How to Work With Your Ghostwriter

Once you have identified the needs of your project, sifted through the possibilities and identified the best ghostwriter to help you bring your dream to fruition, it’s time to get started. Make sure you have a clear understanding with your ghostwriter about the parameters of your relationship firmly set in place before the train starts rolling down the track. There aren’t too many ways a ghostwriter client relationship can go wrong, other than simply not working out, but you should be aware of the pitfalls just in case.

The three things that go wrong most often

1. The writer is not living up to your expectations with the overall quality of their submitted copy.
2. The writer is not living up to their promises with the speed of their delivery.
3. The writer is delivering work that has clearly been plagiarized.

If during the project it suddenly becomes clear that the ghostwriter you have hired is no longer working out, because either they do not understand what you’re trying to to achieve or they are not fit from a management or personality standpoint, it is probably best to walk away from a relationship before you get too deep. This is why establishing clear expectations in the beginning is helpful.

Be prepared to forfeit your deposit if the writer has already submitted their fair share of work. Not only is this the proper thing to do, it will also allow you to legally own every word written thus far. If things have not gotten too deep but you are starting to feel as though the project is getting a bit off track in either tone or style, or if the writing is not meeting your pre-articulated expectations, it is highly advisable that you make a phone call rather than trying to solve a potentially major communication issue through email.

One of the most common difficulties that exists in the ghostwriter client relationship is in the client perception that the writer they’ve hired simply “doesn’t get it.” This could be because the writer genuinely doesn’t understand, but it could also could be that the client has not clearly articulated their project needs in a way that the writer is able to fully comprehend. This could be a difficulty that follows the client to the next writer and beyond.

It is essential to the success of the project that any feelings that things are headed in the wrong direction are taken care of immediately.

Speed is another issue which can affect the flow of a ghostwritten project. Avoid this by always clearly communicating the expected deadlines to your writer and know when and how you can contribute to the speed of a project. Respond to questions that your writer may have as soon as you can rather than allowing them to sit unattended. If you expect your writer to meet all their deadlines then you must be able to answer questions that they have as they come along so they are best able to continue with their flow.

If your ghostwriter is taking an unreasonably long time, or has continually missed their deadlines, then yes, you will need to find a new writer. If you should ask for any partial payments back, however, will depend entirely on the individual situation.

Speed and quality are subjective, plagiarism is not.

Speed and poor quality writing can have a negative impact on your project, but plagiarized copy is far more than just an inconvenience. Plagiarism can cause severe problems, for you more than the “author,” especially if you are planning to publish material under your own copyright. Make certain you invest the time required to verify the originality of the content if you sense even the slightest scent of concern. Of course it should be obvious whether your writer is capable of producing quality writing from your own exchanges either on the phone or through e-mail, but you never be too sure or too careful. If you have any doubt, or you believe you may have read something your writer has turned in somewhere before, use an online service to verify your suspicion. Plagiarism.org is an excellent place to start.

Being well prepared before the start of the project will often mean smooth sailing all the way.

Ghostwriter Dad