Conducting client interviews. So, you know the old saying “when it rains it pours”? That’s definitely how I feel right now. Last Monday a hard drive on my nice new computer decided to fail. Luckily I had time to get most of my files that I hadn’t transferred over to my external hard drive. As you can probably tell from the lack of music, the intro was not one of those files. So, next week you’ll be hearing some brand new music. To cut a long story short, I didn’t get my computer back until last Friday and I had a lot of work to catch up on. So, once again I have to apologize for leaving you all hanging. Trusting that no other catastrophes are going to take place in the near future, we should be back on schedule now.
So, let’s get to business. I decided that I was trying to cram way too much into this short little podcast so I am dividing up the next topic. Today we will be talking about conducting interviews. Next week I’ll be discussing the writing process and how to take on the author’s voice.
First, let’s talk about equipment. There are three things you will absolutely need to have with you in order to conduct an interview properly: a notebook, pen, and a voice recorder. I personally use the Sony ICD-P320 but there are plenty of them out there to choose from and the prices will range from $40-$100. I like mine because it is very portable. It’s about 1 inch wide, ¾ of an inch thick, and no more than 4 inches long. But no matter what voice recorder you get, make sure it comes with an editing program that will allow you to slow the audio speed down. This will be essential for when you make transcripts of your interviews.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have both a notebook and a voice recorder. Don’t ever try to get away with just one of the two. If you just write notes you will inevitably miss something and you won’t be able to capture the emotion of the statement quick enough. And if you try to just record the conversation and not take notes, I guarantee you that one day a file will corrupt and you’ll lose an interview. It’s just how it works. So don’t tempt fate…do what I do and take shorthand notes and record the entire meeting.
If you are working with a client that you will not be meeting with in person either because of scheduling or distance, I highly recommend that you invest in a web cam. There’s no need to get anything fancy. My computer came with one already installed in the monitor, but just by doing a cursory search on amazon.com I saw several for under $30. Being able to see each other will make the experience feel more personal and it’s a nice option to offer your client.
Now that you have your equipment, it’s time to interview. There are two basic ways to handle the interviewing process. You can either be formal by using the question and answer method or you can be more casual by simply giving the author prompts and basically having a conversation. The method you use will depend on your personality, what your client is comfortable with, and the project you’re working on.
Remember that before the interviewing begins, you should have your blueprint complete. This is important because you’ll be using your outline to help you along with the questions you ask or prompts you provide. When taking the formal approach, you should be prepared to ask specific questions. If you’re going to be more casual, you have to be able to lead your client conversationally.
Let me give you an example: let’s say you’re working with a client who is having you write their autobiography and by looking at your blueprint you know that much of the book is going to focus on his childhood. If you’re going to take a more casual approach, you should begin by asking him to talk about the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks about his childhood. In this case, he begins to talk about the summers he spent at his Uncle’s cottage. Be ready to break into his stories to draw out more detail. Once you feel like you have enough information on his summers at the cottage, lead them to the next event by using your blueprint as your guide. This style of interviewing is more time consuming but I like it because the clients tend to be more relaxed and you get better information from them.
If you prefer a more formal approach, you need to make sure that your outline is very detailed. In this case, you should already know that your client spent summers at his Uncle’s cottage and therefore you should be ready with questions like: what did he do? Who was with him? What were those people like?
Of course, each project will be different. If you are working on an academic non-fiction book or a factually based newspaper article, you should definitely lean more toward the formal approach. Once you have a good amount of detail, feel free to have a more conversational tone to get more information to fill in with. However, your first priority has to be getting the facts straight.
Remember that the purpose of the interviews is to draw out information to make your job as the writer a little easier. Get as many details as possible. It’s always better to have too much information than not enough.
Also, make sure to keep a timetable of the meetings. I personally include a set amount of free meeting hours in my price, so I always make sure to write down the exact time that we begin and end. I put that information into a chart that I can give my clients at any time so they know how many free hours of meetings they have left.
I mentioned making transcripts a few minutes ago when discussing voice recorders. Now, I’ll be honest. Next to editing, making transcripts has got to be the most boring part of your job as a writer. Nevertheless, it’s necessary. You must make a transcript of every word spoken (both questions and answers) for each interview. This will aid you in taking direct quotes and incorporating them into the project. Likewise, having the phrasing you used when asking the question will be helpful when time has passed since the interview and you need a little reminder of the details. I always use my editing program to slow the audio speed down to at least half speed so that it is easier to catch every word. It will take a time or two to get used to it, but it makes your job a lot easier.
So, to sum things up: make sure you have the necessary equipment. Never go into an interview without your notebook and voice recorder. Likewise, if you work with clients who you won’t be seeing in person, consider investing in a web cam. When doing the interview, decide whether you want it to be more formal or casual. Feel free to ask your client what they are more comfortable with. This is key because when your client is relaxed, you’ll get better information out of them. Also, don’t brush off making complete transcripts. Make sure you capture every word that was spoken…you’ll regret it in the long run if you don’t.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the seventh episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss the writing process and how to take on the author’s voice.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
GWA #7 - Special Episode #1
Dealing with trauma or grief. I’m taking a bit of a detour from the Ghostwriting 101 series this week, but we’ll be back on schedule next week with a discussion on how to conduct interviews, how to begin the writing process, and how to take on the author’s voice.
So, where do I begin? Back in April my Mom started feeling ill and she thought she just had the flu. Well, weeks went by and she was only getting worse so I finally convinced her to go to the doctor. Well, the doctor immediately sent her to the hospital and the doctors in the emergency room immediately began to prepare her for surgery. It turned out that she did not have the flu and actually had a blockage in her intestine. She ended up spending 5 days in the hospital.
She’s doing very well now and is taking it easy as that nice 5 inch incision from her belly button up heals. This was easily the most traumatic thing I have ever gone through. My Mom is not just my Mom…she’s my best friend. I knew what to expect as far as what she would be going through but I didn’t expect what would happen to me. To put it simply, my mind was just not here. I was so focused on my Mom that I forgot to eat and just did not take care of myself. I ended up losing 8 pounds over those 5 days…which is obviously not a good thing. My body went into shock both because of the stress of what was happening to my Mom and what I was doing to myself. So, needless to say I’m still recovering myself. I’m almost back to normal now. Well, physically anyway.
So, what does this have to do with ghostwriting? Well, everything really. How do you just go back to normal after experiencing something like that? How do you flip on the switch and go back to writing? I suppose it might be easier for someone who worked in a factory to simply go back to work, but for someone in a creative field…how do you do it? How do you let go of grief or trauma and allow yourself to get back to your normal life? I don’t have all the answers. But I can tell you what I’m doing right now and how it is working.
First, because we’re talking about ghostwriting here, it is important to contact all of your clients and talk to them about what is happening. Be as detailed as possible. It will help them understand your situation. Ask them for permission to take a little time to decompress. Most clients (and thankfully all of mine) will agree to give you a break. And that break is essential. Take a week if you can and just get away from everything. Take walks, sleep in, watch your favorite movies, and spend time with friends. Give yourself the time you need to relax and get your emotions and thoughts in order. If you try to get back to work right away, you’ll regret it in the long run.
