Written By: Deanna
What is ghost writing? Well, I guess this is the best place to start, right? You gotta know what something is before you can know if you want to do it or not. A ghost writer is someone who writes books for people.
Sounds silly, right? But did you really think your favorite celebrity wrote their own book? Even fiction can be ghost written. Nancy Drew is a fine example of that. I mean, look at how many books were written about the young lady. The Hardy Boys are another example. And just look how many billions (or trillions) of dollars those two series alone have made. Need I make more of a point that there is money to be made ghost writing?
But, I guess in a way you still need to know more about ghost writing overall. Let me lay it out for you: As a ghost writer I write books, stories, poems, songs, and pretty much anything else that I'll get paid enough for. In return, I get paid and give up all my rights to the book.
Yup, that means I give my book away and can't have anything to do with it ever again. What happens if it becomes a best seller? Nothing. What happens if it flops? Nothing.
No matter what becomes of the book, I step away from it and move on.
This is both a good and a bad thing. Sometimes, I've gotten attached to books (actually, there is one that I decided to keep for myself even though it meant rewriting another whole new book for a client) and sometimes I'm pleased that my name doesn't have anything to do with the book (I told you, I write what will pay me!) but when it comes down to it, for a lot of us, ghost writing is one of the best ways to make money writing.
If you've tried to publish your book, you know it can take a lot and often doesn't pay well (if you don't know much about publishing, I've got you covered. Eventually - just stick around!) and often times you get paid four times a year. With ghost writing, it is possible to create a weekly income, depending on how much you work.
I guess, there are two big questions left.
Two things that everyone wants to know. How much do I make and how can they start? Well, for the sake of keeping this sorta short, I'll cover both these questions, but I can also do longer posts if you guys want/have any questions. So leave questions in the comments below and I will get to them!
How much do I make?
That depends a lot on the month. I make more than most authors I know, that much I know. I make less than most freelance writers I know as well. I also know that I'm still starting out. I still have a lot to improve. When freelancing, it's always about making sure you have the clients and the work. Some months I make $500, others I make over $2000. It all depends on how much work you're willing to take on.
How would someone go about starting?
First things first, you're probably going to want to get on a third part website like Upwork. Once you are on there, you'll want to fill out your profile and all that fun stuff. Maybe take some courses on writing if you haven't (Groupon has some awesome and cheap ones!) and then, when you're ready it's time to start applying for jobs!
It sounds simple, and in a way it is and it isn't that simple. The actions are simple. Apply for job - wait to see if you get job - you either do or don't. But it can get taxing. It took me 56 tries to land my first job.
And, on the note of dread, I think that is where I will leave this. Ghost writing for me is a blast. It has helped me improve much and it has been such a wonderful thing to add to my life! I love it, even if some days I hate it. I love being able to say that my profession is also my passion. And it's allowed me to help my husband and I buy a house. It's been an amazing journey for me, and I think anyone could truly benefit from it.
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