You’ve probably heard of ghostwriting, but do you know what it actually is? It’s when someone pays you to write content that they can then sell as their own work.
Ghostwriting has been around since ancient times and has been used by political leaders, politicians, and even celebrities today.
If you’re interested in becoming a ghostwriter yourself, check out our tips below!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Ghostwriting can be both enjoyable and lucrative. |
| 2. Seek expert advice to excel in ghostwriting. |
| 3. Balancing creativity and client expectations is key. |
| 4. Consider the potential impact on your writing career. |
| 5. Embrace the opportunity to collaborate and learn. |
Choose A Topic You Know Well
In addition to having the right tools, you should also choose a topic that you know well.
Why?
Because if you don’t know your topic well, you won’t be able to write about it with authority. And if your writing lacks authority on a particular subject, then readers will stop trusting what you’re saying and be more likely to doubt everything else they read from you as well, or worse yet.
They may just give up on reading altogether because reading something that doesn’t make sense is frustrating and annoying!
A ghostwriter needs to have experience with their subject matter because this helps them write with authority about the subject matter at hand.
Understanding the essence of ghostwriting is crucial for aspiring writers. Check out our expert answer on What is Ghostwriting? to gain insights into this fascinating world of literary collaboration.
Avoid Topics You Have No Interest Or Expertise In
If you’re a ghostwriter, your job is to represent the voice of another person. To do this, you must take on projects that match your interests and expertise otherwise, how can you write about them with passion?
If a client approaches me with a project I’m unsure about, I’ll ask questions: “What kind of audience is interested in this topic? What makes their passions unique?” And if they don’t know the answers or if I can’t find them on my own I’ll politely decline their offer.
That may seem like an easy way out of writing something new, but it helps keep me focused on topics where I can engage readers and inspire action no matter what they’re looking for from our work together as collaborators!
Do Your Research
When you take on a ghostwriting assignment, you’re entering into a partnership with your client. You need to make sure that you know what they want and who they are before agreeing to work with them.
This will help ensure that your blog post is on target from start to finish, as well as save time down the line when marketing or promoting it.
Here are some of the things I do when I start working with a new client:
- Read their blog posts for other articles like the one we’re writing right now. It helps me get an idea of what kind of writer they prefer (and how good they are).
- Look up their website on Google and see if any previous posts might be similar in content or tone sometimes this can give me ideas about how best to structure my piece!
Want to create a masterpiece but facing a writing block? Consider hiring a skilled ghostwriter to bring your book to life. Explore the reasons why in our article on Why You Should Hire a Ghostwriter to Write Your Book.
If A Client Gives You An Outline, Stick To It
You might be wondering if you should stick to the outline. In some cases, it’s a good idea to use it as a guide and get some feedback from your client before you start writing.
If they’re very specific about what they want, then they’ll probably like what they get better than if you just wing it.
However, if the outline is too rigid and doesn’t give much guidance on how to make their words sound natural or interesting, this could be a sign that the client isn’t all that experienced with writing and doesn’t know what kind of tone or voice will work best for their project.
They might also not have thought about how to structure their book in such a way that readers are engaged from beginning to end (which brings me back around again). It’s up to you whether those problems warrant blowing off the outline altogether!
Work On The Intro Last
The most important part of a good article is the introduction. You want to capture your reader’s attention and make them want to read more. You also want to make sure that you have the right tone and style for your audience.
Take some time, think about what you want this article to be about, and then write down any ideas that come into your head about how it can be structured.
Once you’ve got a good structure, it’s time to work on getting the right information in there. Think about where all this information comes from, what sources you’ll need access to (are there any books or articles that would be helpful?), and who will be able to help if you can’t find something.
Give Your Piece A Great Title
Your title is the stoplight that lets readers know what to expect when they click through. It should be short and sweet, summarizing the content in a few words. The best titles are keyword-rich they contain the most relevant keywords in a way that makes sense.
The title should also be unique because if you tell me “I am going to write about my cat” I’m not going to read your blog post; but if you tell me “why cats are better than dogs,” I’m going back for more!
And finally, it needs to be catchy enough so that people can’t help but click on it… after all, who doesn’t want advice from an expert ghostwriter?
Curious about ghostwriting and how it can transform your writing career? Our comprehensive guide on What Ghostwriting is All About & How It Can Help You delves into the world of ghostwriting and its potential benefits for aspiring authors.
Follow Up With Your Clients To See How Your Work Is Doing
After you’ve completed your work, it’s important to follow up with your clients to see if they are happy with the final product.
If they are, great! If not, ask them what you can do to improve and find out what their needs are going forward. If they are satisfied but don’t need anything else from you, that’s also great!
If they aren’t satisfied and have no further requests for your services (or don’t feel comfortable asking), then it might be time for a new project or client.
Use Subheadings To Break Up Your Blog Post For Easier Reading
Subheadings are a great way to break up your blog post, or any other piece of writing you’re doing.
They allow readers to focus on the main points of your article and find the information they need more easily. Subheadings also help keep readers engaged by changing their focus from one topic to another.
If you have subheadings, it makes sense for them not just to be in random order throughout the post but rather to follow some kind of pattern or rhythm so that if someone reads only one subheading at a time (which is likely), they still understand what’s going on.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions That Are Important For Writing The Piece
As a ghostwriter, you’re going to be writing about things that are unfamiliar to you. That’s why it’s so important to ask questions that help you understand the topic at hand.
Asking questions is also crucial when it comes to understanding your client’s goals and audience. For your content marketing pieces to resonate with readers and customers, they must be written in such a way as to appeal directly to them.
And this can only be accomplished if you know who those people are and what they want out of the piece in question (and any other product or service that your business provides).