I couldn’t even think about writing for the first 6 days. The thought of picking up the pieces and getting back to my life just seemed impossible. So, I allowed myself to feel that way. It may sound odd, but you need to give yourself permission to relax. Telling yourself that it’s ok to feel how you are feeling and that you are willing to take the time to restore yourself emotionally and spiritually is key (at least it was for me). On that seventh day, I felt different…well actually, I didn’t feel different and oddly enough that was different. I felt normal! I was not just able to think about writing, I wanted to think about writing! I was drawn to my computer and couldn’t wait to get back to work. I’m not exactly sure how or why it happened…it just did. That is why taking the time to relax is so important. You will know when it is time to get back to writing.
Now, there are two ways that you can get back to work once you are ready. You can either dive right in and start writing, or you can take a slower approach. You can start by doing some of the smaller or menial tasks that go along with your writing. For example, you can finish a blueprint or outline, do some research, or even edit some work you have completed.
I personally dove right in and started to write but then took a step back and did some background work. It felt good to get a little of each done. I recommend that you at least try to start to write, but don’t force it. If it doesn’t feel right or things aren’t flowing the way they usually do, take a step back and find something else to do related to your project.
If you decide to start slowly and begin with the background work, don’t let yourself get away with that for too long. I’d say give it a day or two and then at least try to write. It may take a while to really get back into the groove, but the attempts are important. The longer you stay away from writing, the harder it will be to get into it again.
Grief and trauma are extremely personal and everyone reacts to them differently. If you do go through a tough situation, make sure to give yourself the time you need to let go of the stress and relax. Talk to your clients about what you’re going through and ask for a little time to get things in order. Remember that because you work in a creative field, you need your mind and emotions to be in tip-top shape in order to do your job.
I hope that you found these thoughts to be useful. And I want to thank you for sticking with me and being so patient! I was expecting subscribership to drop a lot since I was gone so long, so I was pleased to see only a couple of people left.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the sixth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss how to conduct interviews, how to start writing, and the most important thing every ghostwriter must learn – how to take on the author’s voice.
So, where do I begin? Back in April my Mom started feeling ill and she thought she just had the flu. Well, weeks went by and she was only getting worse so I finally convinced her to go to the doctor. Well, the doctor immediately sent her to the hospital and the doctors in the emergency room immediately began to prepare her for surgery. It turned out that she did not have the flu and actually had a blockage in her intestine. She ended up spending 5 days in the hospital.
She’s doing very well now and is taking it easy as that nice 5 inch incision from her belly button up heals. This was easily the most traumatic thing I have ever gone through. My Mom is not just my Mom…she’s my best friend. I knew what to expect as far as what she would be going through but I didn’t expect what would happen to me. To put it simply, my mind was just not here. I was so focused on my Mom that I forgot to eat and just did not take care of myself. I ended up losing 8 pounds over those 5 days…which is obviously not a good thing. My body went into shock both because of the stress of what was happening to my Mom and what I was doing to myself. So, needless to say I’m still recovering myself. I’m almost back to normal now. Well, physically anyway.
So, what does this have to do with ghostwriting? Well, everything really. How do you just go back to normal after experiencing something like that? How do you flip on the switch and go back to writing? I suppose it might be easier for someone who worked in a factory to simply go back to work, but for someone in a creative field…how do you do it? How do you let go of grief or trauma and allow yourself to get back to your normal life? I don’t have all the answers. But I can tell you what I’m doing right now and how it is working.
First, because we’re talking about ghostwriting here, it is important to contact all of your clients and talk to them about what is happening. Be as detailed as possible. It will help them understand your situation. Ask them for permission to take a little time to decompress. Most clients (and thankfully all of mine) will agree to give you a break. And that break is essential. Take a week if you can and just get away from everything. Take walks, sleep in, watch your favorite movies, and spend time with friends. Give yourself the time you need to relax and get your emotions and thoughts in order. If you try to get back to work right away, you’ll regret it in the long run.
I couldn’t even think about writing for the first 6 days. The thought of picking up the pieces and getting back to my life just seemed impossible. So, I allowed myself to feel that way. It may sound odd, but you need to give yourself permission to relax. Telling yourself that it’s ok to feel how you are feeling and that you are willing to take the time to restore yourself emotionally and spiritually is key (at least it was for me). On that seventh day, I felt different…well actually, I didn’t feel different and oddly enough that was different. I felt normal! I was not just able to think about writing, I wanted to think about writing! I was drawn to my computer and couldn’t wait to get back to work. I’m not exactly sure how or why it happened…it just did. That is why taking the time to relax is so important. You will know when it is time to get back to writing.
Now, there are two ways that you can get back to work once you are ready. You can either dive right in and start writing, or you can take a slower approach. You can start by doing some of the smaller or menial tasks that go along with your writing. For example, you can finish a blueprint or outline, do some research, or even edit some work you have completed.
I personally dove right in and started to write but then took a step back and did some background work. It felt good to get a little of each done. I recommend that you at least try to start to write, but don’t force it. If it doesn’t feel right or things aren’t flowing the way they usually do, take a step back and find something else to do related to your project.
If you decide to start slowly and begin with the background work, don’t let yourself get away with that for too long. I’d say give it a day or two and then at least try to write. It may take a while to really get back into the groove, but the attempts are important. The longer you stay away from writing, the harder it will be to get into it again.
Grief and trauma are extremely personal and everyone reacts to them differently. If you do go through a tough situation, make sure to give yourself the time you need to let go of the stress and relax. Talk to your clients about what you’re going through and ask for a little time to get things in order. Remember that because you work in a creative field, you need your mind and emotions to be in tip-top shape in order to do your job.
I hope that you found these thoughts to be useful. And I want to thank you for sticking with me and being so patient! I was expecting subscribership to drop a lot since I was gone so long, so I was pleased to see only a couple of people left.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the sixth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss how to conduct interviews, how to start writing, and the most important thing every ghostwriter must learn – how to take on the author’s voice.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
GWA #6 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 5
In today’s episode of our Ghostwriting 101 series we will be talking about the writing process. Now obviously, a topic like this can’t be covered in one podcast so I will start with a discussion on what every ghostwriter needs before beginning a book project: a blueprint.
A blueprint is basically a collection of the information you’ll need in order to work on the project. Of course the information you need will depend on how involved your client is going to be during the writing process and the genre of the book. If your client is going to stay involved, you can be much more flexible when putting together the blueprint and writing the book. However, if your client plans on having you write the rough draft completely on your own, it is essential that you gather as much information as you can.
I have three sections in my blueprints. First, I talk to my clients about the purpose of their book. Why are they are writing it? What do they want the reader to walk away knowing or understanding?
Secondly, I talk to them about their target audience. Knowing who the audience is will help you write. For example, if you are writing a nonfiction book intended for industry professionals, you should feel free to use the jargon or terminology that is used in that industry. Likewise, you can get right into the nitty-gritty of the subject without having to worry too much about introducing the ideas. However, if that non fiction book is meant for the general public, you’ll have to dumb it down a bit. Explain each idea carefully before you get into too much theory or detail. Likewise, don’t use too much jargon without explanation. The general public may not know what those industry terms mean.
For a work of fiction, I am more interested in gender and age. A story written for a twenty year old woman would be very different than a story written for a fifty year old man. Generational and gender differences will play a role in how you put the story together.
The third section has to do with the body of the text. I always put together an outline with my clients for every book project. If the client intends to stay involved during the writing process, you can be more flexible and allow for changes as you write, but if your client wants you to write the rough draft on your own you should create as detailed of an outline as you can. For a nonfiction book, start with the main points that must be covered. Then, go back and flesh those out. Add sub-points and notes wherever you can. When putting together the outline, always remember to look back to the purpose of the book. Make sure the main points come together to tell the audience what the author wants to convey.
