Ghostwriting and the TV show "Shark Tank" are two things I wouldn't normally think go together, but last week I discovered that they do. Shark Tank is one of my new favorite shows (I love hearing about the interesting inventions and business ideas people have), so imagine my surprise when last week the investors on the show were presented with the opportunity to invest in BusinessGhost, an Irvine, California-based ghostwriting service that assists business people in writing books.
Sadly, the investors were not convinced that the business model was scalable, so owner Michael Levin walked away empty-handed. Before he exited, however, Levin did share some interesting information about his ghostwriting firm.
BusinessGhost has eight ghostwriters on staff, who complete an average of two ghostwriting projects per month. The firm earns between $35,000-75,000 per book project and has annual revenues approaching $750,000 per year.
The good news for independent ghostwriters is that the fees he quoted seem quite fair and the demand for the firm's services seems steady. If there is any bad news, it's that the business may not be scalable, meaning that it may be difficult to grow much beyond a certain point. However, in my mind that's not a surprise. Writing is a skill and individual writers have different voices; one client may prefer a writing style akin to Malcolm Gladwell and another may want Tim Ferris. That difference is what helps differentiate ghostwriters.
Fortunately, if this show is any indication, demand for ghostwriting remains high. We all just need to learn how to leverage what makes us each unique - our writing voice.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Is ghostwriting deceptive?
According to a tweet today from Pastor Rick Warren, "Using a "ghost writer" is PRETENDING to be an Author & claiming credit for another's work. It's deceptive & dishonest."
Oh, really? I humbly disagree. A ghostwriter is not someone who comes up with an idea for a book and sells that idea to someone else who then puts their name on the cover. The role of a ghostwriter is to help a client articulate a message, relate a story, or share a concept - not make everything up and then publish it under someone else's name.
At least that's my personal opinion.
The projects I've had the privilege and pleasure to work on were for honorable people who lacked the time or believed they lacked to skill to produce a book-length manuscript. Truth is, nearly all of my clients have been very capable communicators. However, they may have forgotten some English grammar rules or simply didn't enjoy the process of writing. So they hired me to assist.
By stepping in to help them organize their thoughts, sift through their research, and pull together tens of thousands of words on a particular topic, I'm more midwife than anything else. The baby is theirs, I'm simply helping to deliver it. And just as a midwife or doctor does not attach their name to a newborn baby, I don't attach mine to the books or articles or blog posts I help create.
Is that dishonest? I don't think so. But what do you think?
Oh, really? I humbly disagree. A ghostwriter is not someone who comes up with an idea for a book and sells that idea to someone else who then puts their name on the cover. The role of a ghostwriter is to help a client articulate a message, relate a story, or share a concept - not make everything up and then publish it under someone else's name.
At least that's my personal opinion.
The projects I've had the privilege and pleasure to work on were for honorable people who lacked the time or believed they lacked to skill to produce a book-length manuscript. Truth is, nearly all of my clients have been very capable communicators. However, they may have forgotten some English grammar rules or simply didn't enjoy the process of writing. So they hired me to assist.
By stepping in to help them organize their thoughts, sift through their research, and pull together tens of thousands of words on a particular topic, I'm more midwife than anything else. The baby is theirs, I'm simply helping to deliver it. And just as a midwife or doctor does not attach their name to a newborn baby, I don't attach mine to the books or articles or blog posts I help create.
Is that dishonest? I don't think so. But what do you think?
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Ghostwriting is Not Article Spinning
Have you seen job postings for large quantities of articles - maybe 50 or 100 at a time? And have you wondered how someone could write so many variations on the same topic? Well, they generally don't. Which also helps explain the paltry fees offered.
Increasingly, clients are asking that writers craft a single article and then "spin" it using software, such as spinchimp or thebestspinner. Spinning involves finding synonyms and alternate keywords to use in place of the original terms featured in the article. The goal is to generate many versions of the original article that websites will view as original content. That's the goal.
