How to Find a Good Ghostwriter for Book and eBook
Reading Time: 6 minutes What do you do if you have an idea for a narrative but are unsure how to convey it? You need to find a good ghostwriter who can give your story the creative skill it deserves when you have a great idea.
The best ghostwriters can do more than just string words together; they can capture your voice, tone, and vision, giving your story a vibrant life.
Professional writers have helped everyone from Richard Branson to Michelle Obama get their books published. These writers know how to turn a well-lived life and great business success into a story that people will want to read.
Other authors, like Ian Fleming, who created James Bond, and Tom Clancy, who wrote a lot of thrillers, hired ghostwriters to write new books to meet reader demand.
It’s not as simple as finding a screenwriter and waiting for the finished copy to finish your long-awaited book project. You are working with someone; ensuring the writer does well is up to you.
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Table of Contents
- 3 Basic Steps to Find a Good Ghostwriter
- Describe your Project
- Figure Out Your Budget
- Look for a Ghostwriter
- The Best Places to Look for Ghostwriters When Working on a Book
- 1. Independent Research
- 2. Ghostwriting Companies
- 3. Freelance-Writing Markets
- Important Deciding Factors for Ghostwriter Quality
- 1. Price
- 2. Proven Book-Writing Skills and Experience
- Key Takeaways
3 Basic Steps to Find a Good Ghostwriter
Describe your Project
The first thing you need to do is know precisely what your job is. What kind of story will the project be? How much information do you have? Are you ready to give it to the writer? Do you need any unique study to get your idea off the ground?
It is also knowing what you want to achieve with the result before you spend your time and money on it. You can find a good ghostwriter with experience with self-publishing, SEO, or other skills that may make them stand out as the best person for the job.
These questions will help you match your needs with the knowledge of someone who might be willing to work with you.
Figure Out Your Budget
Before you look for a ghostwriter, you should have a good idea of how much you can spend. There is a wide range of fees that experienced writers charge, which we’ll talk about in more detail below. Before you search, you should know how much you can afford or are willing to pay.
Also, having a budget will help if you want to put your idea online to get writers interested. Including your pay range will save you time when reviewing offers from writers who want more money than you’re willing to pay.
Look for a Ghostwriter
Once you know what you want to do and how much money you have, you can use a skill trade network like Upwork to find experienced writers. Upwork’s simple search tool lets you look at freelancers’ profiles and client reviews. Some writers may even let you look at their past work to see if their style fits your wants.
After narrowing your choices down to a shortlist of two or three authors, you may initiate contact with them to see whether their work style and communication methods mesh with your own.
Getting a paid sample of a ghostwriter’s work before starting one of your key projects is a good idea if you want to work with them for a long time or want to be sure the partnership will work out well for both of you. By purchasing a sample, you can determine whether the writer is competent. You may see how well they perform before committing to them for a larger project.
Finding a good ghostwriter may sound simple, but it is not. One must follow the proper guidelines.
The Best Places to Look for Ghostwriters When Working on a Book
First, you need to know where to find a good ghostwriter if you want to hire one.
When I ask book publishers where they think is the best place to find ghostwriters, they always agree with me: there isn’t a single spot where you can find professional ghostwriters who have been checked out.
I made a complete list of all the places you can find in our business ghostwriting guide. From what I can tell, it’s the only list on the website that comes from talking to book authors and ghostwriters.
1. Independent Research
Finding potential ghostwriters through Google and LinkedIn is one way to make a list. A lot of our Scribes say that this is how people find them.
But there are some problems with both of these systems.
It takes a lot of time and work to look through accounts on LinkedIn. As you type “book ghostwriter,” thousands of hits come up. Going through them one by one is an inferior way to search.
It’s also not very helpful to use the search options. To see if a writer is a good fit, visit their website, look at their work, and take the steps I describe below.
You also have to sort through a lot of search results on Google. Most of the first few pages are freelancing markets and writing companies (more on these below). To find the websites of individual ghostwriters, you have to dig a little deeper. And it’s not simple to figure out who is honest.
This road could easily lead you down a rabbit hole that doesn’t lead anywhere. It would be better to start with other sources.
2. Ghostwriting Companies
There are a lot of ghostwriter services out there, but most of them are fake. You must take suggestions and Research to find authentic companies.
Corporations provide ghostwriting services for those who don’t have time to write their books, essays, or other written materials. These businesses use ghostwriters—professional writers who pen content on a client’s behalf while allowing that client to retain the rights to the work.
Checklist for a good company:
- Understand the project in detail
- Deliver quality content
- Meet deadlines timely
If you want to hire affordable ghostwriting services, pick one that has been around for a while and has a history of success. They’ve shown they care about doing a good job and keeping their good name.
3. Freelance-Writing Markets
One of the best places to find ghostwriters for hire is online freelance writer platforms, but you’ll still have to look through a lot of accounts to find good ones.
Afterward, you can narrow your search to nonfiction and the language and subject you want to read. If you want to write a business book, you can look for ghostwriters who write books in that field.
You can then look at freelancers’ profiles to judge them based on their works and reviews. Reviews, like those on Amazon and other sites, can help you figure out who you can trust.
Important Deciding Factors for Ghostwriter Quality
Consider the below-mentioned factors to find a good ghostwriter:
1. Price
There is a wide pricing range for ghostwriters. Here is how the cost and quality of a nonfiction book of 100-300 pages breaks down:
Between $1,001 and $14,999: Anyone charging less than $15k should be immediately eliminated. A lousy book is what you get when you scrape the bottom of the barrel. I wouldn’t hire a ghostwriter if you can’t afford to pay them more than $15,000.
Between $15,000 and $75,000, you may start uncovering exceptional ghostwriters with credentials and reputations. However, there is a huge variety in quality within this price range.
Only the most elite ghostwriters (many of whom have authored best-sellers and published books under their names) command fees of $100,000 to $250,000 or more. In this price range, quality is virtually always good.
A trustworthy copywriter with solid credentials will likely cost you at least $40,000. As a general guideline, this may help you evaluate potential applicants.
2. Proven Book-Writing Skills and Experience
Last, you can evaluate a ghostwriter’s quality by reading some of their previous work. If you want to become a ghostwriter, it’s crucial to maintain a proper track record of all your projects.
The simplest way of doing it is to
This is particularly crucial if your budget is on the lower end of the permissible range since the applicants will have less of a track record.
Key Takeaways
The first step towards realizing your dream is to begin searching for the ideal ghostwriter to pen your book or electronic book. It’s essential to choose a ghostwriter who is not just a great writer but also an excellent listener who can put your ideas and experiences into words that will fascinate your audience.
To ensure your partnership succeeds, learn about each other and share information. Your narrative has value, and with the help of a skilled ghostwriter, it may profoundly impact its audience. Don’t procrastinate any longer; start the exciting journey of creating your book right now!
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