For a work of fiction, this part of the blueprint will be different. Before you get to the outline, you must begin with putting together character sketches. This means that you should sit down with your client and talk about each main character. Discuss things like their age, gender, where they are from, their marital status, family history, what they do for a living, hobbies they have, things they enjoy, and the role the play in the story. Is this character the hero? The villain? A supportive character? An innocent bystander? Knowing these things will help you as you write.
Moreover, you need to know what these characters look like. If you can draw, feel free to add a little illustration next to your description. But even if you can’t, describe with words the character’s hair color, skin color, eye color, height, body shape, style of clothing, even how they walk and facial expressions. Being able to picture each character in your mind as you write is crucial.
After that, begin putting together the outline. Instead of talking about the main points or ideas that you’ll be writing about, for a fictional story you will need to have your client walk you through the major events that take place. What happens? Who is involved? Why does this happen? What are the consequences, both positive and negative? Get as detailed as you can. When I ghostwrite fiction, I always demand that the client stay involved during the writing process because it would just be too difficult to write a fictional story without the person who had the idea in the first place. One paragraph, heck even one sentence, can completely change the direction of the story, so I recommend that you get a detailed outline, but make sure the client continually reviews your work or even writes with you.
When working on a biography (whether the book is about your client or a third party), you basically need to combine everything together. You of course need to know the purpose of the book and the target audience. However, when it comes to the outline you’ll need both an overview of the main points that should be discussed AND an outline of the major events that take place. Basically, biographies are a combination of fiction and nonfiction. You often discuss ideas, but there is also a story involved. So, make sure to get character sketches of all the main players in the book. Have your client bring pictures if possible. You’ll need to dissect the personalities of everyone involved just as you would fictional characters.
Feel free to add to your blueprint. The purpose, audience, and outline are just the basics that every blueprint needs. What you need to do is sit down and think about the information you would want to have before you begin to write. Every project can be different. Just make sure you have your blueprint complete before you dive in and start writing. While it takes some work, I guarantee that putting together a blueprint will pay off in the long run.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the sixth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss how to conduct interviews, how to start writing, and the most important thing every ghostwriter must learn – how to take on the author’s voice.
A blueprint is basically a collection of the information you’ll need in order to work on the project. Of course the information you need will depend on how involved your client is going to be during the writing process and the genre of the book. If your client is going to stay involved, you can be much more flexible when putting together the blueprint and writing the book. However, if your client plans on having you write the rough draft completely on your own, it is essential that you gather as much information as you can.
I have three sections in my blueprints. First, I talk to my clients about the purpose of their book. Why are they are writing it? What do they want the reader to walk away knowing or understanding?
Secondly, I talk to them about their target audience. Knowing who the audience is will help you write. For example, if you are writing a nonfiction book intended for industry professionals, you should feel free to use the jargon or terminology that is used in that industry. Likewise, you can get right into the nitty-gritty of the subject without having to worry too much about introducing the ideas. However, if that non fiction book is meant for the general public, you’ll have to dumb it down a bit. Explain each idea carefully before you get into too much theory or detail. Likewise, don’t use too much jargon without explanation. The general public may not know what those industry terms mean.
For a work of fiction, I am more interested in gender and age. A story written for a twenty year old woman would be very different than a story written for a fifty year old man. Generational and gender differences will play a role in how you put the story together.
The third section has to do with the body of the text. I always put together an outline with my clients for every book project. If the client intends to stay involved during the writing process, you can be more flexible and allow for changes as you write, but if your client wants you to write the rough draft on your own you should create as detailed of an outline as you can. For a nonfiction book, start with the main points that must be covered. Then, go back and flesh those out. Add sub-points and notes wherever you can. When putting together the outline, always remember to look back to the purpose of the book. Make sure the main points come together to tell the audience what the author wants to convey.
For a work of fiction, this part of the blueprint will be different. Before you get to the outline, you must begin with putting together character sketches. This means that you should sit down with your client and talk about each main character. Discuss things like their age, gender, where they are from, their marital status, family history, what they do for a living, hobbies they have, things they enjoy, and the role the play in the story. Is this character the hero? The villain? A supportive character? An innocent bystander? Knowing these things will help you as you write.
Moreover, you need to know what these characters look like. If you can draw, feel free to add a little illustration next to your description. But even if you can’t, describe with words the character’s hair color, skin color, eye color, height, body shape, style of clothing, even how they walk and facial expressions. Being able to picture each character in your mind as you write is crucial.
After that, begin putting together the outline. Instead of talking about the main points or ideas that you’ll be writing about, for a fictional story you will need to have your client walk you through the major events that take place. What happens? Who is involved? Why does this happen? What are the consequences, both positive and negative? Get as detailed as you can. When I ghostwrite fiction, I always demand that the client stay involved during the writing process because it would just be too difficult to write a fictional story without the person who had the idea in the first place. One paragraph, heck even one sentence, can completely change the direction of the story, so I recommend that you get a detailed outline, but make sure the client continually reviews your work or even writes with you.
When working on a biography (whether the book is about your client or a third party), you basically need to combine everything together. You of course need to know the purpose of the book and the target audience. However, when it comes to the outline you’ll need both an overview of the main points that should be discussed AND an outline of the major events that take place. Basically, biographies are a combination of fiction and nonfiction. You often discuss ideas, but there is also a story involved. So, make sure to get character sketches of all the main players in the book. Have your client bring pictures if possible. You’ll need to dissect the personalities of everyone involved just as you would fictional characters.
Feel free to add to your blueprint. The purpose, audience, and outline are just the basics that every blueprint needs. What you need to do is sit down and think about the information you would want to have before you begin to write. Every project can be different. Just make sure you have your blueprint complete before you dive in and start writing. While it takes some work, I guarantee that putting together a blueprint will pay off in the long run.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the sixth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss how to conduct interviews, how to start writing, and the most important thing every ghostwriter must learn – how to take on the author’s voice.
Friday, May 2, 2008
GWA #5 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 4
In today’s episode of our Ghostwriting 101 series we will be talking about how to promote yourself and find clients.
The first step is to find your niche. Take some time and think about the things that you love to do, the books you love to read, the television shows or movies you love to watch, etc. This will aid you in figuring out what kind of clients you should seek out. For me, I have found that my niche is Christian writers, specifically pastors. All of the writers I have worked with so far have fallen into that category. However, I also have a secondary niche because of my bachelor’s degree in politics and interest in history. Any client looking for a fiction or non-fiction book about politics or history would fit in perfectly for me. So, don’t be afraid to have several specialties.
However, you should find one main niche that you will focus most of your attention to. So, if you find yourself watching countless reruns of Law & Order, consider specializing in writing crime dramas or non-fiction criminal profiles. If you are a poet and good at rhyming, consider looking into the children’s book genre. Even something like being an outdoors enthusiast or adventure seeker can be to your advantage.
Also, instead of focusing on interests or skills that you have, you can also think about that kind of client you want to work with. Do you want to work with business people like CEOs and entrepreneurs? Or stay at home Moms that have a story to share? There are countless groups of people that you can reach out to.
So, how do you do it? Once you know what kind of writing you want to specialize in, the next step you must take is creating a website. In this day and age, it is absolutely essential that you have your own spot on the web. And no, a myspace or facebook page does not count. There are countless possible clients that will never find you if you don’t put in the time and investment needed to make a real website. Now, it doesn’t have to be as expensive or time consuming as you may think. This does not have to be some highly decorated fancy website. What you really need is a basic business card website. This means that you can simply list the services you offer, what you specialize in, your prices, and how you can be contacted. Just be sure it looks professional!
