I have ghosted two books thus far. One published and one to be published. This is what I have learnt.
- You are the ghost.
- The author is the author.
- As far as the author is concerned they wrote the book. They believe you are writing down verbatim what they are saying.
- As far as you are concerned the author wrote the book. Kick the ego to the kerb/outer limits. It’s their book.
- It’s their book. Mantra.
- The author believes that you are writing the book because you can spell and grammar.
- In general people believe that writing a book is at once the most difficult thing in the world to do and something anyone can do if they set their minds to it.
- There is nothing you can do about this contradiction and it is probably true.
- Everybody says they want to read the book before it is published to edit or proof or helpout, almost nobody will do this. The ratio is 8:1 .
- When you find readers who finish the book and roughly do what you agreed on then marry them, best friend them, hold them tight, they are invaluable and should be thanked and lauded as much as possible.
- Agree a time-scale for the book. If possible with financial penalties for over run.
- You will not be paid enough.
- Do not show the author the manuscript until the first draft is finished.
- Agreeing it is finished is the hardest thing. Good luck.
- Many websites will tell you that non-fiction books are generally approved before they are written. This is drivel.
- More and more ghosted books are being published because the author is paying/backing/investing in the book and the publisher. The author is paying.
- The above is not true for famous people. But very little is.
- Ghosts are invisible, deal.
- Record everything.
- Try not ask any questions the first time you are told the story. Either way the author will forget things, so let them spew.
- This applies to your own writing too. Spew first ask questions later.
- Start a bookmark and fill it with every site you visit to check facts.
- Check facts. Check them again.
- If you are lucky enough to have a publisher you will have an editor. Otherwise you will need one.
- Neither you nor the author can edit or proof the book, everyone who has ever written a book agrees on this one fact. You cannot proof your own work.
- No, you cannot proof your own work. Seriously no.
- No
- Half the people you meet think that you write stories about ghosts, they often tell you theirs. Just listen.
- Ghost writing makes you a better writer, smarter and ensures you do not fall down the rabbit hole when writing your fiction tome.
- So enjoy the shit out of it.
| Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter.
You are on the blog but here is a link any way for the sheer hell of it.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks