tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25824908772855859952024-03-08T08:01:56.762-05:00Ghostwriting RevealedA look at the (often hidden) work of ghostwriters.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-65930970160739338952010-12-01T10:12:00.003-05:002010-12-01T10:14:09.380-05:00So, you want to write a novel...This is hilarious and has a special gift for ghostwriters in the final seconds.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc-crEFDw&feature=player_embedded">I could be a novelist, too</a>Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-21344865415273805232010-10-14T12:58:00.002-04:002010-10-14T13:05:07.894-04:00Goodbye Byline, Hello Big BucksCheck out ghostwriter Kelly James-Enger's book:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Bylines-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/145372480X">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: The Writer's Guide to Making Money Ghostwriting and Coauthoring Books. </a><br />It's a great overview of the ghostwriting life, covering everything from finding clients to negotiating contracts. Lots of interesting people from the field of ghostwriting are interviewed, including yours truly, and fellow Ghostwriting Revealed blogger, Gwen Moran.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-37083966875905110082010-07-14T14:06:00.003-04:002010-07-15T07:16:47.328-04:00Jobs I will not be pursuing....Sometimes I browse through Craig's List and check out the ads for ghostwriters. Craig's List is generally a lousy place to look for ghostwriting gigs. It's full of people who want tons of work for peanuts, or worse, "half the royalties!" (Thanks for nothing. Literally.)<br /><br />But every once in a while, I come across one that just makes me laugh.<br /><br />My personal observations are in <span style="font-style: italic;">italics</span>.<br /><br />Ghostwriter/editor needed for Sci-fi Novel <span style="font-style: italic;">(Already a problem that she doesn't know which service she wants)</span><br /><br />I need someone to rewrite my 92,000 word post-apocalyptic space opera vampire fiction <span style="font-style: italic;">(genre traffic jam alert!)</span> to make it ready for publication in the late fall. <span style="font-style: italic;">(this fall????)</span><br /><br />Compensation: $500 <span style="font-style: italic;">(cue laugh track.) </span>Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-48387887217628870572010-06-20T14:19:00.003-04:002010-06-20T14:22:12.483-04:00Profile of the Ghostwriter @WorkWhat I like best about <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100620/BUSINESS/6200325/-1/NEWS04/Hicks-Prospective-authors-get-behind-the-scenes-boost">this profile</a> is the discussion of how much non-writing work a ghostwriter really does. This paints a very accurate picture of what the profession is like. Ghostwriters write, for sure, but we also act as sherpa to those who are wandering into the book world for the first time.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-5599623880180296972010-06-07T08:03:00.003-04:002010-06-07T08:08:59.067-04:00Next, we need jackets!The latest great idea in ghostwriting:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/06/prweb4088984.htm">Association of Ghostwriters</a><br /><br /><a href="Association%20of%20Ghostwriters"></a>Founder Marcia Layton Turner says:<br /><br />"Publishing experts estimate that as many as 50 percent of all New York Times bestsellers are ghostwritten today, but there’s also great demand for ghostwriters for other types of books and in businesses of all sizes."<br /><br />Only 50 percent? ;)<br /><br />Ghosts unite!Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-5709997716404159992010-05-17T08:01:00.002-04:002010-05-17T08:03:36.287-04:00Long Live Nancy DrewOne of the great <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700032881/Timeless-Nancy-Drew-celebrates-80.html">ghost gigs</a> of all time.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-18689992429126544492010-05-06T11:13:00.006-04:002010-05-06T11:31:43.112-04:00Malcolm and MeI have an old jingle stuck in my head. Back in the 80s, Gatorade snagged<br />basketball great Michael Jordan for a television ad and the song that went<br />along with it was catchy: <span style="font-style: italic;">Like Mike. If I could be like Mike.</span><br /><br />I have it in my head, with a slightly different spin. This week, it seems<br />all my client want to Be Like Malc. That’s Malcolm Gladwell. In the past ten<br />days, I have fielded nothing but pleas to make my clients’ books read like<br />Malc.<br /><br />That’d be fine with me, if my clients really did want a book like Malcolm’s.<br />I can ape a style like any good ghostwriter. The problem is that what my<br />clients REALLY want is all across the board.<br /><br />“I want the prose to be deep and intense. Like Malcolm Gladwell.”<br /><br />“I’m looking for a strong conversational tone. Like Malcolm Gladwell meets<br />Thomas Friedman.” <span style="font-style: italic;">(Ellen’s note: Now that’s a mash up!)</span><br /><br />“Can you make it timeless? Like Malcolm Gladwell?”