I personally use Yahoo’s Geocities (http://www.geocities.com/) because the costs are low (it’s only $8.95 a month for me to have my domain, 2,000 megabytes of storage space, and much more). What I really like about it is that I don’t have a lot of experience with html, so I use their pagebuilder program. It allows me to click and drag images and text wherever I want them, easily create links and new pages, and change the style, color, and size of the text quickly. But, there are many other programs like this out there, so do your research. You can also hire a professional to put together your website for you, but make sure you’re sitting down when they tell you how much it’s going to cost. If you go to http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/ you are automatically forwarded to my professional website http://www.alainaburnett.com/, so feel free to stop by if you want to see what I have done. And of course all of the websites I mention in this podcast will be linked in the show notes.
Once you have chosen your niche and set up your website, you can begin to promote yourself! Look into websites and publications that your target audience would be interested in. When you’re first starting out, I recommend advertising on the internet because it’s much less expensive and it’s a good place to begin your marketing. For example, since I specialize in working with Christian pastors, I researched Charisma magazine, one of the most popular magazines for evangelical pastors. However, I found that the costs are a little out of my price range for now. For a third of a page it would cost me $3,475…and that’s just for one advertisement! And of course the costs go up from there. So, needless to say I’m taking my own advice and starting on the internet. Charisma magazine has a website, so I’m sure most if not all of the publications you would be interested in have websites you can advertise on as well. But, make sure to also look into websites not associated with publications. So, if you’re wishing to work with business people, look at sites like entrepreneur.com or even wallstreetjournal.com.
You should also put together free profiles on networking websites like http://www.linkedin.com/, http://www.guru.com/, and even http://www.craigslist.com/. The more you get your name out there, the better!
One means of marketing that I tested out just last month was getting a booth at a convention. Now that you know your niche and have a website you can send people to, look into conventions or gatherings that involve your target audience going on in your area. Trust me, even if you have to travel a bit it will be worth it! I was just at a conference for pastors that took place a few hours away from my home. I went in with no expectations because I had no idea if people would be interested or not, but I walked away with 15 possible projects and many more people than that took my information! I’m currently in the negotiation phase with 3 of the people I met at the conference. In this instance, it just cost $40 for the booth as well as travel expenses. I went to a local printer and had them make a professional looking banner for me to drape on my table that cost about $200 and then simply purchased inexpensive document stands and easels to set up a few books I had permission to display. Now of course every conference or convention will be different as far as costs are concerned, but I highly recommend that you tap into these opportunities. Even if you just plant the seed and don’t walk away with any projects right away, I think it will definitely pay off in the long run.
Also, reach out to fellow ghostwriters! Many times they have more clients than they can handle and would be willing to pass along a client to you. So, it definitely pays to have friends in the business!
However, I have to say that the number one way to get more clients will always be through recommendations. The projects you will work on will likely be expensive for your clients, so it is understandable that many times people trust their friends or colleagues to tell them who to turn to. So, the most important thing is for you to get your foot in the door. Once you have one client, more will come. Creating a solid client base will take some time and probably some investment on your part, but once you get started, projects will continue to come your way.
Well, that’s it for now! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the fifth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about the writing process.
The first step is to find your niche. Take some time and think about the things that you love to do, the books you love to read, the television shows or movies you love to watch, etc. This will aid you in figuring out what kind of clients you should seek out. For me, I have found that my niche is Christian writers, specifically pastors. All of the writers I have worked with so far have fallen into that category. However, I also have a secondary niche because of my bachelor’s degree in politics and interest in history. Any client looking for a fiction or non-fiction book about politics or history would fit in perfectly for me. So, don’t be afraid to have several specialties.
However, you should find one main niche that you will focus most of your attention to. So, if you find yourself watching countless reruns of Law & Order, consider specializing in writing crime dramas or non-fiction criminal profiles. If you are a poet and good at rhyming, consider looking into the children’s book genre. Even something like being an outdoors enthusiast or adventure seeker can be to your advantage.
Also, instead of focusing on interests or skills that you have, you can also think about that kind of client you want to work with. Do you want to work with business people like CEOs and entrepreneurs? Or stay at home Moms that have a story to share? There are countless groups of people that you can reach out to.
So, how do you do it? Once you know what kind of writing you want to specialize in, the next step you must take is creating a website. In this day and age, it is absolutely essential that you have your own spot on the web. And no, a myspace or facebook page does not count. There are countless possible clients that will never find you if you don’t put in the time and investment needed to make a real website. Now, it doesn’t have to be as expensive or time consuming as you may think. This does not have to be some highly decorated fancy website. What you really need is a basic business card website. This means that you can simply list the services you offer, what you specialize in, your prices, and how you can be contacted. Just be sure it looks professional!
I personally use Yahoo’s Geocities (http://www.geocities.com/) because the costs are low (it’s only $8.95 a month for me to have my domain, 2,000 megabytes of storage space, and much more). What I really like about it is that I don’t have a lot of experience with html, so I use their pagebuilder program. It allows me to click and drag images and text wherever I want them, easily create links and new pages, and change the style, color, and size of the text quickly. But, there are many other programs like this out there, so do your research. You can also hire a professional to put together your website for you, but make sure you’re sitting down when they tell you how much it’s going to cost. If you go to http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/ you are automatically forwarded to my professional website http://www.alainaburnett.com/, so feel free to stop by if you want to see what I have done. And of course all of the websites I mention in this podcast will be linked in the show notes.
Once you have chosen your niche and set up your website, you can begin to promote yourself! Look into websites and publications that your target audience would be interested in. When you’re first starting out, I recommend advertising on the internet because it’s much less expensive and it’s a good place to begin your marketing. For example, since I specialize in working with Christian pastors, I researched Charisma magazine, one of the most popular magazines for evangelical pastors. However, I found that the costs are a little out of my price range for now. For a third of a page it would cost me $3,475…and that’s just for one advertisement! And of course the costs go up from there. So, needless to say I’m taking my own advice and starting on the internet. Charisma magazine has a website, so I’m sure most if not all of the publications you would be interested in have websites you can advertise on as well. But, make sure to also look into websites not associated with publications. So, if you’re wishing to work with business people, look at sites like entrepreneur.com or even wallstreetjournal.com.
You should also put together free profiles on networking websites like http://www.linkedin.com/, http://www.guru.com/, and even http://www.craigslist.com/. The more you get your name out there, the better!
One means of marketing that I tested out just last month was getting a booth at a convention. Now that you know your niche and have a website you can send people to, look into conventions or gatherings that involve your target audience going on in your area. Trust me, even if you have to travel a bit it will be worth it! I was just at a conference for pastors that took place a few hours away from my home. I went in with no expectations because I had no idea if people would be interested or not, but I walked away with 15 possible projects and many more people than that took my information! I’m currently in the negotiation phase with 3 of the people I met at the conference. In this instance, it just cost $40 for the booth as well as travel expenses. I went to a local printer and had them make a professional looking banner for me to drape on my table that cost about $200 and then simply purchased inexpensive document stands and easels to set up a few books I had permission to display. Now of course every conference or convention will be different as far as costs are concerned, but I highly recommend that you tap into these opportunities. Even if you just plant the seed and don’t walk away with any projects right away, I think it will definitely pay off in the long run.
Also, reach out to fellow ghostwriters! Many times they have more clients than they can handle and would be willing to pass along a client to you. So, it definitely pays to have friends in the business!
