Writing for other people can be a great way to make money. Ghostwriting is an incredibly broad field, and if you’ve been in the business long enough (like me), you’ll have written everything from books to e-books, blog posts, articles, speeches, and even poems.
But it’s not all fun and games! The truth is that some clients suck. If you’re just starting as a ghostwriter or if you’re looking for new clients, here are some things to look for–and avoid–in potential clients:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Identify reputable ghostwriting companies to expand your client base. |
| 2. Explore job opportunities for ghostwriters on popular job boards and freelance platforms. |
| 3. Focus on honing your writing skills and adaptability to cater to diverse client needs. |
| 4. Research your target audience to deliver content that resonates with their interests. |
| 5. The earnings potential as a ghostwriter varies, with book projects offering higher compensation. |
| 6. Uphold ethical standards, maintain client confidentiality, and provide original content. |
| 7. Finding strength in community and networking can lead to more lucrative ghostwriting assignments. |
What Does A Good Ghostwriting Client Look Like?
As a freelance writer, you’ll likely have clients with all sorts of backgrounds, interests, and goals. Some may be experienced writers who want help with a more technical project; others might be people who have no idea how to put words together on a page.
Regardless of what your client is looking for or how comfortable they are writing about it the key to working with them is communication.
If your client is unfamiliar with writing as a medium or process, you must guide them in terms of structure and style as well as any other concerns they may have.
This can include everything from proper citation formats (including APA or MLA) to making sure their tone and voice are consistent throughout the piece (and not just at first).
On top of this guidance, it’s also vital that you make sure the client knows exactly what kind of work they should expect from you: what’s included in the project description and whether there are additional charges associated with certain requests (i.e. if there will be research required).
Unlock the Potential of Ghostwriting Clients: Discover why hiring a ghostwriter can be a game-changer for your projects. Explore our article on Why You Should Probably Hire a Ghostwriter to learn about the advantages and possibilities that await you.
Attributes Of A Great Ghostwriting Client
When you start looking for a ghostwriting client, you’re going to come across a lot of people who are eager to hire you. However, not all clients are created equally. Some will be great clients, and some will be so-so ones.
The best way to find out whether or not a potential client is worth the time and effort is by asking yourself these questions:
- Does this person clearly understand what they want out of their project?
- Does this person seem willing and able to work with me on getting their ideas realized?
- Does this person understand that we are experts in selling his/her ideas through our writing?
- Is this person open to learning something new about the process of writing (e.g., using graphic organizers)?
If the answer is yes, then chances are good that you’ll have success working with that individual!
A Good Ghostwriting Client Is Clear On What They Want To Accomplish
Ghostwriting is a service that requires the client to be clear on what they want to accomplish.
They should know what their goals are, and how they want to achieve them. If a ghostwriter can’t understand why the client is hiring them in the first place, then it will be difficult for them to write something relevant for that particular person.
Clients should be able to communicate their goals: It’s important that clients can communicate their goals clearly and concisely with you as well as anyone else who may need access to those details (like your editor).
Make sure that everyone involved in this project has an understanding of what needs to be done before getting started so that nothing gets missed along the way!
Clients should be able to explain their goal: If you’re ever working with someone whose job title isn’t “writer” but still wants their work published (or maybe even published under another person’s name).
Make sure they have some experience explaining complex topics before trying anything new like ghostwriting because otherwise there could be problems down the road when trying to publish something based off something written by an inexperienced writer!
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A Good Ghostwriting Client Is Willing To Work With You
A good ghostwriting client is willing to work with you. This means that they have a clear idea of what they want, but are willing to bend their vision to get the best possible result.
A good ghostwriting client understands that you are a professional and an expert at what you do, which is why they hired your services in the first place.
They should not micromanage your every move or force their opinion on every decision made during the project’s creative process.
Instead, they should trust your expertise when it comes time for making important decisions like choosing an editor or deciding which format is best suited for their book project (eBook vs paperback).
Good Clients Understand It Is Our Job To Be The Expert In Selling Your Ideas
When you work as a ghostwriter, it is your job to be the expert in selling your ideas. Clients should understand this and have a clear idea of what they want to write about, their target audience, what they want to achieve, and their budget.
This is why I love working with clients who are former entrepreneurs. They have done their research and know exactly what they want out of the business book that we are creating together.