However, spinning software doesn't always churn out articles that make sense. While you can get a sense of what the original article may have been about, the tenth or twentieth or fiftieth iteration can sound like gobbledygook. Like this: http://www.developmentsunited.com/2012/04/03/ghostwriting-doesnt-really-mean-writing-like-somebody-else/ It kinda sorta makes sense. But not really.
Although Google may like the fact that this website has a steady stream of new content, it's likely that web visitors don't appreciate having to view useless material like this. Surprisingly, the order in which words are strung together really does matter. And humans are much better at doing this than software programs.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Perils of Underpricing
As the executive director of the Association of Ghostwriters, I receive phone calls on a regular basis from people who are either considering membership or who are hunting for a ghostwriter to assist with their project.
On many occasions, I end up having to educate the caller regarding the role of the ghostwriter and how publishing works. That is, there aren't many ghostwriters willing to work without some kind of up front payment; most would-be authors expect ghostwriters to split the millions in royalties that are sure to be forthcoming once the book is drafted, edited, and released. Or to provide article-writing services for pennies per word.
Last week, I received a call from a professional looking for someone to do some ghostblogging. She had placed job postings in the hopes of finding someone locally and was surprised by the low fees writers were quoting her. Instead of going with the lowest cost provider, as so many clients often do, she decided to call the AOG for other options.
The problem with the quote she received was that it was so low that she suspected the writer to be an amateur. She couldn't imagine a successful writer being able to write enough blog posts to sustain themselves long-term at the fee quoted. So she continued to look for a writer who would quote a fair fee, but not bargain basement.
I think there's a lesson in there for writers everywhere. There are clients who understand the amount of work required to produce high quality writing, and they expect to pay for it. So low balling a bid to try and win a particular project may end up costing you the project. Better to be realistic.
On many occasions, I end up having to educate the caller regarding the role of the ghostwriter and how publishing works. That is, there aren't many ghostwriters willing to work without some kind of up front payment; most would-be authors expect ghostwriters to split the millions in royalties that are sure to be forthcoming once the book is drafted, edited, and released. Or to provide article-writing services for pennies per word.
Last week, I received a call from a professional looking for someone to do some ghostblogging. She had placed job postings in the hopes of finding someone locally and was surprised by the low fees writers were quoting her. Instead of going with the lowest cost provider, as so many clients often do, she decided to call the AOG for other options.
The problem with the quote she received was that it was so low that she suspected the writer to be an amateur. She couldn't imagine a successful writer being able to write enough blog posts to sustain themselves long-term at the fee quoted. So she continued to look for a writer who would quote a fair fee, but not bargain basement.
I think there's a lesson in there for writers everywhere. There are clients who understand the amount of work required to produce high quality writing, and they expect to pay for it. So low balling a bid to try and win a particular project may end up costing you the project. Better to be realistic.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Breaking Into Ghostwriting Article
Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) member Kelly James-Enger penned this article for Writer's Digest magazine about becoming a successful ghostwriter: http://writersdigest.com/article/how-to-be-a-ghostwriter/?et_mid=507182&rid=2986306
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Specializing - Why it Works
Although I consider myself in many respects a generalist writer, I've been reminded recently why specializing makes a lot of sense.
When I decided to start an association specifically for ghostwriters, I turned for guidance to an expert in the field. I wanted to get up-to-speed quickly on how to structure such an organization, how to best serve ghostwriters, how to connect with them, etc. and knew this knowledgeable guru could help. And she did. She had years of experience in starting several of her own membership groups and was extremely helpful - because she was a specialist in this area.
However, I've noticed in the last few months that she has shifted away from teaching others how to start membership organizations, like associations, and more toward teaching women how to start and run companies. She's gone from targeting a niche audience to targeting a broad cross-section of women. Which is fine but, in expanding her focus, she's become less useful to me.
I suspect that potential clients may view ghostwriters with the same filter. If they want help writing a memoir, they will likely search for a writer who has previously written memoirs. Or should a CEO decide to share her tips for success, she may go hunting for a writer with an MBA. Not that a skilled writer couldn't tell her story just as well but, that a writer with business training much like her own will speak the same language. That's a big benefit of working with a topic specialist.