However, I have to say that the number one way to get more clients will always be through recommendations. The projects you will work on will likely be expensive for your clients, so it is understandable that many times people trust their friends or colleagues to tell them who to turn to. So, the most important thing is for you to get your foot in the door. Once you have one client, more will come. Creating a solid client base will take some time and probably some investment on your part, but once you get started, projects will continue to come your way.
Well, that’s it for now! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the fifth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about the writing process.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
GWA #4 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 3
Today we will be continuing our Ghostwriting 101 series with a discussion about contracts. We will talk why they are important and the basic things that every contract should include.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a contract with every client, no matter how small the project is. I don’t know a single ghostwriter who will work without one. Think of the contract as protection. It will shelter you from being taken advantage of. No matter how well you know your client or how trustworthy you think they are, a contract is essential.
I personally have not had to take a client to court, but I have friends in the business who have. If they had not signed a contract before beginning the project, it is likely that they would not have been paid for their services.
There are contract templates that can be purchased online, but many ghostwriters go to a lawyer to have them draft a standardized contract that can be used for each client. Some ghostwriters I know have even written their contracts on their own, but unless you really know what you’re doing I suggest getting a professional involved. The purpose of the contract is to protect you, so you need to make sure that everything is covered.
The contract I use is fairly simple. I have 6 main topics. The first is Deliverables. This is where I write in detail the services I am offering. It of course includes the completed manuscript, but also includes the details of the publishing package I offer to all authors, the number of complimentary meeting hours, and the amount I charge for additional meeting hours. In this section I also make it clear that I am not responsible for publication or the sale of the manuscript in any way.
The second section is entitled Ownership, Rights, and Authorship. This is just a simple statement that says that I as the ghostwriter do not retain any rights to the completed manuscript.
The Confidentiality agreement is in the third section. Here I say that I will not disclose my role in the project or any details of the project to the public or any third party without the written consent of the author.
The fourth section is about Payment. I explain that at the signing of the contract, the payment that is included is simply an estimate. At the end of the project, if the page number is more than the estimate the author is required to pay me for each additional page. Likewise, if the page number ends up being lower than the estimate, I deduct that cost from the final payment due. I also state that at the signing of the contract a payment schedule must be agreed upon and the first payment must be made. Also, I explain that I must be paid in full before the completed project is handed over and that if there comes a time when a payment is past due, I will stop working on the project until the payment is received.
The fifth section is about Termination. It is possible that for whatever reason, either you as the ghostwriter or your client will have to terminate the contract. In my contract, I say that if I have to cancel the agreement I give all the materials I have written and gathered to the author as well as a $200 termination fee. If the author has to cancel the contract, the author pays me the $200 termination fee and the author receives all of the materials I have written and gathered up to the time of the last payment. This is important because it is possible that you will work with an author that waits until he knows you’re almost done with the project and cancels the contract before the final payment is made so that he can get all of the materials without paying you in full. I also explain that if termination is necessary, I retain all of the payments already made.
In the final section, I give the details about the Cost of the project. I state what the cost per page will be, an estimate of the number of pages, and the total amount due. In this section the author and I also determine the payment schedule, payment timetable, and project completion date. As we talked about before, you should offer a few options to your clients concerning the payment schedule. The two standard schedules I accept are ½ in the beginning and ½ at the end or the payments can be split into thirds. However, feel free to be more flexible. I always look at each situation individually and will accept smaller payments. However, I do not recommend that you begin to work on a project without at least 1/10 of the project’s cost. So if you are working on a $20,000 project, do not begin to work until you receive at least $2,000.
A payment timetable simply describes when the author agrees to pay you. If there will only be 2 payments, it will be simple…you will get paid when you sign the contract and when the project is complete. However, if you split the payments into 3 or more, write down the dates that each payment must be made.
The project completion date is obvious. This describes the date when the completed project is due.
I will link to a sample version of the contract I use in the show notes (www.alainaburnett.com/sample_ghostcontract.doc), so feel free to check that out and even use it if you like. I will of course not be held responsible if you use my contract and it doesn’t work for you. Again, I recommend that you seek the assistance of a lawyer to put together your contract. It would be a one-time cost and will ensure that you are protected in the future.
I hope that you have found these thoughts to be useful! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the fourth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about how to promote yourself and find clients.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a contract with every client, no matter how small the project is. I don’t know a single ghostwriter who will work without one. Think of the contract as protection. It will shelter you from being taken advantage of. No matter how well you know your client or how trustworthy you think they are, a contract is essential.
I personally have not had to take a client to court, but I have friends in the business who have. If they had not signed a contract before beginning the project, it is likely that they would not have been paid for their services.
There are contract templates that can be purchased online, but many ghostwriters go to a lawyer to have them draft a standardized contract that can be used for each client. Some ghostwriters I know have even written their contracts on their own, but unless you really know what you’re doing I suggest getting a professional involved. The purpose of the contract is to protect you, so you need to make sure that everything is covered.
The contract I use is fairly simple. I have 6 main topics. The first is Deliverables. This is where I write in detail the services I am offering. It of course includes the completed manuscript, but also includes the details of the publishing package I offer to all authors, the number of complimentary meeting hours, and the amount I charge for additional meeting hours. In this section I also make it clear that I am not responsible for publication or the sale of the manuscript in any way.
The second section is entitled Ownership, Rights, and Authorship. This is just a simple statement that says that I as the ghostwriter do not retain any rights to the completed manuscript.
The Confidentiality agreement is in the third section. Here I say that I will not disclose my role in the project or any details of the project to the public or any third party without the written consent of the author.
The fourth section is about Payment. I explain that at the signing of the contract, the payment that is included is simply an estimate. At the end of the project, if the page number is more than the estimate the author is required to pay me for each additional page. Likewise, if the page number ends up being lower than the estimate, I deduct that cost from the final payment due. I also state that at the signing of the contract a payment schedule must be agreed upon and the first payment must be made. Also, I explain that I must be paid in full before the completed project is handed over and that if there comes a time when a payment is past due, I will stop working on the project until the payment is received.
The fifth section is about Termination. It is possible that for whatever reason, either you as the ghostwriter or your client will have to terminate the contract. In my contract, I say that if I have to cancel the agreement I give all the materials I have written and gathered to the author as well as a $200 termination fee. If the author has to cancel the contract, the author pays me the $200 termination fee and the author receives all of the materials I have written and gathered up to the time of the last payment. This is important because it is possible that you will work with an author that waits until he knows you’re almost done with the project and cancels the contract before the final payment is made so that he can get all of the materials without paying you in full. I also explain that if termination is necessary, I retain all of the payments already made.
In the final section, I give the details about the Cost of the project. I state what the cost per page will be, an estimate of the number of pages, and the total amount due. In this section the author and I also determine the payment schedule, payment timetable, and project completion date. As we talked about before, you should offer a few options to your clients concerning the payment schedule. The two standard schedules I accept are ½ in the beginning and ½ at the end or the payments can be split into thirds. However, feel free to be more flexible. I always look at each situation individually and will accept smaller payments. However, I do not recommend that you begin to work on a project without at least 1/10 of the project’s cost. So if you are working on a $20,000 project, do not begin to work until you receive at least $2,000.
A payment timetable simply describes when the author agrees to pay you. If there will only be 2 payments, it will be simple…you will get paid when you sign the contract and when the project is complete. However, if you split the payments into 3 or more, write down the dates that each payment must be made.
