How to Ghostwrite Without Going Crazy

Ghostwriting is a bit like co-authoring, but usually the client sitting across from you has great ideas without the writing skills to match--at least not yet.

Because I've done a bit of ghostwriting myself, allow me to share some of the do's and dont's I've learned:



Photo by: striatic, courtesy of Flickr

1. Start out with as much of an outline as you can put together. Discuss title, characters, theme, plot and so on. Get as much direction on paper as possible before you start. That doesn't mean things will change; they usually do, but the focus will help you in the following weeks as the chapters begin to materialize.
2. Write in small chunks. One week discuss a particular chapter. Give yourself, as the ghostwriter, almost two weeks to write it. E-mail the client a few days before the two week mark meeting so he/she can go over the chapter.
3. Every two weeks go over the chapter you've written during your meeting, and discuss the upcoming chapter. You shouldn't have to read aloud much of the manuscript you've just written, just go over the areas where the client has problems and fix them.



Photo by: Nic's events, courtesy of Flickr

4. Count on some areas of your writing needing to be re-written. Even after discussing the scenes to be developed in the chapter, your client may find that he/she doesn't like what you've come up with. Make sure that he/she knows early on that this might happen, but you will do all in your power to keep things going in the direction they've called for. You should charge for the discounted sections so make sure you are spot on as much as possible.
5. Give suggestions for improvement of the manuscript, but listen closely to what the client wants. They should be the last word, even if you're the first.
6. When you finish the first draft, allow the client to make small last minute suggestions or corrections. This doesn't mean taking out entire chapters and replacing them; what it does mean is searching for those typos and that oddly constructed sentence that no one noticed before.
7. Suggest to your client that he/she get additional feedback. I tell my clients that 5 readers are best. Have your client return one final time to make changes.

As a ghostwriter, you will have moments when you may forget that this isn't your book. You'll want to take the reader down an entirely different path, you and your client may disagree on the names of the characters or the setting involved. Just remember, after you've given your feedback, it's the client's job to tell you what he/she would like.

Finding Your Voice

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, once said:

"Find your voice and then inspire others to find their voice."



Photo by Danny Getz, courtesy of Flickr

Finding your voice takes more than checking underneath rocks or clam shells (check out my blog post from yesterday if you haven't already). Finding your voice takes work. In my  eyes, work comes in the following ways:

Research
Writing
Reading
Discovering

When I research for a book I am gleaning information that I may or may not use in my book; I usually gather more than I need. Can a person find their voice in research? I believe so. What they choose to research, and the direction their book takes them, tells an author much about what he/she should be writing about.

Writing is the best way I know of to find your voice. It takes writing and writing and writing before an author escapes the C.S. Lewis phraseology, or the long-winded, 'these words I looked up in my thesaurus so that I'd sound smarter' mentality.

Reading helps with voice, too. Consider when you've read something that really made a difference. Perhaps the phrase was written to tickle your funny bone or you begin to appreciate something small like nose hair or belly button lint.

Reading does wonders for your imagination that in turn helps you to develop your voice.

Photo by: emily.laurel504, courtesy of Flickr

Discovering comes in taking that class or attending that writer's conference. Here, you take in a lot, and for days after the conference you are sorting through notes and ideas that you want to incorporate into your work; a part of your voice.

Finding your voice doesn't happen overnight, and obviously it doesn't happen when looking under a rock, but your voice will come (and that's a promise) if you give it sunlight and plenty of feeding and experience.

What Does a Clamshell Have to Do with Marketing Your Book?

Recently, at a writer's conference, I learned a little about clamshells.

No, I'm not going to speak about clams found on an ocean floor or even gathered on a sandy beach, these clamshells have to do with selling your book(s).  


Photo by: Pretty/Ugly Design

When you put together a clamshell for book sales* you're looking at a case that holds your book, an article, some testimonials about your book, a CD, etc. When I put together my first clamshell it was on the cheaper end (and not really a clamshell); I bought a paper folder and arranged everything in that. And the results looked okay, but more like something I used to assemble in high school for a report.

A step up from the paper folder was the a slick plastic folder; again, I had to step up the cost, but the items looked that much nicer. In both cases, however, the book fit in awkwardly, though I was able to place a first chapter in the folder nicely, plus every other item I've mentioned.

*A folder with the above information works nicely for a media kit. Media kits are usually presented to radio and television stations, magazines and newspapers where you'd like a write up, etc.

Hard bound binder with plenty of pockets and plastic inserts, can be used. Get a folder that has a place to slide in a picture of your cover. Folders like these can be found at office supply stores. Purchase CD clamshells for your CD(s) and make sure everything is handled as professionally as possible.



Photo by: puuikibeachm courtesy of Flickr

Your next best bet to selling your product in bulk may be shrink wrapping. Many copy centers provide this service, though your marketing contents will be stacked one on top of each other and not as nicely displayed. If you choose this option, your marketing materials will need to be smaller than your book. You could put a CD on top of the book and maybe a business card, but you'll probably not want to add anything larger than your book that you'll need to fold to fit unless you are backing the stack with larger sized cardboard. Purchase CD Clamshells for your CD(s).

A plastic clamshell to hold your material is a bit more pricey than a standard, plastic or high end folder, and even shrink wrapping, but if you are going the way of presentations and speaking engagements you just might want to invest in the upgrade. Plastic clamshell cases can be purchased online but they are difficult to find for books. I found plenty of CD clamshell cases, and clamshell cases for take out food, but not near enough options for authors interested in the clamshell option for their book.

If you decide to put together a clamshell for your product, consider some of the places I am looking at for my future book packaging needs:

BLAIR http://packaging.blairpkg.com/category/custom-contract-packaging
ANDEX http://www.andex.net/clamshell-sizes.php
BLACKBOURN http://www.blackbourn.com/presentation-packaging.html. Check out their online catalog!

When it comes to your presentation, a great package is really the icing on the cake. And you can decide what your books and other information is worth when buying in bulk.

What to put inside:

Your book
Media related items: Book reviews, testimonials, articles, the first chapter of your upcoming book & upcoming speaking events
A CD of you reading your book
A DVD of you reading your book; perhaps a speaking event that was recorded previously
Your business card or postcard
A bookmark or other small promo item

In a clamshell :), I would suggest not using folders as part of your sales. Low-end folders should be used for media purposes only. It's really a good idea to start out right and make your work look as professional as you can from the get-go.

Right now I sell everything I have published singly. Nothing is in a clamshell, placed in a nice binder or shrink wrapped, and I figure single is always better in the beginning until I decide to fork out the dough for something better.

Kathryn