How Not to Become a Ghostwriter

Ghostwriting can be a lucrative business. If you traffic in text, odds are outstanding you not only write well, but right with admirable speed. Beyond the obvious living one can carve for themselves by slinging words, there is another wonderful (rather quiet) advantage in that there is enormous opportunity to write on all sorts of topics I normally would have no chance to write about.

The old adage, “write what you know,” doesn’t apply to the world of a ghostwrite and I see many of my future fictional characters knowing the ins and outs of many of the SEO subjects I’ve written about.

Since deciding I wanted to ghostwrite for a living, I’ve read all kinds of advice on how to get started with a ghostwriting career. Sorry, but I have to call bullocks to the bulk of them.

Here are a few commonly passed suggestions my personal experience leads me to disagree with. Of course this is just my experience. Yours may vary.

1) Bid for writing jobs on contract sites such as Elance.com. Um… no. I’ve melted more minutes than I care to admit on job boards, crossing my fingers in the vain hope I’ll score a job where I might be paid just a few pennies less than I’m appreciated.

2) Post responses in forums with a signature advertising your services as a professional ghostwriter. Okay, perhaps if I develop insomnia I’ll give this one a try. While I agree with this one more than the above, I would feel disingenuous joining a forum simply to spread my spam. I’d rather spend my time adding to the overall body of my work than I would leaving footprints on the floorboards of every other forum.

3) Create business cards showcasing your ghostwriting business and pass them out every chance you get. Um… no with an exponent. Ghostwriting is a private affair. Most larger projects require a ghostwriter/client non-disclosure agreement before they even get started. To me, ghostwriting is a quiet business. Certainly not one you solicit.

So what do I think is the best way to get your ghostwriting business off the ground?

Work as hard as you can to be the best writer you can be, while establishing the fact that you’re a ghostwriter for hire whenever you have the opportunity to express it organically. The initial growth might be slow going, but the clients you gather will have respect for what you do and will be more than likely willing to pay.

It’s what I’ve done and I’m happy with the results. When I don’t have my plate filled by paid projects, I gain the time I need to get some work done for my most important client. Me.

Ghostwriter Dad

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SeanMichaelPlatt@gmail.com (562) 972-6842.