Freelance Ghostwriter

Ever Wondered How to Become a Freelance Ghostwriter

Ever thought how you can become a ghostwriter? More significantly, how does one get compensated for what you earn while performing what you like the most? I used to think about this question a lot when I started my career as a freelance writer. Back when my freelance writing work primarily comprises writing for local newspaper and blogs I thought about these questions a lot.

Then something took place that totally transformed my writing career. I got my first work to write a book as a ghostwriter. That ghostwriting task provided me with the push I wanted to start working as a freelance ghostwriter and freelancer Full-time. Want to know how to get your first ghostwriting task and develop your freelance career? Here is how:

Think like professionals

I am a ghostwriter. I assist other individuals to convey their narrative and express their thoughts. When I draft something for my clients, my name is not shown on the cover of the book. I get compensated, yes, but I am also totally anonymous.

 I get the opportunities to work with individuals who have years of experience in their occupations, individuals with thirty years of knowledge in performing the tasks they like. And these individuals believe me in their writing stories, lives, and even their legacies.

Working as a freelance ghostwriter, you truly need to get inside the thoughts of the individual you are writing to understand their personality, voice, and conversational manner before starting with their work. But instead of searching for clients I did not know a thing about online, I utilized my own network to get my first ghostwriting task.

Check your own connection thoroughly and there is a chance you will find works regarding ghostwriter there if you inquire the accurate questions.

Freelance Ghostwriter

The Question that’ll assist you to get Your initial Ghostwriting work

Having questions regarding how you can work as a ghostwriter?

Relationships are the most vital things in the ghostwriting, and the reason is for that is understandable. If you are going to give someone the idea to write your story, you’d want to ensure it is someone you trusted and knew.

Via my personal relationship, I got my first client: the mentors who operate a huge nonprofit, financial consultant who come to the same cafe where I used to work each day, an old friend.

When I chose to work as a ghostwriter, I got in touch with the individuals I knew from the connection and I asked them one simple question:

Freelance Ghostwriter

 

“Do you want to write a book or ever thought about it?”

If you wish to get work as a ghostwriter, just ask everybody in your contact this simple question. Odds are, a huge percentage of individuals will reply, “Yes. I have always wished to write a story about…” It is sparked some exciting discussions and got me various ghostwriting work.

For instance, this question got me in touch with an expert artist with the idea of a book to train flourishing artists how to earn a decent living by working full time as an artist with no need to get any side part-time job. My surgeon friend said he wished to prepare a book to show his surgery method so that his clients are at relief and expand his practice.

I end up having several wonderful conversations when I ask the question mentioned above to the individuals from my contact and some of the individuals I ask the question to have 3 common things to say:

  1. They need assistance in completing their book
  2. They have an amazing story or book idea
  3. They either got the budget to appoint ghostwriter or they have a huge platform that can attract any good book publisher.

If you also got someone with these three things, then you have found a new client. Ask them if they would like to hire you as a ghostwriter.

What is the charge for the ghostwriting services?

There is much difference in the market for ghostwriting services, here is a list of charges for non-fiction standard trade book, note this list is according to my experience as a ghostwriter:

  • 10,000USD to 20,000USD – For beginner ghostwriter
  • 20,000USD to 30,000USD – For an intermediate writer
  • 30,000USD to 50,000USD – For the highly experienced writer
  • 50,000USD –really busy or celebrity ghostwriter

For a simple book, Pay is not too bad, right?

Freelance Ghostwriter

But the pay scale differs according to the work. My works for a client for non-fiction works are generally twenty thousand words to fifty thousand words. I aim to complete these projects within 4 months and three hundred working hours. But I have worked on the projects which take at least a year to complete and up to 550 working hours.

Payment method for the work can differ, too. A payment agreement I usually apply that works well for the majority clients is separating the whole amount into 4 payments:

  1. Advance up-front
  2. Approved proposal/outline
  3. initial draft
  4. last approval

Five Simple Tips to be a professional Ghostwriter

If you are able to write, like writing stories for different individuals, and do not mind the secrecy of ghostwriting, it is worth following to expand your freelancing trade. for a successful freelance ghostwriting career follow these simple tips:

  1. Fix clear-cut expectations. A major reason why ghostwriting tasks die out in the way is due to unclear or unmet expectations. For instance, if you are ghostwriter writing something for an individual, explain the timeline and process, how many adjustments they will receive, and when you will need precise criticism from them. A sometimes crazy thing occurs that stop ghostwriting tasks in its way. But most of the times it is typically the minor confusing expectations and miscommunications that hurdle a ghostwriting task.
  1. Form contracts before working. To protect your client’s and your rights, you require contracts. Having the client to make a signature in the contract at the beginning will remove the individuals who are not committed while safeguarding you in if that a client bails out on you.
  1. Record each conversation. A helpful instrument for a freelance ghostwriter is the audio recording device. To record your customer’s voice promptly, copy those audio records and pull precise sentences and phrases from the interview session.  (As always, make sure to ask for the permission from the client.). Using two methods or devices for recording the interview is an excellent idea, too. Recording software/devices I suggest for the interviewing purposes include:
  • Digital audio recorder: Sony ICD PX333 Digital
  • Mobile Apps: Recorder; Handsfree.ly
  • Computer: Audacity; Call Recorder Skype

 professional Ghostwriter

  1. Visualize that you are talking to the client when you ghostwrite. If I get stuck throughout the writing task, I picture myself asking questions to my client and then just writing the answers. At this point, I have assumed that you have spent a lot of time with the individual you are working with. Practice this method, and you will be amazed to see how rapidly you start writing in your client’s tone and style.
  1. Make a guide for every client according to their style. Everyone has words or phrases we use every day in the writing tasks and so does your client. Listen vigilantly to the chats you’ve with clients or look at your clients writing for a dialect which make them distinctive. Then note these phrases and words, include them to the guide, and utilize these notes while working.

Ghostwriting can transform your career and life

In the writing field ghostwriting is the most satisfying job, both monetarily and personally. At the beginning of my writing career, I wrote newspaper articles and blog for 10$. I realized I can make a decent living out of writing via ghostwriting. Now I earn twenty-five thousand USD to thirty-five thousand USD to ghostwrite a book.

Just ask that vital question, “Do you want to write a book or ever thought about it?”And you will be a step closer to landing a good ghostwriting job.

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