Have you ever wondered how reality stars write their own memoirs? Or how James Patterson publishes over twenty books a year? Well, there’s actually a very straightforward answer: ghostwriting. And no, it does not involve any paranormal activity.
Ghostwriting is when an author collaborates with a professional writer to tell their story. The writer is the “ghost” behind the scenes. For example, someone who has an idea for a book, be it a memoir or a novel, but doesn’t have the time or expertise to write a full manuscript may hire a ghostwriter to complete the work for them. The ghostwriter will hold interviews with the client to masterfully draw out their story and then transform it into a manuscript, capturing their unique voice and message. Just like a ghost, ghostwriters’ names are usually not displayed on the front cover, often lurking in the acknowledgments instead.
Here are some examples of ghostwriting—in the real human world, of course!
Those celebrity tell-all memoirs you love? Well, you may be shocked to find out that most of them were written by a ghostwriter. Celebrities have busy lives, and while they are talented in their given fields, they may not be interested in writing a whole book. Contrary to popular belief, writing is a difficult pursuit! Of course, not every celebrity uses a ghostwriter. Many are talented writers who prefer to do the work themselves—for example, Jeannette McCurdy, Matthew McConaughey, and celebs who are comedians or writers by trade.
Is it possible to get so famous as a writer that you have more opportunities to publish a book than you have time to write? Consider someone like James Patterson. He has published more than two hundred books since the 1970s and holds the Guinness World Record for most books on the NYT best seller list. If you’re browsing at the library or bookstore, you’ll probably notice whole shelves dedicated to his repertoire. How is that possible? Does he just not sleep? While he did write his early books on his own, as he became more popular, he decided to branch out. But he doesn’t have ghostwriters in the classical sense. James Patterson takes a different approach—he works with co-authors who are featured on the front cover! He often writes a scene-by-scene outline or otherwise provides the story, while his co-author writes the full draft of the novel and gets credit alongside him. Other famous authors have worked with co-authors, with Harlan Coben even cowriting a book with Reese Witherspoon!
Are you feeling inspired? If you’re considering working with a ghostwriter on your project, follow these steps to ensure a fruitful and rewarding collaboration!
There are a ton of ghostwriter options out there. How can you be sure you select the right one for you? For one thing, it’s important to narrow down the options based on experience and specialization. If you’re writing an epic fantasy novel, you probably don’t want to hire a ghostwriter who’s exclusively written business books. Make sure you’re also selecting someone who is highly rated with a proven track record for success. Then, have a conversation to make sure you are a good match in terms of writing process, project needs, and personality. If you are going to work productively with someone to expertly write the book of your dreams, you need to click with each other.
Although each author-ghostwriter team creates a tailored process that works great for them, it’s typical to start with a conversation to nail down the overarching message of the book and the key points—essentially the table of contents. From there, through a series of recorded interviews and discussions, the ghostwriter will expertly write the manuscript. Of course, you will have every opportunity to review the content, make revisions, and ensure everything is moving in the right direction all the way until you have a completed manuscript!
You may be thinking that writing a whole book for and with someone is a pretty big undertaking—and you are absolutely right. It’s hard enough to write a manuscript. To artfully capture someone else’s story in someone else’s voice? That’s arguably even more difficult! This is why ghostwriting is perhaps the most significant investment in the publishing world. Many ghostwriters charge per hour or per word, but costs also depend on the writer’s experience and the scope of the project. For a quality manuscript, the total cost is usually somewhere between $40,000 to $60,000 and even up to $100,000 or more! Professional ghostwriters certainly don’t come cheap, but they have worked hard to hone their craft, and they provide more than just a product. They give their clients the chance to immortalize their stories on the page and share their words with the world.
Ghostwriting is an excellent option for authors who have the story and voice but who are relying on a professional to actually write the manuscript. However, there are some other ways to bring the manuscript to life too!
An author coach is a happy medium (no pun intended) for someone who wants to write their own book but doesn’t know where to start. An author coach, like a sports coach, will guide you from start to finish as you write your manuscript, holding you accountable, being your personal cheerleader, and providing you with genre-specific tools and exercises to encourage you to write. You will likely create a schedule to meet with your coach so they can check in on your progress and give you tips. With their help, you will make sure and steady progress through the writing process until you cross the finish line with a completed manuscript ready for editing.
Writers are not the only kinds of ghosts in the literary world, and I don’t just mean Catherine Earnshaw and the Headless Horseman. Editors can be ghosts too! Ghost editing is a combination of ghostwriting and developmental editing, designed for writers who have written a first draft of a manuscript but need more help fleshing out their story. A ghost editor uses a very heavy hand as they complete their first round of edits, often adding pages worth of content rather than just leaving comments on the structure and plot as a developmental editor may do. While they don’t write the whole manuscript, they write enough to be considered akin to a ghostwriter.
Are you looking for a ghostwriter? Or maybe you just need an extra push from an author coach or editor? Ballast Books has you covered! Check out our website to get in touch with an acquisitions editor who can advise you on the best path forward.