Member Spotlight: Rhiannon D’Averc

How did you land your first book ghostwriting project?

I was working as a freelance copywriter on a few different outsourcing platforms. One day, not very long after I had started, someone reached out to me and asked if I could write books. That first one was a romance novella, and I snapped it up eagerly as I’d always wanted to write books instead of articles, even though the pay wasn’t amazing. I just had a passion for the project and wanted to see what I could achieve. Everything snowballed from there!

What has been your secret to building a steady stream of ghostwriting clients?

I’ve worked frequently with repeat clients – often publishers who want me to write a series. That’s usually on the fiction side, but it’s possible for a non-fiction client to come back to me with a sequel or second book idea as well. On top of that, I offer a referral bonus of 10% for anyone who sends me a paying client, so that incentivises not only past clients but also anyone I meet under business circumstances to spread the word for me. Finally, I’m also active on sites like LinkedIn, Quora, and social media where people can discover me and want to find out more about my services.

What do you wish clients understood about the ghostwriting process?

The amount of work and time involved! Even though I consider myself to be naturally gifted at this work and I do very much enjoy it, it’s still a lot of work. They will never understand the truly specific pain of staring at the page with a furrowed brow for long, long minutes, trying desperately to think of the right word for the sentence – only to still feel that you haven’t quite got the sentence right yet!

Most people do come in with unrealistic expectations about deadlines, too. If you want to have a book written, it’s a good idea to get in touch with someone about starting a project at least a year before you want the finished project – and only then if you’re planning to self-publish. Traditional publishing takes far longer! Many people come to me and say “We’d like a book to coincide with our business anniversary in two months’ time” or something similar, and I have to educate them about the reality of the project they’re asking for. Simply sitting down and typing tens of thousands of words takes a long time, let alone doing the research and thinking about what to write!

How would you describe your favorite type of project and client?

I enjoy a book that I’m passionate about. I realise that’s a bit vague, but they have come to me in so many different forms. Some of my favourite previous projects have included a series of Regency romance novels, a memoir for an immigrant who was mistreated after coming to my country and needed to have her story told, and a book for an entrepreneur whose business is all about helping people and building diversity – something I strongly believe in.

I don’t know if it correlates to anything, but my favourite clients in the past have all been women. It’s not to say I don’t enjoy working with men, but it just worked out that way. Probably it’s something to do with the fact that we can empathise with one another more, sharing stories about our kids and the realities of being a woman in business. They also tend to be women who have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others, and I love being able to be part of that.

What are the best parts of this career?

Writing itself is so fulfilling to me. I always say that I can’t believe I actually get paid to do the thing I love most in the world! Most people aren’t in that position and I realise I’m incredibly lucky.

The best single moment of every project, however, is that moment when you get to hold the book in your hands for the first time and see what you have managed to accomplish. A close second is the moment when a client reviews the work for the first time and you see how excited, thrilled, and pleasantly surprised they are.

How can people reach you?

You can reach me via email at rhiannon@rhiannondaverc.co.uk, or I have options for booking calls on my website, rhiannondaverc.co.uk. They can also reach out to me on LinkedIn, TikTok, or Instagram – all under my full name!