<br /><br />I can do any and all of those things for my clients. I will make one<br />client’s book read with depth and intensity, another’s show a strong<br />conversational tone and the third, a lack of anchor in any one era. None of<br />them will actually read like a Gladwell text, because those really aren’t<br />the attributes of Gladwell’s work. Gladwell is very timely. Other than<br />best-seller status, I’m not sure he shares much in common with Friedman. And intense? Actually, Gladwell’s critics call him glib. But that’s okay. What my clients really want is not to READ like Gladwell, but BE like Gladwell – that is, the author of a respected best-seller.<br /><br />So I take in the marching orders and go back to work on all these projects. I understand, I tell my clients. I want to be like Malcolm, too.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-41266386140835495242010-04-14T09:42:00.003-04:002010-04-14T13:00:36.529-04:00Smart Ghostwriter @WorkGhostwriter Mahesh Grossman does all of us in the ghost biz a service with his book "Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger: How to Hire a Ghostwriter Even if You are on a Shoestring Budget" (10 Finger Press, 2nd Edition updated and revised for 2010, ISBN: 978-1-933174-98-3, Price: $17.95).<br /><br />Can’t say I love the title. Those “I don’t want to lift a finger” clients are a nightmare! But, hey, titles sell books and when it comes to content, it appears to me that Mahesh is spot on. His tips:<br /><br />"If you're writing a book to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field and to land new clients or customers, your best bet is to find someone who has written books published by major publishers in your topic area, if you can afford it (costs can be $25,000-$45,000).<br />For more affordable ghostwriters, visit www.writersmarket.com to find editors who write about your topic for magazines to see if they might be interested in working on your book. Or ask for referrals to freelance writers they have worked with. You can hire someone to write a book proposal to help you get a publishing deal for as little as $500.<br />Make sure there's chemistry between you and the writer; they have to understand you and your area of expertise.<br />Always check their references. Make sure they turn in polished work and meet deadlines. Having a test phase is mandatory: hire your ghostwriter to write one chapter before proceeding.<br />Avoid hiring a professor or English teacher or someone who's never been published. Their writing often winds up sounding like a term paper instead of a book.<br />Be sure to make yourself available enough for the ghostwriter to get the information they need."<br /><br />Interesting stuff. More info is <a href="http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Mahesh-Grossmans-Write-Book-Without-Lifting-Finger-Shows-How-Anyone-Can-Hire-Ghostwriter-1147116.htm">here</a>.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-33169563076942891042010-04-01T08:33:00.003-04:002010-04-01T08:36:12.965-04:00Ghost CitingGreetings Ghosts, <br />Another <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/what-the-ghostwriter-saw-i-write-they-take-the-credit-1932674.html">article</a> all about the life of the ghostwriter. Nice stuff, especially the Hall of Ghostwriter Fame at the end. <br />Enjoy these while you can. As soon as Roman Polanski's movie fades into memory, we all go back into the background!Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-22132962433375130722010-03-28T12:48:00.005-04:002010-03-28T12:52:18.099-04:00How to Soothe a Scared Author<span style="font-weight:bold;">AKA<br /><br />How to Ensure Your Writer Gets It</span><br /><br />I recently met an author who had just started working on a proposal with a writer and was worried that the writer “didn’t get it.” He didn’t think the writer had a full grasp of his brand. He didn’t think the writer understood what he was all about. Most important, he worried that the writer was going to try to bully him into putting his name on a book that did not look, feel or sound as if he’d written it.<br /><br />Indeed, the proposal stage is a scary one for authors, and it’s just as scary for writers, too. Both usually have just met, so neither one knows for sure whether the other is prone to Going Postal. And the project is still amorphous, so neither the author nor the writer knows if the dang thing is really going to materialize.<br /><br />The author is worried about whether he or she hired the right person, wondering things like: Can she really capture my voice? Does she really know how to write a book that sells? Does she get me?<br /><br />The writer is worried, too, wondering: Is this author going to micromanage this project? Can she really go commercial or will she force me to write boring drab that even her own mother won’t want to read? Is he going to pay me on time or will I end up in small claims court?<br /><br />What follows is my best advice for overcoming fear, so you can both focus on your common goal—writing a proposal that sells.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Advice for Authors</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. Trust the process.