There is a good chance that you may have read an autobiography that was written by a public figure or celebrity. You may have liked reading about their early career or anything else. When you finish reading it, a good autobiography can make you feel like you know the subject quite well.
Remember that some authors don’t write the book themselves. This is what is called ghostwriting. Regardless of whether you want someone to write a book for you or just to write for somebody else, there are a few things you have to know about ghostwriters in the UK. This article discusses everything you should know about book ghostwriters.
A book ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is simply a person who writes a book on behalf of the author. In other words, a ghostwriter can write the story of the author, but the only name that appears on the book’s cover is that of the author. In most cases, it’s a good idea to write a book for someone else.
It’s worth noting that the byline author can still be involved in the writing process. After all, they are the ones who bring up the initial idea or concept. The good thing is that a ghostwriter knows from the start that the author retains the rights of what the ghostwriter produces and writes for them.
Ideally, a ghostwriter writes and completes the book, sends it to the authors, gets paid, and the authors retain the material from then on. Nowadays, most books by celebrities tend to be written by freelance writers or ghostwriters. This makes sense considering that many celebrities just like politicians, professional athletes, and musicians are busy people. Therefore, they don’t have adequate time to write a book, and even if they had, most of them may not have the right skills.
You should remember that there is a difference between ghostwriting and co-authoring. Co-authors can receive credit for some parts of a book they edit or write. Their names can appear on the book’s cover in smaller prints under the name of the author. On the other hand, a ghostwriter doesn’t usually get any bylines.
Also, these two processes tend to work a bit differently as well. Co-authoring is usually more collaborative because a co-author can contribute a creative vision to the book. They can also try to implement their ideas when it comes to marketing and selling the book. Because their name appears on the book’s cover, they have the right to do so.
However, a ghostwriter doesn’t contribute to the concept of the book. Their only task is to write the book exactly as wanted by the author. This means the author is always in control of the decisions when it comes to the book’s tone and ideas.
Choosing a ghostwriter
If you decide to use a ghostwriter to write your book, then you need to figure out the benefits of hiring one. You can have a good idea for a book, but you are unsure if you can write it yourself. The truth is that it can be hard to write a book. This is because it requires a huge investment of time and great writing skills.
This is the reason why it can be helpful to outsource the task to a professional writer who can ghostwrite. This can significantly reduce the time you need to be involved in.
Therefore, you don’t have to spend many hours thinking about how to phrase some sentences or whether you need to add some commas. Instead, a ghostwriter can handle the whole job on your behalf. There are also good chances that a ghostwriter can write the entire manuscript quicker than you can. In this way, you can focus on other crucial things while they do theirs.
Even better, a ghostwriter is a professional writer, so they may have already handled this process many times. They are also great writers and researchers who are skilled at adapting their voice to the author’s to make the story sound like you. It makes sense to work with a ghostwriter, especially if you lack the right skills or time to write your book.
If you think that it’s a good idea to use a ghostwriter, then you need to start looking for one. The good news is that there are many online platforms where you can find ghostwriters. You can simply post a job description on some freelance marketplaces to get a freelance writer.
After posting a job description, freelance writers who match your needs can apply, and you can then sort through the application before choosing the potential ones. This reduces the research time required from your side, and you can just wait for the freelance writers to come to you.
You can also find some other sites that can hear about your requirements and then match you with some good writers. These agencies usually manage every stage of the writing process on your behalf. This can sometimes be helpful, though you may not have a lot of freedom. You also need to be careful because some of the ghostwriting agencies are usually scams.
If you don’t want to use any ghostwriting platform, then you utilize professional sites, such as LinkedIn to find a ghostwriter. Such platforms tend to have professional writers from across the globe.
It’s also easier to search for writers on the platforms and read their past experiences. After doing these things, you can decide to reach out to find out if they can be interested in working with you. Also, you can just do a Google search to find professional ghostwriters in your field, but this process can sometimes take a lot of effort and time.
Lastly, there is also a chance that you can hire a good ghostwriter via networking at a local writing group or industry meetings in your local area. This can be worth a try, though it can be a good idea to search online. In this way, you can easily check the whole world to get the ghostwriter that meets your needs.