The project completion date is obvious. This describes the date when the completed project is due.
I will link to a sample version of the contract I use in the show notes (www.alainaburnett.com/sample_ghostcontract.doc), so feel free to check that out and even use it if you like. I will of course not be held responsible if you use my contract and it doesn’t work for you. Again, I recommend that you seek the assistance of a lawyer to put together your contract. It would be a one-time cost and will ensure that you are protected in the future.
I hope that you have found these thoughts to be useful! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the fourth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about how to promote yourself and find clients.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
GWA #3 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 2
Today we will be continuing our Ghostwriting 101 series with a discussion on how much ghostwriters should charge and the things every ghostwriter should know before accepting clients.
One of the first questions that people ask me when they say they are considering becoming a ghostwriter is how much they should charge. It’s especially difficult for people who are just starting out because they don’t want to charge so much that they don’t get clients, but don’t want to charge so little that they are not being properly compensated. There are a few basic ways that you can charge your clients. You can either come up with a set price list, for example $20,000 for a book, regardless of the details of the project or you can charge per page, per hour, or per word.
I personally use the “per page, per hour, per word model.” When writing a book, I charge anywhere from $50 to $100 a page, depending on the project. If a client comes to me with a partially completed manuscript, the price is closer to $50 a page. The reason for this is obvious, part of the writing is already complete! If a client comes to me with an idea and wants me to write it on my own, I charge $100 a page. However, the majority of the projects I have worked on fall into the $75 per page range. I use this price when a client comes to me with an idea but wishes to take part in interviews and is willing to stay involved in the project during the writing process. I charge $75 rather than $100 in this instance because it is easier for me to complete the project when the author gives me direct quotes to include and sort of guides me as a write. This cuts down on editing time and it aids me in taking on the author’s voice as I write. When writing a book I include 20 hours of complimentary meetings. This is usually enough to cover all interviews and editing. If a project demands more than those 20 hours, I charge $50 per hour of additional meetings.
I also charge $50 per hour for smaller projects like personal biographies, marketing materials, etc. I charge this amount both for my writing and any meetings that take place. For smaller projects, the only meeting time that is complimentary is the initial meeting where we discuss the project and the services I offer.
The “per word” charges come into play when I ghostwrite newspaper or magazine articles. The price can range from $2-$4 per word depending on the complexity and length of the article.
As you can probably tell, the price you charge depends on your theory on how to attract clients. Some ghostwriters charge less than I do, believing they will attract more business therefore making up for the smaller pay by working on more projects. Other ghostwriters charge more than I do believing that they are worth the money and will attract quality over quantity as far as clients are concerned. There really are many people out there that believe the more they pay, the better the end result will be. I like to be somewhere in the middle. Granted I am more on the high end than the low end, but I do not charge as much as many of my colleagues because I want to make enough money to make it worth my time, but also keep my costs low enough that my services are not out of reach. So, to put it simply…you have to decide what works for you.
The ghostwriters who have a set price list count on the smaller projects they work on to make up for any lost wages they incurred by not charging enough for a larger project. Charging $20,000 for a 350 page book would be on the low end, however they would make up for it by charging that same $20,000 for a 100 page book. I personally like to look at each project and each client individually and determine the price on a case by case basis. I just think it’s fairer that way.
Remember, I’m a relative newbie just like many of you. I have 1 book that has been published, 1 that is about to go to print, 3 in production, and 5 in negotiation. Personally, I don’t plan on changing my prices as I become more experienced. However, many of my friends in the business have. They charged far less when they were just starting out than they do now. They did this because they wanted to attract clients in order to gain experience and get their foot in the door. As they became well known and more successful, they raised their prices. So, just keep in mind that this is always an option. No matter what you decide now, you can always make changes.
Now on to the next subject in this part of the Ghostwriting 101 series: what every ghostwriter should know before accepting clients. There is an endless amount of information out there about ghostwriting, but here are a few things I think are essential for every ghostwriter to think about or understand before they take on any projects:
(1) Take care of yourself
Once you know what you want to charge, you need to think about standard payment schedules that are acceptable to you. Because you can’t exactly expect people to write you a $20,000 check, you should offer a few options to your clients. I personally tell my clients that I will automatically accept ½ in the beginning and ½ at the end, or I will accept the payments in thirds. If that’s not acceptable to the client, the least I recommend you accept as a down payment is a 1/10 of the project cost. So, for a $20,000 project don’t start working unless you receive at least $2,000. Moreover, if the client ever misses a planned payment, stop working on the project until you are being paid again. Finally, do not hand over the completed manuscript or project of any kind until you are paid in full. No matter how well you know the person or how trustworthy you think they are you must look out for yourself.
In addition I recommend that you stay away from anyone who says they will pay you a portion of the cost as planned but wants to wait to pay you the rest until they receive royalties or payment from a publisher. Your job is to provide a completed manuscript, not to get it sold. The publishing industry can be very fickle and if your paycheck is tied to getting the manuscript published, you will likely get burned.
You must also have a contract with every client, no matter how small the project is. In next week’s episode I will break down the basic things every contract should include, but I wanted to mention it here because you should think of the contract as protection. If the client suddenly backs out or refuses to pay you the agreed amount, you will have something in writing that you can turn to. If you ever get into a situation where you have to take someone to court, you will be grateful that you have that contract!
(2) Confidentiality is key
As a ghostwriter you work behind-the-scenes and should not expect recognition of any kind for your work. It is important for you to stay silent about your involvement in the project unless the author tells you otherwise. Most people who hire a ghostwriter do not want people to know that they have done so. They want to have everyone believe they wrote the piece themselves. It is essential that you are comfortable with that. Moreover, being known as a ghostwriter who is discrete and good at keeping quiet will be beneficial for you. Because so many of your clients will want you to be invisible, letting them know from the beginning that you will sign a confidentiality agreement and keep your role in the project secret will help you gain their trust and their business.
(3) Don’t say yes to everything
Remember that your role as a ghostwriter ends when you hand your client their completed manuscript. This means, that you are not responsible for getting their work published unless you want to be. I have never met a ghostwriter who takes on that task and I don’t recommend that you do so. However, this does come with some responsibilities. Before accepting a project you must take some time and think about whether you believe the idea is sellable. If you don’t think that a publisher will be interested or there is no audience for it, don’t do it! Even though it’s not your job to get the project published, you don’t want an unhappy customer. Explain to each client when your responsibilities as a ghostwriter end and be honest with them about the marketability of their idea. It is possible that some simple changes to the format or subject would make it more attractive. However, if the idea is just not going to work…don’t take it on. Integrity is important and you shouldn’t take someone’s money if you don’t truly believe in their project.
(4) Know your limits
This falls into the “be careful what you wish for” category. Once you get one project completed, it is likely that things will begin to snowball and more clients will flock to you. Therefore, it is essential that you know your limits. The last thing you want to do is take on more projects than you can handle and end up having to cancel out a contract or deliver a product that is poor in quality. I love working on many projects at once, but I have found that 4 books is my limit. I can take on an extra small project with 4 books in production, but that’s it. However, everyone will be different. When you are first starting, I recommend working on 1 big project at a time. Then, once you’re comfortable with that, increase it to 2, and so on. But be careful…it is very easy to over-extend yourself.
(5) Understand that you are not the author
This can be difficult for a ghostwriter, no matter how much experience they have. There will always come a time in every project where you think one thing should happen and your client thinks differently. While you can explain why you want things to go your way, you must understand that the author makes the final decision. At the end of the day, it is their project and they must be the one who is happy with it.