</span> Many writers—myself included—communicate much better with our fingertips (ie when we’re typing) than we can with our lips. Often times we have a very tough time putting the stunningly awesome ideas in our heads into verbal words that other people will recognize as stunningly awesome. Yet, we can easily do it when we sit down to the keyboard. In other words, if your writer sounds like a doofus when she talks, it doesn’t necessarily mean you hired the wrong person. Reserve judgment until you’ve seen something she’s written.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Think about what you do differently</span>—that one thing that makes you stand out from every other person in your specialty. Communicate this one thing to your writer. Whether or not she’s asking the right questions, it’s what she’s searching for. Provide it and the entire process will go more smoothly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Give your writer lots of interview time.</span> Your writer can’t capture your voice or your ideas from reading your old columns or other things that you’ve written. Your writer needs you.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Advice for Writers</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. Don’t talk about how you think the book might develop until you’ve done a complete author-to-writer brain download.</span> Try to get to know your author as intimately as you know your mother.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />2. Let the author help you find the hook.</span> Ask questions like:<br /><br />· A book is one way to leave a legacy. What kind of legacy do you want to leave? What is the unique mark you want to leave on this world?<br /><br />· What are you most passionate about? What do you find yourself talking about everywhere you go?<br /><br />· What really irritates you about your profession or about how others view your profession? What record do you want to set straight with this book?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Listen. Listen. Listen.</span> The author has a hook. Listen for it. In the beginning, your interviews should be focused on you asking questions and listening as the author talks. They should not be you brainstorming hooks and suggesting them to the author.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />4. Don’t try to create the hook from the ethers.</span> It’s the creating a hook from ethers that really gives authors the heebie-jeebies. Think about how you would feel if a writer came to you and said: I have the perfect concept for a book about writing that I’d love to put your name on. What do you think?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />5. Present the author with a number of options. </span>I’ve only recently developed this strategy, and, so far, it has nearly eliminated author distrust. Rather than come up with just one concept and outline, I present the author with 3 to 5 of them. They are not crafted. They are not complete. They are mere starting points. I say, “Here are some ways we could package what you know into a book. Let’s take a look at what you like and don’t like about each and see if we can create a winner based on those reactions.”<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />6. Soothe the author’s fears.</span> Don’t become locked in a power struggle. Don’t continually shoot down the author’s ideas. Definitely do not tell the author that he or she is boring. Instead, create a common goal: a proposal you are both happy with. Say that you will not rest until you’ve reached that goal, and mean it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alisa Bowman is a ghostwriter of 6 NY Times bestsellers. You can learn more about her at <a href="http://www.alisabowman.com">AlisaBowman.com.</a></span>Alisa Bowmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12263740228631355000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-35132518724731802162010-03-26T12:14:00.002-04:002010-03-26T12:20:37.284-04:00The Ghostwriter's Guide to the ASJA ConferenceThe ASJA Annual Writers Conference meets at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City April 23 to 25. Lots for ghostwriters at this year’s gathering. <br /><br />Friday: <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">It’s All In The Packaging.</span> <br />This panel pulls together an impressive panel of book packaging professionals. Lots of packaged books use ghostwriters. Go, listen to what the industry needs, think about how you can tailor your skills to that market. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Looking at Lives: Memoirs and Biographies.</span> <br />Who says memoir is dead? Every time that pronouncement is made, another great true life story hits the stands. A great memoir often needs a ghostwriter. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Personal Pitch. </span><br />It’s not just for bylines. Every year, I make the rounds of agents and book publishers with my boilerplate pitch: “Hi, I’m Ellen Neuborne. I’m a ghostwriter. My specialty is business and within that marketing, advertising and sales. If you’ve ever got a client in need of a ghostwriter, I’d be delighted to work with you.” Then I drop off my resume and move on. Every year, that’s turned up some kind of paying gig. Twice I was hired to write book proposals, once I snagged an actual book gig. And all those other book professionals have my resume on file. You never know. <br /><br />Saturday: <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Posting for Dollars. </span><br />The latest new market for ghostwriters is ghost blogging. Hit this panel and listen for ways to market your skills to experts who want to post and tweet but don’t have the time. <br /><br />Sunday: <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Go Team: Collaborations. </span><br />The other word for ghostwriting is collaborating. The difference is often the amount of credit and prominence the writer receives. Collaborations make good work for ghostwriters and many of the big names in the industry will be at this panel, including Madeleine Morel, a literary agent who specializes in matching experts and ghostwriters.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-85964596664934656072010-03-09T07:37:00.003-05:002010-03-09T10:20:31.688-05:00New Association of Ghostwriters AnnouncedLater this month, freelance writer and ghostwriter <a href="http://www.marcialaytonturner.com/">Marcia Layton Turner </a>will launch the Association of Ghostwriters, a new membership-based organization for ghosts and collaborators. I caught up with her and got the scoop on this exciting new group.<br /><br /><strong>GM:</strong> Tell me about the organization and what you hope to do with it?<br /><br /><strong>MLT:</strong> For the last three years I’ve produced an e-mail newsletter entitled <em><a href="http://www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com/">Become a Six-Figure Writer</a></em>, which was established to help people figure out how to earn more money as freelancers. Every once in awhile, I’ll do a survey of my 1,500 subscribers and I’ll ask them “What are you interested in?” Lately, I’ve seen an increasing interest in ghostwriting. People want to everything from what kinds of projects are out there to how to find them to how to create successful collaborations. So, I decided to create an organization with member benefits to help people answer those questions and be successful ghostwriters.<br /><br /><strong>GM:</strong> What are some of the benefits members will receive?<br /><br /><strong>MLT:</strong> We have a series of monthly tele-seminars designed to help ghostwriters find projects, improve their writing skills, qualify themselves for projects that are out there and get an overview of the range of projects. I plan to have a ghostwriter service to help people find ghostwriters, and plan to track news and information about ghostwriting in mainstream media, blogs, social media, and other sources. We’ll have a monthly newsletter and an online networking forum for ghostwriters. We’ll also have some discounts on services. Charter memberships will start at $69.00 per year, and will rise to $99 after the first six months.<br /><br /><strong>GM:</strong> Do you find that there’s a great demand for ghostwriters?<br /><br /><strong>MLT:</strong> There is a rising demand for ghostwriters across the board. If you look at the job postings that are out there on the many different services, there’s definitely demand or at least interest in ghostwriting services. The sector is changing. Five years ago, when you talked about ghostwriting, the assumption is you're talking about ghostwriting a book. As Twitter, Facebook, and blogs have become more important communication vehicles, companies and experts are finding that they need to hire professional writers because they simply don’t have the time to manage all of that content. And I think the challenge for us, as professional ghostwriters, is to weed out the people who are serious and understand what a ghostwriter can do for them from the people who are looking for someone to help write a memoir and have a budget of $10.00.<br /><br /><strong>GM:</strong> For writers who are interested in ghostwriting but maybe don’t know how to get started, what is your recommendation for establishing a ghostwriting business?<br /><br /><strong>MLT:</strong> I think one of the first things they need to do is to demonstrate their writing skills. Pursue articles in major publications in their area of specialization, such as business or health. They also need to make contact with the companies who are looking for ghostwriters. Set up a website that shows ghostwriting availability and talk about any ghostwriting experience that they’ve had.<br /><br />Of course the biggest challenge for someone who wants to get into the business is getting that first job. Until you ghost your first book, article or blog, it can be difficult to convince someone to take a chance on you. But it’s the goal of the Association of Ghostwriters to make the world of ghostwriting easier to navigate and help writers profit from this lucrative sector.<br /><br />For more information about the Association of Ghostwriters, visit <a href="http://www.associationofghostwriters.org/">http://www.associationofghostwriters.org</a>.Gwen Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483998551249144065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-3498261445405498492010-02-28T15:01:00.005-05:002010-02-28T19:50:58.300-05:00Ghostwriters on the Big ScreenWith <span style="font-style:italic;">The Ghost Writer</span> in theaters and Roman Polanski doing more than his fair share to drum up new release publicity, there's been quite a lot of discussion about the business of ghostwriting recently. <br /><br />FT.com had an interesting story on the topic last week.