I have been reading Ghost Writing (How to write for Others) by Lynne Hackles. This book has completely changed my perception and attitude of this avenue of writing from a negative one to a positive one. I used to think: Why put in all the hard work only for someone else to get all the credit? But Lynne points out; ‘Everyone has a story but not everyone can write their story. Your work can help people achieve their dreams and share their stories.’
This has opened my eyes to the prospects of branching out as a writer. We are all painfully aware of the dwindling story markets, and being able to apply our creative skills to bring someone’s story to life would be a rewarding experience. Lynne also points out; ‘It’s worth remembering that a ghost will get paid for their work whether it gets into print or not.’ How good is that? The added beauty of ghost writing is that it’s a project that can be tackled alongside your usual writing.
Writers need markets and in reading Ghost Writing I have learned there is a huge market for ghost writers – not everyone has the gift of successfully expressing the written word. Here are just a few of those markets:- celebrity autobiographies, specialised subjects, blogs, websites, speeches, novels, articles, history of a town and memoirs.
The book, Ghost Writing, is a comprehensive easy to read guide which covers everything from the opportunities available, finding clients, marketing your services, setting up your business, meeting and interviewing potential clients, dealing with contracts, writing and selling the client’s story and everything in between. It really is a worthwhile read!
So, if you are thinking about taking your writing skills to another level, opening up your options and branching out, consider ghost writing.
Keep writing :-)