The best way around this limitation is through extensive research: by asking as many questions as needed until all pertinent information has been compiled into an easily digestible form.
Lastly, when working with clients whose style differs greatly from yours or whose tone seems stilted or unnatural, use their responses along with other resources such as Google searches or industry blogs/articles/books/etc.
Which may have been written using similar language patterns or sentence structures; keeping these sources nearby will help guide your work when trying to find ways around awkward phrasing situations during editing sessions later on down the road!
Discover the inspiring journey of a ghostwriter turned entrepreneur. Read the captivating story in From Ghostwriter to Entrepreneur: How I Gave Up the Day Job and find motivation to chase your own dreams.
Look For Possible Blog Post Ideas And Send Them Over To Your Clients For Consideration
To find blog post ideas, you can look on the internet (Google and Bing are your friends), in your own life, in your clients’ lives, and their businesses and industries.
You could also find blog post ideas by looking at things that are happening within their communities.
Be Aware Of Blog Post Structure And How The Content Should Flow From One Section To The Next
When you write for a blog, your goal is to engage the reader and encourage them to read more. To do this, you need to write in a way that makes it easy for the reader to get from one section of your article to the next.
This means using subheadings or paragraph breaks at appropriate places so that they can see where one topic ends and another begins.
You also want to make sure that your content flows well from one idea into another regardless of how far apart they are on the page or even if they’re in different parts of the site!
One way I like to achieve this flow is by including images and videos as “breaks” between related sections of text. If there’s something I don’t feel comfortable writing about myself (for example an unrelated personal experience), then I’ll link out instead.
Always Aim For More Than 1000 Words When You Write A Blog Post – It Shows Authority On Your Topic
When you’re a ghostwriter, the more you can write, the better. Your client will always want to know how many words you’ll be able to produce for them, and you must come up with an answer that’s higher than 1000.
This is because if you’re writing blog posts or other content on behalf of clients, every word counts.
The more words you have under your belt, the higher your authority looks in the eyes of readers, and when it comes to blogging about a topic like running a business or improving your writing skills…well…there’s no such thing as too much content!
Watch Out For Spelling Mistakes, Typos, Improper Capitalization, And Other Issues
Proofreading is the last step in the process of writing before you submit it to your client. It’s important to proofread your work thoroughly because even a single spelling mistake can ruin the reputation of a professional ghostwriter like yourself.
So how do you make sure that you’re not making any mistakes? There are many strategies for checking over your writing:
A spell check is not enough! You should always read everything back through multiple times, looking at every sentence individually and trying to visualize how it will sound.
You should also read the work aloud from start to finish, which helps pick up on errors in grammar or other issues with pronunciation or flow of language throughout the piece.
Get another opinion! We know what our work looks like (because we wrote all those words).
But having someone else look over our paper can help us see if there are any typos or missing words that got past us when we were proofreading only ourselves earlier in this article series about How To Be A Ghostwriter For Fun And Profit.
If possible, get multiple opinions so that there aren’t too many cooks – no pun intended – spoiling all these good dishes we’ve been making together!
Stepping into the world of ghostwriting? Avoid potential pitfalls by learning from the experiences of others. Dive into these 10 Horror Stories of Ghostwriters Screwed Over by Authors to stay aware and protect your professional interests.
Ghostwriting Is A Fun And Profitable Career Path If You Follow These Guidelines
The best part of being a ghostwriter is that it’s not your job, but it is your income. You do what you love and make money doing it! Sounds pretty good, right?
To be successful at ghostwriting for fun and profit, you need to understand the following three important facts:
The type of writing you enjoy or are most interested in will usually dictate what kinds of clients or projects are available to you as a freelance writer.
For example, if you love sports and want to work full-time as a sports writer for ESPN or Bleacher Report then those sites might be good places for starting and getting experience working under deadline pressure without making too much money at first.
Before advancing into another field like acting or education where they pay more per hour than journalism does currently unless they offer some kind of bonus package like overtime pay which could help offset some costs associated with living in an expensive city.
Such as New York City where everything costs more than anywhere else including rent prices which average $3200 per month according
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it helps you get started on your ghostwriting career. Remember, if you do your research and communicate with clients effectively, there’s no limit to the amount of money that can be made as a professional ghostwriter!
Further Reading
Ghostwriting Business Guide: Learn how to start and run a successful ghostwriting business with valuable tips and insights.
How to Become a Ghostwriter: Discover the steps to kickstart your career as a professional ghostwriter and excel in the writing industry.
Freelance Ghostwriting Jobs: Explore opportunities for freelance ghostwriting work and find potential clients through online platforms.
FAQs
What is ghostwriting, and how does it work?
Ghostwriting is the practice of writing content on behalf of someone else who is credited as the author. Ghostwriters work behind the scenes, bringing other people’s ideas and stories to life while remaining anonymous.
What are the benefits of hiring a ghostwriter?
Hiring a ghostwriter can save time, ensure high-quality writing, and provide a fresh perspective on your content. It allows busy professionals and aspiring authors to publish books, articles, and blog posts without investing excessive time in writing.
How can I become a successful ghostwriter?
To become a successful ghostwriter, focus on honing your writing skills, building a strong portfolio, and networking with potential clients and publishers. Developing a reputation for delivering excellent work and maintaining confidentiality are also essential factors.
What types of projects do ghostwriters typically work on?
Ghostwriters can work on a wide range of projects, including books, articles, blog posts, speeches, and social media content. They may collaborate with authors, celebrities, business leaders, and subject matter experts across various industries.
How do I find freelance ghostwriting opportunities?
To find freelance ghostwriting opportunities, consider joining online platforms and freelance marketplaces dedicated to writing and content creation. Networking within writing communities, attending industry events, and leveraging social media can also lead to potential gigs.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.