Ghostwriters...we put the "boo" in books. But what does ghostwriting actually look like?
Like many others, I used to think of ghostwriting as being a "sellout"...at least, until I stumbled into it during an editing gig in 2019. Ever since then, I've been ghostwriting content for thought leaders, including Silicon Valley CEOs, executive coaches, and even one of the world's leading digital real estate experts. Ghostwriting allowed me to become a full-time writer/editor in 2022, earning six figures in my first full year of business, while still giving me the opportunity to pursue film.
Few publishing professionals are as misunderstood as ghostwriters because the industry has had a veil over us for, well, forever. But ghostwriting is essential in publishing (at least half of all traditionally-published nonfiction titles are ghostwritten) and it's becoming a respected skill in its own write...sorry, I mean, right. (No apologies for puns, unintended or otherwise.)
So let's get into the nitty-gritty of "ghosting." Some questions you might want to ask:
-What types of content can be ghostwritten? (Short answer: books, blogs, social content, podcast scripts, and more!)
-How much can a ghostwriter earn for a book? (Short answer: Depends on experience and the project, but I personally know people who have made $100K on a single book. #Goals)
-Do ghostwriters ever get credit for their work? (Short answer: Yes.)
-How do you get started as a ghostwriter? (Short answer: Blogging and editing)
-Where do you find clients? (Short answer: Networking, LinkedIn, publishers, agents)
-Isn't AI going to replace ghostwriting anyway? (Short answer: Lol...no.)
-Can ghostwriting make you a better screenwriter? (Short answer: hell yeah, it can.)
Post your own question starting Wednesday morning or feel free to ask which one above you'd like expanded on!
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@JohnRoane
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I quit Scrivener back in 2018 and never looked back. The index cards, scrivenings, and project-organisation features were just okay for my first project... until I entered the revision phase. Lack of...
Expand commentI quit Scrivener back in 2018 and never looked back. The index cards, scrivenings, and project-organisation features were just okay for my first project... until I entered the revision phase. Lack of true styles, extremely sluggish global search & replace, drag-and-drop formatting nightmares, and bloated directory structures quickly made the project impossible to manage. I finally exported to Word, which, with a few choice editing add-ons, has become a powerful tool for my writing... and notably lacks a 750pp manual.
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That’s terrifying. I’ve used Scrivener for 5 years and have thankfully never encountered that nonsense. It’s great for series work but I admittedly don’t use all the features.
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Like any tech-based tool, you gotta feel out what works for you. I know people who live Scrivener and use it religiously. Meanwhile, I have little desire to learn yet another tool to use for writing. I’m just now getting the hang of FinalDraft after 6 years of using it, lol.