We can then talk about how we will market the book once it’s finished so that it becomes successful for both my client and me!
Good Clients Are Open To Learning Something New
Being open to learning is a crucial part of being a good client! It’s your job as a writer to help people learn what they need to know. When they do not take the time to listen or understand, it makes your job very difficult and frustrating.
When you say things like “You’re wrong,” “This isn’t working,” or “I don’t like this,” it may seem like you’re trying to tell them what they need to do next, but in reality, you’re only being helpful by letting them know that something doesn’t work for you.
If they ignore this feedback and continue on their way without changing anything about their process, then there’s nothing more you as the writer (or anyone else) can do about it!
On the other hand, if someone considers these words and decides that maybe there really is something wrong with their approach so far (and perhaps there was), then chances are pretty good that things will start going better from now on – for everyone involved
Crafting Engaging Articles for Top Publications: Ghostwriting for reputable publications can boost your writing career. Read our guide on How to Ghostwrite for Huffington Post and Other Publications to master the art of contributing captivating content to renowned media outlets.
Great Clients Are Open To Collaboration
As a ghostwriter, you’ll be collaborating with your client daily. This collaboration can take many forms: from brainstorming topics and ideas to providing feedback on content, revising each other’s work, and editing the final draft.
Collaboration is a two-way street; both parties must be engaged in the process.
A good client will listen to your ideas and give feedback based on their professional experience, but a great client will actively seek your input and advice about how best to improve their project.
Working closely with your clients throughout the writing process is one of the ways that we can ensure that we’re producing an optimal finished product whether it’s fiction or nonfiction for our client’s target market.
Good Clients Are Committed To The Project
You do have to take into consideration that working with good clients is not necessarily going to be easy. You will have to put in the time, invest in the project and be willing to take risks.
However, if you manage your expectations and set up a system for dealing with difficult clients, then ghostwriting can become a great source of income.
Great Clients Communicate Well And Often
A great client will communicate with you often and well. They’ll be clear about what they want, open to feedback, collaboration, change, and learning new ideas.
They will also be able to explain exactly why they want something a certain way.
For example, a client once told me that he wanted his writing to sound like it was written by an experienced professional who had been in the industry for years not someone who had only just graduated from college.
Mastering Efficient Ghostwriting Techniques: Time is of the essence for a successful ghostwriter. Check out our article on How I Write Ghost-Written Articles Effectively and Quickly to gain valuable insights and time-saving tips for your ghostwriting journey.
Great Clients Understand That Projects Take Time And Sometimes Hit Snags
Ghostwriting is a collaborative endeavor, where you and your client work together to create something great. But just like any project or partnership, there will be challenges, unexpected snags, and speedbumps along the way.
If you’re prepared for this and know how to manage it effectively (without taking it personally), then this can be an opportunity for both parties:
For you as a writer by learning about your client’s needs and goals more deeply; and for the client who gets their message written in a way that resonates with readers.
So how do you deal with these challenges? Here are some tips:
Good Clients Have Realistic Expectations And Goals
It’s a good sign if your client is honest about their expectations. If they know what they want to achieve, that’s a good start.
In addition, it’s crucial that clients set realistic goals. Clients who have unrealistic expectations are likely to end up disappointed and dissatisfied with the results of your work.
Finally, it’s also important that clients are open about what they don’t know and what they can’t do themselves it’s not helpful for them to try and do everything themselves when there are better ways of getting things done!
Great Clients Pay On Time
The best-ghostwriting clients are those who pay on time.
You’re probably already aware of this, but it bears repeating: You can be the best writer in the world, but if your client doesn’t pay you, there’s no business relationship.
It’s important to have a set payment schedule with your client before they sign off on your work. For example, some writers prefer to be paid half upon completion of the first draft and then the final amount upon publication or delivery of final files.
Others like to be paid in full before any work is done; this is especially helpful if you’re working with clients over long distances or via email and phone calls only (for example).
There are many different ways to do this; talk it out beforehand so everyone is clear about what’s expected from each other at every turn along the way!
How Do You Find Great Ghostwriting Clients?
So, how do you find great ghostwriting clients?
Tell your network that you’re looking for clients. Whether it’s through LinkedIn or Facebook, let people know what you’re trying to do and see if anyone can help spread the word. You’ll be surprised at how many people might be interested in working with someone like yourself!
