Writing a book for another person can be profitable for the person skilled in organizing information and presenting it in clear and forceful language.
Usually, the ghost writer gets paid up front, and it’s the client’s responsibility to get the book published.
Getting Paid
There may be many arrangements for payment, including an agreement to share royalties for the book. Unless the book has obvious potential as a best-seller, the ghost’s safest bet is to agree on a price and have the client pay a portion when the agreement is signed. Other portions may be paid at incremental stages in the production of the book.
Interviewing the Client
Interviewing the client is an important first step in ghosting. The ghost needs to know the book’s pupose and the audience it is expected to reach. It is also helpful to learn something about the client’s personal and professional background. You will be writing in the client’s voice, so this information will help you find that voice.
Assembling the Material
The client should provide you with most of the material, although the ghost should expect to do some research. Professional people often like to commission books showcasing their expertise. They may provide you with audiotapes or videos of presentations they have made, with articles they have written, or with books and publications that provide material relevant to the subject.
Derive Carefully
The ghost should be careful to avoid plagiarizing other authors. Brief quotations from other sources are permissible without the owner’s permission, as long as they are attributed to the source. The Chicago Manual of Style offers this advice: “As a general rule, one should never quote more than a few contiguous paragrpahs of prose or lines of poetry at a time or let the quotations, even if scattered, begin to overshadow the quoter’s own material.” Seek permission for longer quotes.
Organizing The Material
Begin your project by putting as much of the raw material as possible into your word processor . Break it into broad topics, and let each topic serve as a chapter heading. Then organize your material under the appropriate chapter headings. Think of stories and illustrations that can add color as well as meaning to the text.
Once you’ve done this, prepare the conceptual outline. This will be a point-by-point , chapter-by-chapter outline of what you propose to put in the book. Submit this to the client for approval. Once you have that approval, your remaining task is to follow the outline in writing the book.
Keep your language simple. Some clients are turned off by literary flourishes. Some prefer formal language. Some prefer it light and conversational. Use familiar words and short sentences. Sixteen words per sentence is a good average. This article averages about 14 words per sentence.
The Editing Process
When you submit the manuscript, remember that the client has the last word. Allow the client to examine it and return it with suggested changes. If you agree with the changes, make them; if you don’t agree, follow your preference and explain why. Then submit the manuscript to the client for a second editing. This time, go with the client’s changes.
What to Charge
Don’t undersell your work. The ability to write clearly and forcefully is a valuable skill. Fees of $5,000 to $15,000 are not unreasonable, depending on the length and complexity of the work. They may go somewhat higher for a book requiring extensive research or for a potential national best-seller.
Gene Owens - Gene Owens is a veteran of more than 50 years of newspaper writing. At his retirement in 2003 from the Press-Register in Mobile, Ala., the ...