If you agree and think you're not being as aggressive as you could be in highlighting your own specialist talents, I'd suggest a few things. Make sure your social media bios include keywords related to your expertise. Mention articles you've written in that area, companies you've worked with and projects underway in that niche. Post blog mentions of tips you've picked up in your specialty.
In sum, make it much easier for potential clients to come across you when they do their own search for a specialist. Then demonstrate that you are one.
When I decided to start an association specifically for ghostwriters, I turned for guidance to an expert in the field. I wanted to get up-to-speed quickly on how to structure such an organization, how to best serve ghostwriters, how to connect with them, etc. and knew this knowledgeable guru could help. And she did. She had years of experience in starting several of her own membership groups and was extremely helpful - because she was a specialist in this area.
However, I've noticed in the last few months that she has shifted away from teaching others how to start membership organizations, like associations, and more toward teaching women how to start and run companies. She's gone from targeting a niche audience to targeting a broad cross-section of women. Which is fine but, in expanding her focus, she's become less useful to me.
I suspect that potential clients may view ghostwriters with the same filter. If they want help writing a memoir, they will likely search for a writer who has previously written memoirs. Or should a CEO decide to share her tips for success, she may go hunting for a writer with an MBA. Not that a skilled writer couldn't tell her story just as well but, that a writer with business training much like her own will speak the same language. That's a big benefit of working with a topic specialist.
If you agree and think you're not being as aggressive as you could be in highlighting your own specialist talents, I'd suggest a few things. Make sure your social media bios include keywords related to your expertise. Mention articles you've written in that area, companies you've worked with and projects underway in that niche. Post blog mentions of tips you've picked up in your specialty.
In sum, make it much easier for potential clients to come across you when they do their own search for a specialist. Then demonstrate that you are one.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Demand for Ghostwriting Up 269% in 2010
If you're a writer looking to ghostwriting to boost your income in 2011, you're in the right place at the right time.
A report released today by Freelancer.com indicates that the number of outsourced ghostwriting projects climbed 269% in 2010 and was one of the top 10 biggest movers of the year. The total number of ghostwriting projects posted at Freelancer.com last year climbed from 2,576 to 9,507. That's a big jump. And Freelancer.com isn't the only place ghostwriting gigs are posted - not by a long shot.
So if you've been thinking that ghostwriting is a niche you should explore, or if you're a ghostwriter on the hunt for additional projects in 2011, here are a few things we can take away from these findings:
A report released today by Freelancer.com indicates that the number of outsourced ghostwriting projects climbed 269% in 2010 and was one of the top 10 biggest movers of the year. The total number of ghostwriting projects posted at Freelancer.com last year climbed from 2,576 to 9,507. That's a big jump. And Freelancer.com isn't the only place ghostwriting gigs are posted - not by a long shot.
So if you've been thinking that ghostwriting is a niche you should explore, or if you're a ghostwriter on the hunt for additional projects in 2011, here are a few things we can take away from these findings:
- Where there are projects available, there is money to be made. Granted, not all will be lucrative gigs, but increasing awareness of the usefulness of ghostwriters should drive additional demand.
- Article writing and rewriting were, by far, the largest category at Freelancer.com for 2010. This suggests demand for content, whether we're talking about articles, blog posts, tweets or Facebook status updates is also rising. This presents more opportunities for ghostwriters.
- Identifying yourself as a ghostwriter may help attract potential clients. Make sure the keywords "ghostwriter" and "ghostwriting" are evident on your website, so when potential clients are searching for ghostwriting help, your name is in the mix.
- We all should be checking out Freelancer.com and similar sites to tap into the thousands of ghostwriting opportunities that exist.
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The Association of Ghostwriters is the leading professional organization for ghostwriters of books, articles, speeches, blogs and social media content. Members are experienced and aspiring ghostwriters dedicated to providing high-quality content.