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ghosts and the corporate gurus<br />By Rhymer Rigby<br />Published: February 22 2010</span><br /><br />The site requires registration. But you can start with <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8323cc80-1fd9-11df-8deb-00144feab49a.html">this link.</a>Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-58850908738971725222010-02-01T18:23:00.004-05:002010-02-02T08:16:27.674-05:00The Social GhostIn this month's issue of <em>Entrepreneur</em>, Michael Janofsky writes an interesting piece on business ghost bloggers and tweeters. "<a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2010/february/204592.html">The Ghost Speaks</a>" is a worthwhile look at the practice of ghosting at the social media level. Check out the piece--it's well-written and informative. However, as someone in the trenches of the ghosting practice, I want to weigh in on a few points covered in the piece. (As a matter of disclosure, I also write regularly for <em>Entrepeneur</em> under my own by-line.)<br /><br />1) I have never--and probably will never--considered eLance.com, Guru.com, or other such freelance marketplaces viable sources of work. Most are based on a model of pitting writers against each other, each trying to score the gig through the lowest bid. I don't work that way--and neither do the best ghosts I know. In ghosting, as in most areas of life, you get what you pay for. And the people who can truly help you use these media to make a difference are too busy and too in-demand to be looking for the crumbs typically offered on these sites. If you want a good ghost, look for referrals from colleagues, professional associations like the <a href="http://www.asja.org/">American Society of Journalists and Autho</a>rs (I'm a member.) or <a href="http://www.authorsguild.org/">Author's Guild</a>. I also found the rates quoted to be on the low side. Those who are in demand can command higher rates because they are good at what they do.<br /><br />2) You need someone who understands what you do. If you're interested in being positioned as a thought leader, you need a writer who understands your sector, whether it's medicine, business, parenting, or any other topic. Without adequate background, your ghost will not help challenge your thoughts to ensure they are truly fresh and informative, as well as congruent with your messaging and brand. In addition, a ghost who doesn't know enough about your business or sector to spot typos or inaccuracies could cause an embarrassing gaffe heard 'round the social networking world.<br /><br />3) You also need someone who understands social media and marketing. Janofsky rightly points out that it's critical your ghost be familiar with the latest Federal Trade Commission <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/multimedia/video/business/endorsement-guides.shtm">guidelines </a>governing pay-for-play blogging, tweeting, and other forms of promotion and endorsement. With penalties of up to $11K per violation, running afoul of these regs could cost you big-time. Plus, your ghost needs to be more than just a wordsmith--he or she should have a solid understanding of the medium you intend to use and how it fits into the bigger picture of your business. Siloed marketing and communication efforts are rarely effective.<br /><br />Janofsky did a fine job on this piece, and it's great to see ghosts getting more recognition in mainstream media.Gwen Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483998551249144065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-9792040791466535332010-01-29T12:09:00.000-05:002010-01-29T12:10:01.163-05:00What Ghostwriters ReadA new ghost asks: What sites do ghostwriters visit to keep tabs on the industry?<br /><br />It’s a good question. There aren’t a lot of sites devoted to ghostwriting (hence our decision to launch this one!) But we do dig for info in other places.<br /><br />Gwen likes:<br /><a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/">MediaBistro</a><br /><a href="http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/">Publishers Marketplace</a><br /><a href="http://www.foliomag.com/">Folio</a><br /><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/">Publishers Weekly</a><br /><br />Also: “I also find really good info through the people I follow on Twitter. And on message boards like FLX and ASJA.”<br /><br />Alisa says: “I do read the deals from Publisher's Marketplace and most of what Gwen reads. I also regularly study the co-op tables at B&N and the NYT best seller list to stay on top of what is being published and is selling.”<br /><br />Melissa says her reading flexes with her assignment list:<br />“I tend to go looking for specific information when I feel I need it. I'm about to write a proposal, for example, and I need to make sure my skills in that regard are up to date -- so I'm going to go looking for the most recent articles on that topic that have appeared in respected publications or are by respectable writers.”<br /><br />Ellen says: “Ditto Gwen and Alisa on Publishers Marketplace. That’s a good place to go to keep tabs on what’s selling and who’s buying it.”