all the books I’ve ghostwritten have been entrepreneurial memoirs or how-to business guides based on a client’s unique approach or technique. Some have been technology-related, others…
The Ghostwriting Process
I’ve come to realize that while writing is an art, I’m not an artist – I’m the owner of a ghostwriting business. For that reason, I should have processes and systems in place in my company to ensure consistency of quality and to improve my own efficiency. Do I believe that you can create a…
Take a Blues Lesson from Buddy Guy and Mark Hummel: Expand Your Brand with a Book
Guest Post by Douglas Glenn Clark The excellent memoir When I Left Home by legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy was not penned for fame and fortune. He already has both. Guy wrote his book (with the help of a ghostwriter) because long ago he made a vow to do anything and everything he could to…
Secrets to Writing Faster
One of the biggest reasons clients decide they need a ghostwriter is time. They don’t have enough of it yet they still need to regularly post articles on their blog, or prepare a speech for next month’s professional conference, or get started on that book they’ve always wanted to write. Without enough time, non-writers decide…
The Art of Juggling Ghostwriting Projects
Believe it or not, in addition to being talented writers, ghostwriters are also skilled jugglers. But rather than keeping balls or fruit or bowling pins in the air, they keep writing projects circulating. Being able to manage multiple ghostwriting gigs makes the difference between earning a decent living and being financially well off. Consider how…
Good News for Ghostwriters
Today’s Association of Ghostwriters teleseminar with Debra Englander, editor-at-large at John Wiley & Sons, Inc., was quite an eye-opener. We all know the bad news about the book publishing industry – contracts are harder to get, advances are negligible, and competition fierce. On today’s call, Englander did not dispute any of those observations but, instead,…
Are We in a Golden Age of Writing?
Have we entered a golden age of writing? A recent article in Esquire seems to suggest so and a blog post at Gotham Ghostwriters, with a slew of comments from fellow writers and ghostwriters, seems to bear that out. What do you think? Are there more opportunities emerging for quality writing now than a few…
Ghostwriting Memoirs Opens Doors to Wondrous New Worlds
It’s been quite a life so far. I fled China for Taiwan under the cover of darkness when Mao took hold. I made millions from a simple trade show business before “retiring” at age 39. I intercepted vital Communist communications while living undercover behind the Iron Curtain at the height of the Cold War. I…