Approach companies who have written guest posts or blog articles before. They may even be looking for a new writer they can count on! As long as their website is set up correctly (more on this later), this is an easy way to get started right away.
Build an online presence–branding, PR & web design are your friend! It’s not easy getting people excited about what they don’t know yet.
So if there aren’t any reviews out there yet then it might just come down to branding which means creating some kind of identity around yourself so readers will know who they’re dealing with when working with one another through social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.”
Tell Your Network You’re Looking For Clients
Be specific. Tell your friends and family you’re looking for very specific types of clients, such as business ghostwriters looking to help people with book proposals or marketing plans.
Also, be honest about why you want to hire a ghostwriter: so that you can focus on writing your book or blog posts rather than doing the research and writing first-hand.
Be professional. Professional means being polite and friendly in tone, but also implies confidence in what it is that you’re offering (ghostwriting services).
Be open about what kind of client/project/money ratio works best for you and why to avoid any potential conflict-of-interest issues down the road if one of your contacts happens to find someone who’d love both their expertise plus their work done by someone else (you). And finally…
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Approach Companies Who Have Written Guest Posts Or Blog Articles Before
When you’re looking for ghostwriting clients, it’s important to look for companies that have written guest posts or blog articles before. This is because these types of clients tend to be more professional, and they know what they want from their blog posts/guest articles.
If a company has a blog or website, this is a good sign that they are interested in marketing themselves through content creation.
If a company has a social media presence (and most good companies do), then it’s likely that they’re willing to invest time into producing content that will help with their reputation-building efforts on those platforms.
It’s also worth checking out the reputation of any potential clients before working with them – whether it be through their website or Yelp reviews or something similar.
You don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t have much (or any) online reputation management experience!
Build an Online Presence–Branding, PR & Web Design Are Your Friend!
While it might be tempting to think that you can avoid the hassle of building an online persona by working as a ghostwriter, this is a mistake.
Your clients are likely to be savvy when it comes to finding information on the internet, so they will most likely know if your website is shoddy or incomplete.
By making sure that your client’s social media accounts are up to par and include relevant links, you’ll show that you’re serious about your work and professional reputation.
Here are some things you should consider when creating an online presence for yourself:
- Create a website for yourself as well as one for each client (if applicable). You may want to include information about what kind of writing services are offered within these pages–you don’t want potential clients stumbling across something they weren’t looking for!
- Start blogging regularly with topics related to writing or marketing. This will help establish yourself as an expert in this field which could lead them back down the path towards hiring someone like you
Conclusion
If you want to succeed as a ghostwriter, it’s not enough to just be good at writing. You also need to know how to find clients and get them excited about working with you. The best way is by building an online presence branding, PR & web design are your friend!
They help people find out about who you are and what services you offer so that when they need those things done in their lives (like getting a book written), they’ll think of asking around first before calling anyone else on their list.
Further Reading
Top Ghostwriting Companies: Explore a comprehensive list of reputable ghostwriting companies that offer opportunities for aspiring ghostwriters.
Jobs for Ghost Writers: Find out about various job openings and career prospects available for talented ghostwriters.
Best Places to Find High-Paying Ghostwriting Jobs: Discover the top platforms and websites where you can secure well-paying ghostwriting assignments.
FAQs
What types of services do ghostwriting companies offer?
Ghostwriting companies typically offer a range of services, including ghostwriting books, articles, blogs, social media content, and marketing materials for clients from various industries.
How can I find job opportunities as a ghostwriter?
To find job opportunities as a ghostwriter, you can explore online job boards, freelance platforms, networking events, and reaching out to ghostwriting companies directly.
What skills are essential for a successful ghostwriting career?
A successful ghostwriting career requires excellent writing skills, the ability to adapt to different tones and styles, strong research capabilities, and a good understanding of the client’s target audience.
How much can I earn as a ghostwriter?
Earnings as a ghostwriter can vary based on factors such as experience, project complexity, and client requirements. Ghostwriters can earn anything from a few hundred dollars for short articles to thousands of dollars for book projects.
Are there any ethical considerations for ghostwriters?
Yes, ghostwriters must adhere to ethical practices, such as maintaining client confidentiality, providing original content, and ensuring proper attribution for their work. Professionalism and integrity are crucial in the ghostwriting industry.
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.