<br /><br />Also: Journalism sites, to keep up with what other writers are doing.<br /><a href="http://weblogs.jomc.unc.edu/talkingbiznews/">Talking Biz News</a><br /><a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45">Romenesko</a><br /><br />Finally, I have a Google set to deliver me a daily digest of stories that include the word “ghostwriter.” Lately, that’s meant a lot of stories about Roman Polanski (!) whose new film "The Ghost Writer" is scheduled for release next month. But in general, it’s a good way to keep up to date on what’s being said in the world about the business of ghostwriting.<br /><br />What about you? What are you reading?Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-8483464839412292442010-01-15T14:21:00.005-05:002010-01-15T17:06:08.076-05:00Reader MailWe received a question from a ghostwriter who asked: "Do ghostwriters ever promote the book they ghostwrote alongside or in lieu of the author? And how can you go about it, considering you’re not the 'expert'?"<br /><br />Ellen, Alisa and Gwen each weighed in:<br /><br />Ellen: I do help my clients in promoting the final book, although I’m pretty behind-the-scenes in my efforts. Sometimes, I actively contribute. I write press releases, I ghost essays and articles for placement in magazines, I write blog postings, etc. But sometimes, it’s more of an advisory role. Many clients come to me with zero experience in the book business and so I’m not just the ghostwriter, I’m the best source of information on what’s really going on with the book project. I spend a lot of time counseling clients on why the platform is the most important part of the book process. It’s the key to getting an agent, the key to getting a publisher, the key to selling your book. I often say “If you’re not spending a lot of time and effort on your platform, you’re wasting your money on me.”<br /><br />Alisa: It depends. Generally, I don’t think most ghosts feel obligated to promote the books they write, especially if it’s a work-for-hire deal that pays a flat fee. That said, I have promoted many of the books I’ve ghosted or co-authored. At times, like you, I did this because I was getting a cut of the royalties and had a financial incentive to do so. Other times I did it because I liked the author and wanted the author to succeed. Still other times I did it because successful books help to advance my ghosting career, whether I earn royalties from them or not.<br />Here are some of the ways I promote the books I write:<br /><br />• Tell my Facebook and Twitter friends about the book<br />• Blog about it<br />• Help the author connect with bloggers who I’m friendly with<br />• Send review copies and personally written notes to freelance friends who write on the same topic and to magazine editors I know well<br />• Alert either the book publicist (if one exists) or the author about any publicity opportunities I stumble across<br />• Mention the book when I am at a speaking event<br />• Quote the author when I am writing magazine articles<br />• Mention the book in my author bio when I write articles for magazines, guest blogs and other outlets<br /><br />Occasionally, I’ve been asked to do real publicity for books—to be interviewed on the radio or for print. This is rare, as most outlets want the author and not the writer. But it does happen. In such cases, I just tell myself, “You know this subject matter. You wrote the book for criss sakes.” And that has always been true for me. I’ve yet to have an interviewer ask me a question about one of my books that I can’t answer.<br /><br />Gwen: Before I became a full-time writer, I managed marketing functions at two major companies, and then owned my own marketing agency for nine years. So, I can’t help but think as a marketer when I’m developing book projects. I always look for potential promotional opportunities as I’m working with the author and make suggestions. As the book comes together, there are often angles that I believe would make great publicity hooks. I may suggest events for appearances or groups which may be interested in hiring the author as a speaker or in otherwise becoming involved with the book. I’ve also made appearances at events with the named author and discussed my role in the book’s development. I do not handle these appearances or opportunities solo for books I’ve ghosted, as I am not typically the expert in the subject matter.<br /><br />I think how far a ghost or collaborator becomes involved in the marketing depends on how expert he or she is in the subject matter. Certainly, if you can, give the author or publishing house some input and spread the word among your own contacts. (Unless, of course, you're bound by give-us-your-firstborn nondisclosures, of course.) If it’s an area you know cold and in which you can offer authoritative and credible advice, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t. However, if your knowledge doesn’t extend too far below the surface, being a spokesperson for the book probably isn’t a good idea.Gwen Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483998551249144065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-61333421701767116772010-01-09T13:53:00.001-05:002010-01-09T13:55:04.506-05:00Ghostwriters