Some ghostwriters I know are concerned that if an author wants to do something that will hurt the project, their reputation will be harmed. I don’t believe this is a problem because people understand that although you are the writer, you are not the author. There is a big difference between the two. As the writer, you are creating the manuscript and putting the author’s thoughts into literary form. As the author, your client is responsible for the end product. All of the decisions are left up to them and they are the ones that have to work to get the project published. Therefore, work to make your client understand your position if you believe that what they want is not the right thing to do, but you must accept the fact that you are not the one in control.
(6) Learn to let go
Once the manuscript is completed, your job is done. Therefore, all of the decisions about illustrations, cover design, and marketing are up to the author and publisher. I know many ghostwriters who cringe when they see a book they wrote on a store shelf because the cover design is completely different than what they would have done. This is of course magnified if a book they have ghostwritten has been turned into a movie or television show. Everyone has a different perspective and different ideas about how things should look. The same goes for the promotion of the book.
As difficult as it may be, you must create a separation between yourself and the end product. Publishers can completely change passages from the book, take things out, rearrange things, insert atrocious looking illustrations, and much more. I like to give my ideas as far as how things should look to the author in writing so they can take them to the publisher if they wish, but do not be surprised if the project looks very different than how you pictured it.
So, to sum things up…take care of yourself. Don’t be too trusting and make sure that you are paid properly. Keep your mouth shut…confidentiality is the backbone of this industry. Be willing to turn down projects you don’t believe in and know your limits as far as the number of projects you can work on at once. Finally, understand that you are the writer and not the author. You have to allow the author to take control of the project and you must learn to let go once the manuscript is complete.
I hope that you have found these thoughts to be useful! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the third episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about contracts. We will discuss why they are important and the basic things that every contract should include.
One of the first questions that people ask me when they say they are considering becoming a ghostwriter is how much they should charge. It’s especially difficult for people who are just starting out because they don’t want to charge so much that they don’t get clients, but don’t want to charge so little that they are not being properly compensated. There are a few basic ways that you can charge your clients. You can either come up with a set price list, for example $20,000 for a book, regardless of the details of the project or you can charge per page, per hour, or per word.
I personally use the “per page, per hour, per word model.” When writing a book, I charge anywhere from $50 to $100 a page, depending on the project. If a client comes to me with a partially completed manuscript, the price is closer to $50 a page. The reason for this is obvious, part of the writing is already complete! If a client comes to me with an idea and wants me to write it on my own, I charge $100 a page. However, the majority of the projects I have worked on fall into the $75 per page range. I use this price when a client comes to me with an idea but wishes to take part in interviews and is willing to stay involved in the project during the writing process. I charge $75 rather than $100 in this instance because it is easier for me to complete the project when the author gives me direct quotes to include and sort of guides me as a write. This cuts down on editing time and it aids me in taking on the author’s voice as I write. When writing a book I include 20 hours of complimentary meetings. This is usually enough to cover all interviews and editing. If a project demands more than those 20 hours, I charge $50 per hour of additional meetings.
I also charge $50 per hour for smaller projects like personal biographies, marketing materials, etc. I charge this amount both for my writing and any meetings that take place. For smaller projects, the only meeting time that is complimentary is the initial meeting where we discuss the project and the services I offer.
The “per word” charges come into play when I ghostwrite newspaper or magazine articles. The price can range from $2-$4 per word depending on the complexity and length of the article.
As you can probably tell, the price you charge depends on your theory on how to attract clients. Some ghostwriters charge less than I do, believing they will attract more business therefore making up for the smaller pay by working on more projects. Other ghostwriters charge more than I do believing that they are worth the money and will attract quality over quantity as far as clients are concerned. There really are many people out there that believe the more they pay, the better the end result will be. I like to be somewhere in the middle. Granted I am more on the high end than the low end, but I do not charge as much as many of my colleagues because I want to make enough money to make it worth my time, but also keep my costs low enough that my services are not out of reach. So, to put it simply…you have to decide what works for you.
The ghostwriters who have a set price list count on the smaller projects they work on to make up for any lost wages they incurred by not charging enough for a larger project. Charging $20,000 for a 350 page book would be on the low end, however they would make up for it by charging that same $20,000 for a 100 page book. I personally like to look at each project and each client individually and determine the price on a case by case basis. I just think it’s fairer that way.
Remember, I’m a relative newbie just like many of you. I have 1 book that has been published, 1 that is about to go to print, 3 in production, and 5 in negotiation. Personally, I don’t plan on changing my prices as I become more experienced. However, many of my friends in the business have. They charged far less when they were just starting out than they do now. They did this because they wanted to attract clients in order to gain experience and get their foot in the door. As they became well known and more successful, they raised their prices. So, just keep in mind that this is always an option. No matter what you decide now, you can always make changes.
Now on to the next subject in this part of the Ghostwriting 101 series: what every ghostwriter should know before accepting clients. There is an endless amount of information out there about ghostwriting, but here are a few things I think are essential for every ghostwriter to think about or understand before they take on any projects:
(1) Take care of yourself
Once you know what you want to charge, you need to think about standard payment schedules that are acceptable to you. Because you can’t exactly expect people to write you a $20,000 check, you should offer a few options to your clients. I personally tell my clients that I will automatically accept ½ in the beginning and ½ at the end, or I will accept the payments in thirds. If that’s not acceptable to the client, the least I recommend you accept as a down payment is a 1/10 of the project cost. So, for a $20,000 project don’t start working unless you receive at least $2,000. Moreover, if the client ever misses a planned payment, stop working on the project until you are being paid again. Finally, do not hand over the completed manuscript or project of any kind until you are paid in full. No matter how well you know the person or how trustworthy you think they are you must look out for yourself.
In addition I recommend that you stay away from anyone who says they will pay you a portion of the cost as planned but wants to wait to pay you the rest until they receive royalties or payment from a publisher. Your job is to provide a completed manuscript, not to get it sold. The publishing industry can be very fickle and if your paycheck is tied to getting the manuscript published, you will likely get burned.
You must also have a contract with every client, no matter how small the project is. In next week’s episode I will break down the basic things every contract should include, but I wanted to mention it here because you should think of the contract as protection. If the client suddenly backs out or refuses to pay you the agreed amount, you will have something in writing that you can turn to. If you ever get into a situation where you have to take someone to court, you will be grateful that you have that contract!
(2) Confidentiality is key
As a ghostwriter you work behind-the-scenes and should not expect recognition of any kind for your work. It is important for you to stay silent about your involvement in the project unless the author tells you otherwise. Most people who hire a ghostwriter do not want people to know that they have done so. They want to have everyone believe they wrote the piece themselves. It is essential that you are comfortable with that. Moreover, being known as a ghostwriter who is discrete and good at keeping quiet will be beneficial for you. Because so many of your clients will want you to be invisible, letting them know from the beginning that you will sign a confidentiality agreement and keep your role in the project secret will help you gain their trust and their business.
(3) Don’t say yes to everything
Remember that your role as a ghostwriter ends when you hand your client their completed manuscript. This means, that you are not responsible for getting their work published unless you want to be. I have never met a ghostwriter who takes on that task and I don’t recommend that you do so. However, this does come with some responsibilities. Before accepting a project you must take some time and think about whether you believe the idea is sellable. If you don’t think that a publisher will be interested or there is no audience for it, don’t do it! Even though it’s not your job to get the project published, you don’t want an unhappy customer. Explain to each client when your responsibilities as a ghostwriter end and be honest with them about the marketability of their idea. It is possible that some simple changes to the format or subject would make it more attractive. However, if the idea is just not going to work…don’t take it on. Integrity is important and you shouldn’t take someone’s money if you don’t truly believe in their project.
