Knowing what to expect from your ghostwriting clients is half the battle, and being prepared can take the sting out of any initial meeting. So we're going to look at what kind of questions your client may want to ask before they sign the contract with you.
There may be things I've missed off the list, but I think this list is a pretty comprehensive one, and should help prepare you for most ghostwriting jobs you come across.
So let's get started.
What's Your Writing Speciality?
Most writer's work within their own particular niche, and each genre has its own kind of structure, and tone of voice. Which means each ghostwriting gig will require a different set of skills. Clients will go for the ghostwriter that covers that particular subject, and does it really well.
They're looking for experience, especially if it's already been proven through an already published book by the ghostwriter. Clients that use ghostwriters all of the time will know the mistakes to look out for when hiring a ghostwriter, and other clients will be relatively new to the field, and probably won't have any idea what they're looking at.
What Systems and Processes Do You Go Through When You're Completing a Ghostwriting Job?
Some writers can get away with very little contact with their ghostwriting client, but you'll find most people want to know how their book is coming along.
If you have a clear plan with each job that's put in front of you, you can not only help yourself as a ghostwriter, but also help your client understand what needs to be done to write their book.
How Long Will the Ghostwriting Job Take?
Making money and being efficient go hand-in-hand when you're writing for someone else. You need to be able to give a timescale for each job you take on.
There may be ghostwriting jobs where you're tidying up someone else's work, which won't take you as long as starting a project from scratch.
Knowing your own limits and boundaries will help you deal with the subjects and research you're going to have to do to write that book.
You may have more than one job on the go and be able to juggle both, but you still have to know how long each ghostwriting job is going to take you, so that you don't become unreliable as a writer.
How much you charge for self-publishing a book can fluctuate enormously depending on the overall quality of the book, and where it's being produced.
It stands to reason if someone is asking for a high-quality book, that is filled with information or a story that it's going to not only cost you in time but also in getting it put into print.
Founder of Scribe Tucker Max said, "If you cannot afford more than USD $15,000 for a ghost writer, you probably shouldn't hire one."
It stands to reason that skills and expertise require money to pay for them.
Is It Possible to See What You've Written in the Past?
A lot of writers have their own platform, either through blogging or writing books, and ghostwriters are no different.
So when someone asks you to give them a sample of your work as a ghostwriter, unless you've signed non-disclosure agreements with most of your clients, it would be handy to have a blog you can point them to or books you've published in your own name.
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