in the newsBuried in this rather sad story about a memoir gone wrong is some interesting information about how ghostwriters are paid. <a href="http://gawker.com/5443906/lessons-from-the-holocaust-faux+memoirists-book-contract-by-the-numbers">Scroll down. </a>Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-36222030417078327312010-01-03T09:13:00.002-05:002010-01-03T09:17:34.450-05:00Online Class in GhostwritingPlease excuse the commercial interruption. <br /><br />There are four slots left in my upcoming e-class on ghostwriting. Session starts Jan. 11. Makes the perfect gift for writer friends who call you up and want to “pick your brain” about breaking into ghostwriting. <br /><br />For more info, visit: <a href="http://www.neuborne.com/">http://www.neuborne.com/</a><br /><br />And now, back to our regular programming.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-57587809027036283442009-12-31T10:00:00.003-05:002009-12-31T10:02:54.755-05:00How to Interview an Author <meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/alisabowman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>567</o:Words> <o:characters>3233</o:Characters> <o:company>Bauman Ink Ltd</o:Company> <o:lines>26</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3970</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.257</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Courier New"; 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal">I wrote a companion post for authors about a month ago, titled, “How to interview a ghostwriter.” This post is for potential ghosts.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before hiring you, most authors will want to talk with you. Whenever I talk with an author, I try to determine three things by the end of the conversation:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i style=""><span style=""><span style="">1.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="">Is this someone I want to work closely with for four or more months? </b><i style="">If you are desperate and your electric is about to be cut off, then you might be willing to work with anyone who is willing to hire you. In lieu of that dismal situation, however, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your potential author is mentally balanced and is someone who will respect your boundaries.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i style=""><span style=""><span style="">2.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="">Does this person have a compelling idea that I can turn into a successful book proposal or book?</b> <i style="">Not every idea can be spun into a book. I prefer to work on successful projects. I also want to make sure that this is a project that can net me my fee. <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i style=""><span style=""><span style="">3.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="">Does this person have a platform to support the “compelling idea”? </b><i style="">Similar to #2, if the platform is non-existent or not big enough, the author is not going to get an advance big enough to cover my fee. <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ll go into how I determine each of those one at a time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">#1. There are a few red flags that I look for to determine whether or not a potential author will turn into an author from hell.</span> They are:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If the author wants me to call back immediately—particularly if it’s a national holiday. That means the author has boundary issues.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If the author has delusions of grandeur (<i style="">this is going to be a worldwide best seller, I’m going to get on Oprah, this book is going to make me rich and allow me to give up my [insert career here]</i>). People who only want to do a book in order to get rich or earn fame are usually incredibly disappointed by the realities of book publishing, and they usually blame this disappointment on their ghostwriter. I like to ask authors, “Why do you want to do a book?” The ones who answer that question with, “To help people” or “to make a difference” end up being my favorite authors.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Anyone who wants me to sign an NDA just to talk to them on the phone. That means they have trust issues.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If the author tells me that she or he is a “writer.” That usually means that the author thinks I’m a typist, and that’s not what I do. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If the author asks me if I’m willing to write for free, for trade or for half price, or whether I’m willing to take on this project because I “believe in it.” This means that the author does not value what I bring to the table.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">#2. A compelling idea is one that other people want to know about.