(4) Know your limits
This falls into the “be careful what you wish for” category. Once you get one project completed, it is likely that things will begin to snowball and more clients will flock to you. Therefore, it is essential that you know your limits. The last thing you want to do is take on more projects than you can handle and end up having to cancel out a contract or deliver a product that is poor in quality. I love working on many projects at once, but I have found that 4 books is my limit. I can take on an extra small project with 4 books in production, but that’s it. However, everyone will be different. When you are first starting, I recommend working on 1 big project at a time. Then, once you’re comfortable with that, increase it to 2, and so on. But be careful…it is very easy to over-extend yourself.
(5) Understand that you are not the author
This can be difficult for a ghostwriter, no matter how much experience they have. There will always come a time in every project where you think one thing should happen and your client thinks differently. While you can explain why you want things to go your way, you must understand that the author makes the final decision. At the end of the day, it is their project and they must be the one who is happy with it.
Some ghostwriters I know are concerned that if an author wants to do something that will hurt the project, their reputation will be harmed. I don’t believe this is a problem because people understand that although you are the writer, you are not the author. There is a big difference between the two. As the writer, you are creating the manuscript and putting the author’s thoughts into literary form. As the author, your client is responsible for the end product. All of the decisions are left up to them and they are the ones that have to work to get the project published. Therefore, work to make your client understand your position if you believe that what they want is not the right thing to do, but you must accept the fact that you are not the one in control.
(6) Learn to let go
Once the manuscript is completed, your job is done. Therefore, all of the decisions about illustrations, cover design, and marketing are up to the author and publisher. I know many ghostwriters who cringe when they see a book they wrote on a store shelf because the cover design is completely different than what they would have done. This is of course magnified if a book they have ghostwritten has been turned into a movie or television show. Everyone has a different perspective and different ideas about how things should look. The same goes for the promotion of the book.
As difficult as it may be, you must create a separation between yourself and the end product. Publishers can completely change passages from the book, take things out, rearrange things, insert atrocious looking illustrations, and much more. I like to give my ideas as far as how things should look to the author in writing so they can take them to the publisher if they wish, but do not be surprised if the project looks very different than how you pictured it.
So, to sum things up…take care of yourself. Don’t be too trusting and make sure that you are paid properly. Keep your mouth shut…confidentiality is the backbone of this industry. Be willing to turn down projects you don’t believe in and know your limits as far as the number of projects you can work on at once. Finally, understand that you are the writer and not the author. You have to allow the author to take control of the project and you must learn to let go once the manuscript is complete.
I hope that you have found these thoughts to be useful! Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the third episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be talking about contracts. We will discuss why they are important and the basic things that every contract should include.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
GWA #2 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 1
In this first episode of the Ghostwriting 101 series I will be discussing what ghostwriters are and what they do. I think the best way to begin is to give you an example of someone who isn’t a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter is not…I repeat…IS NOT…a person who writes about ghosts! Now of course if you become a ghostwriter and are hired by a client who pays you to write a story about ghosts, well, then you would be a ghostwriter writing about ghosts. But I cannot stress enough that ghostwriters are not necessarily fascinated with haunted houses, cemeteries, etc. You have no idea how many times I have had to explain that. If you decide to become a ghostwriter you will inevitably have this conversation pretty much every time you introduce yourself to a group of people. And of course be ready for the jokes. “You’re a ghostwriter…but I can see you!” Or “wow, I’ve never met a ghost before, yet alone one who can write!” Be prepared because it never fails. Whenever I go to a gathering of any kind and tell people what I do for a living, there is always that one guy who thinks that he is the most creative person in the world because of his comment and of course also thinks that I’ve never heard it before. Trust me...I have. The Oxford English Dictionary gives my favorite definition of a ghostwriter. It defines them as “hack writers who do work for which another person takes the credit.” Any time a dictionary uses the word hack in a definition you’ve got to laugh. But, wait…it gets better. When you look up the word hack in the OED it says they are “people whose services may be hired for any kind of work required of them; a common drudge; especially a literary drudge, who hires himself out to do any and every kind of literary work; hence, a poor writer, a mere scribbler.” Well, isn’t that nice. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I disagree with this assessment. Yes, it is true…we generally will write in any genre a client asks us to. And yes it is true that we are paid for our work and rarely get credit for it. However, I personally have more of a philosophical view when it comes to ghostwriting. You may have noticed that when I begin every podcast I use the tag line “for those who give a literary voice to the world.” There are countless people out there with great ideas for books or an amazing story to share but for one reason or another do not feel they can write it themselves. Ghostwriters give them the opportunity to share their thoughts with the world. It is important to note that ghostwriters don’t just write books. As a ghostwriter you can write speeches, newspaper and magazine articles, marketing materials, website content…really anything you can think of. Speech writers are probably the most famous of ghostwriters. That is because when politicians give speeches, it is widely known that they do not write them themselves and many times the speech writer is a known member of the staff. While secrecy is a common thread in most ghostwriting projects, it is not essential. Being a ghostwriter simply means that you are writing on behalf of someone else for a fee. So, how do ghostwriters do what they do? When working on a project of any kind, there are three general options. Most of the time, authors come to the ghostwriter with an idea. If this is the case, there are two ways to approach the project. Either the author can give the ghostwriter the idea, main points, and other general information and let the ghostwriter complete the project on their own and simply meet at the end for editing OR the author can give the ghostwriter the idea, main points, and general information but also sit down for a series of interviews so that the ghostwriter can take their actual words and incorporate them into the work. Most authors I have worked with prefer the second option. By taking part in the interviews the author plays a bigger role in the project and they can ensure from the beginning that their thoughts are being conveyed the way they want them to be. Of course things can always be altered in the editing process, but I know I always appreciate it when an author is willing to be interviewed. The third option arises when an author brings you a partially completed manuscript. This means that the author has part of or even most of the writing already done and just needs you, as the ghostwriter, to finish it. In this case what the ghostwriter does is completely based on how much of the manuscript is completed. If most of it is done, then the ghostwriter simply expands on the author’s thoughts a little and works on rewording and rephrasing. However, if there is still quite a bit to write, the author would choose between options 1 and 2 in order to finish the project. To sum it up, in option 1 a client gives the ghostwriter the idea, some quick thoughts and then just waits for a completed rough draft. In option 2 a client gives the ghostwriter those quick thoughts but also takes part in interviews in order to supply more information. In option 3 the client comes into the project with a partially completed manuscript. In the near future I will be dedicating entire episodes to the writing process, but I hope those quick thoughts were useful. Being a ghostwriter is incredibly fun. You constantly meet new people are always doing something different. Rather than thinking of a ghostwriter as a hack who basically sell himself to the highest bidder, I believe you should think of a ghostwriter as more of a liaison. As a ghostwriter you are the person in the middle who is taking the authors thoughts and putting them together in a way that will draw the attention of their audience. You are the author’s ally in this battle to get their stories out to the public. Maybe I should send these thoughts to the creators of the Oxford English Dictionary. Do you think they will listen? Yeah, you’re right…probably not. Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at gwapodcast@aol.com. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the second episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will be discussing how much ghostwriters should charge for their work and the things every ghostwriter should know before accepting clients.
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