The idea of working with a ghostwriter to write your book may bring a lot of question marks to mind. After all, this is a person with whom you are going to entrust a very important undertaking: The writing of your book.
You may not know what is involved in writing a book. You may not know what the process is. You may not know how long it takes to write a book. There are a lot of unknowns.
So, here are 4 things you need to think about in deciding to work with a ghostwriter.
First of all, you are looking for an EXPERT ghostwriter who knows HOW to write a book. This means that you are looking for a writer who writes for a living, not just as a hobby or a part-time gig. You are looking for a ghostwriter who writes books full-time. The ghostwriter should have years of experience from interviewing to “getting the story” to creating a viable framework for your book. The ghostwriter should have excellent skills, including interviewing as well as a high emotional IQ, so that they can write your book in your voice and your style.
It’s in your best interest as an author to work with an expert ghostwriter, not an SME.
You want an EXPERT ghostwriter to write your book. You do not want an EXPERT subject matter expert (SME) in your field or industry. Why not? First of all, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s hard to find someone who is an expert in both areas and then will also be willing to write your book for you. Always keep in mind that you, the author, are the SME. Not the other way around. And, if by some stroke of luck, you do find a ghostwriter who is also an industry SME, it is more likely that they will, knowingly or unknowingly, put their own thoughts and ideas into the book in addition to yours.
You are looking for a ghostwriter that you can trust to write the book to your liking and will also finish the book per your deadline. Do know, however, that this goes both ways. When you decide to work with a ghostwriter, you need to be readily available to interview, read and review the writing in process, and offer valuable feedback in a timely manner. If you are going away on a long trip, you may want to wait until you return before you enlist the help of a ghostwriter.
Lastly, you want to work with an expert ghostwriter because your name will be on the front cover as the author. So, look for ghostwriters who regularly post quality content via blogging and on their websites and social media. Make sure they are easily accessible and are available for a telephone consultation, and they are always ready and willing to offer references and examples of their work. When deciding to work with a ghostwriter, keep in mind that the writing of your book is an investment, and you want the quality of your book to reflect as such!
