What is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting may sound mysterious, but it is a profession that you are probably very familiar with. You have, undoubtedly, seen many books written by celebrities. Well, the celebrities name may be on the cover, but a ghostwriter is the actual author; for instance, Clay Aiken’s autobiography “Learning To Sing” was actually written by Allison Glock.

Ghostwriters are by no means limited to writing books for celebrities. They can find work in any venue – anything that involves the written word qualifies. A great market for ghostwriters is the internet. Website owners need content to attract visitors and search engine traffic. Most often, this takes the form of informative articles, newsletters, and sales letters. However, anything that is “written” can be outsourced to a ghostwriter, including blog posts, emails, and more. Ghostwriters can also find work offline. A local business may hire a ghostwriter to write anything from marketing materials to an employee handbook.

Typically, the person hiring the ghostwriter will contact the ghostwriter and explain what they need written, the price they can afford to pay, and when the deadline is. The ghostwriter may request that half of the payment is received upfront and can expect the other half when the work is completed. The pay rate for ghostwrites varies with the amount of experience they have and which market they are writing for. Beginning ghostwriters may earn around $4 for an article of 350 to 500 words. As you prove yourself to be a good writer who meets deadlines, that price will grow. An experienced ghostwriter can easily expect $10 - $12 for the same article.

Ghostwriters need to enjoy writing and posses basic grammar skills. Being able to work independently with little direction also helps. Ghostwriters generally spend many of their working hours alone. They also need to be good researchers, have the ability to manage time well and meet deadlines, and be willing to take a back seat and let others take the credit for their work.

Getting started as a ghostwriter is surprisingly easy. Start contacting website owners and offer to write a few articles for them – for free. In exchange, ask for a testimonial or recommendation. Some of your first contacts may prove to be your best customers. If they do not offer you any paid work, ask for referrals. Approach other website owners and let them know you are available. Eventually, you will find paying clients.

The market for ghostwriters is growing every day. If you are looking for a way to make money from home and the basic job description sounds appealing to you, you should definitely try ghostwriting!