Ghostwriting
Do you have a book in you, waiting to be written? Do you have the ideas and the material, but lack the time, talent or inclination to turn the book in your head into a book on the shelf? Then you need a ghostwriter.
An experienced ghostwriter, I work with clients to create engaging non-fiction books. I rewrite books, knocking them into shape, and I write books from scratch, based on the client’s concept.
Over the years I’ve ghostwritten all kinds of books, from short ebooks up to full-length print books. I’ve worked with clients on one-off projects, and I’ve written for clients over the long term. For one client, I ghostwrote every week for 12 years.
Ghostwriting is demanding work, but it’s also very rewarding for me, because I love to write and to create books.
Why work with a ghostwriter?
Ghostwriting is a growing service area. Many clients want to ‘write’ a book but lack the time or ability to do so. You may hire a ghostwriter for all kinds of reasons:
You need a book that you can use as a marketing hook for your business.
You want to boost your professional credentials through publishing a book.
You’re passionate about a particular topic, and are keen to write a book in which you share your experiences/knowledge.
You want to help and educate people.
You’re already published and can’t write quickly enough to please readers and keep up with the market.
You see publishing as a business opportunity and want to create a brand that regularly publishes a certain kind of book.
But isn’t ghostwriting cheating? people ask. My answer: Not at all; the ghostwriter is entirely accepted in the publishing industry. If you want a great, polished book, but you don’t have the time or skills to achieve this yourself, then ghostwriting offers the solution: your book, your way.
‘If you want a great, polished book, but you don’t have the time or skills to achieve this yourself, then ghostwriting offers the solution: your book, your way.’
My non-fiction specialism
I’ve worked on more than 70 For Dummies books for the publisher John Wiley & Sons, and as a ghostwriter I draw on that experience to write user-friendly, accessible non-fiction books. The following are fundamental to my writing style:
Logical structure: The book is built upon a carefully organised, logical structure that tells the reader where they are, where they’ve been and where they’re going.
Sparkling clarity: No waffle, no padding, no vague or ambiguous statements – just crisp, clear wording.
A strong and confident author voice: The book positions the author as an expert in the subject, someone the reader can trust – and like, thanks to the warm tone of the writing.
The nature of a ghostwriter is to be a chameleon and adopt the character of the client when writing, so in my career I’ve written as various people, from counsellor to business coach, historian to entrepreneur.
I have a particular interest in ghostwriting books in the following genres:
Business
Health
History
Parenting and family
Self-help and psychology
The arts
My ghostwriting service
This service is bespoke, tailored to the client’s needs and preferences. The client and I firm up the concept and plan, and then I research and write the book.
Research often involves interviews with the client, and can also include books, media articles, academic papers, videos and podcasts. Some clients hand over reams of notes they’ve made and I shape these into a book; other clients prefer me to carry out research myself.
The writing stage usually takes several months. For some books, I’m able to deliver the manuscript chapter by chapter. For more complex books, I write the first draft in one flow. Once the first draft is finished, the client and I work together to refine the manuscript until the client is happy.
‘The book positions the author as an expert in the subject matter, someone the reader can trust – and like, thanks to the warm tone of the writing.’
How I assess ghostwriting projects
I ask all prospective clients to answer the following questions:
What are the basics of your book (subject, genre, length)?
Why do you want to publish the book?
Do you have (or want to secure) a contract with a publisher, or are you looking to self-publish?
Have you reviewed the market for competing books?
Who is the target reader for your book?
I assess each ghostwriting request carefully, and I take on a project only when I’m satisfied that:
The client and I will work well together.
I can engage well with the subject matter.
The book created will be of suitable quality.
If required, the book will be marketable.
Should we decide to work together, I will recommend that I write a sample chapter before proceeding with the full book, so that you can be sure I’m the right ghostwriter for you.
Ghostwriting FAQs
How much will it cost?
My rate for ghostwriting starts at £200 per 1,000 words. For more information on pricing, visit my FAQs page.
How can I prepare?
Along with gathering any materials I’ll need in order to write, please do your best to answer the questions above. Really think about the genre, the audience, the content and angle, the tone and style, and the marketability. The clearer the brief you provide, the better equipped I am to write the book you’re envisioning.
What comes next?
Given that I’m a professional developmental editor and copy editor, my writing is of a high standard. To prepare the book for publication or submission to agents/publishers, it will simply need proofreading. The proofread is best carried out by a different professional, as per the standard process in the publishing industry. I can recommend a colleague for this service.
Find out more
Please get in touch if you’d like further information or to request a quotation for your project.