</span> If the author tells you about his or her idea and your first thought is either, “Been there, read that” or “yawn, is it naptime yet?” then you’ve got a problem. I don’t necessarily give up on the project at this point, but I do ask a lot of questions to try to see if there is anything salvageable: <i style="">Are you willing to go more commercial? Are you willing to work with me to make your idea stands out from what’s already on the shelf? What is it that your patients/clients thank you for? Why do you think you are successful at what you do? How does your program work?<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">#3. Platform.</span> This is becoming more and more important in publishing. The platform needs to be both credible (not someone with a mail order degree) and broad. The author needs to have close media ties, a big mailing list, a speaking career, and/or a huge online presence. If these things are absent, it’s nearly impossible to sell the idea to a publisher. I can usually get a sense of an author’s platform by looking at his or her bio and CV, but these are the kinds of questions that I ask: <i style="">Have you been on TV and how did that go? Do you do public speaking? How large are your audiences and how often do you do it? How many patients/clients do you work with on any given day? Do you have people who would be willing to serve as testimonials for your program? <o:p></o:p></i></p> <!--EndFragment--> Alisa Bowmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12263740228631355000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-46906920437379026242009-12-20T10:40:00.002-05:002009-12-20T10:43:07.955-05:00Landing Your First Book DealI teach an online class on ghostwriting and without fail the No. 1 question students ask me is: how do I land my first book gig? <br /><br />I wish I could tell you there is some secret portal for ghost jobs. There isn’t. However, there are several strategies that any working writer can execute to jump start a career in ghostwriting. <br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Network.</span> The best way to get your first ghostwriting book job is to work with someone who already knows you. Tell the people you already work with that you’re interested in ghostwriting books. Approach interesting people you’ve interviewed, tell them you’d be interested in ghostwriting their book. Networking isn’t so much about asking for favors. It’s about spreading the word. Be sure that everyone who works with you knows your goals. <br />2. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Respond to ads in reputable forums.</span> Lots of people advertise for ghostwriters, but lots of those jobs can be problematic. They are posted by people who don’t really have a good handle on what the book business is like. So when you troll the want ads, be choosy. Try the job boards of professional organizations. Or forums for which the job poster has to pay a fee (that helps to screen out the truly clueless.) <br />3. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Be prepared for your first book to pay poorly.</span> The first book I ever wrote was a co-author project for a toy expert. I wrote the proposal on spec. I split the advance and the royalties 50-50. This was not a great deal for me financially. I had to revise the proposal twice. The advance covered about half of the time it took me to write the book. And like many books, there were never any royalties. That said, once I had my first book, I could market myself as an experienced collaborator and that allowed me to charge more favorable rates on my subsequent projects. <br /><br /><br />Readers, anything to add? What advice do you give to newbies on how to land your first ghost book gig?Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-57040848990548512582009-12-11T20:18:00.005-05:002009-12-11T20:40:36.835-05:00The Ghostwriter’s Guide to Reading Want AdsThe Internet is full of ads from people who say they want to hire ghostwriters. Some are legit jobs. Some are tar pits of despair. How can you tell the difference? Sometimes the ad itself will offer clues.<br /><br />So begins my recurring series on how to read a ghostwriting want ad. Whenever I spot a doozy, I'll share. <br /><br />This first one was is a job posting forwarded to me by a friend. The writer of the ad is a businessman in search of a ghostwriter for his thought leadership book. <br /><br />What he says: <br />"Payment: We split the profits 50/50, total compensation capped at $1 million." <br />What he means: <br />"I am delusional." <br /><br />Two king-sized fantasies here. The first fantasy: Profits. Many books never earn out their advances. That means no profits. And nothing from nothing leaves nothing. The second fantasy: $1 million. A client who goes into a project with grandiose expectations -- Oprah, The Pulitzer, $1 million -- may be the kind of client who can never be made happy. Nothing wrong with aiming high and going for it. But clients should be aware of just how hard it is to be even modestly successful as an author, let alone an Oprah pick. The fact that this fellow felt the need to put a million-dollar cap clause into his Internet ad says to me that he's not especially realistic about his prospects. <br /><br />What about you? Seen an ad for a ghostwriter that made you chuckle? Or scream? Email me. Or post yourself in the comments section. No names, please. We're not trying to embarrass the authors so much as educate the ghosts.Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-79540457230722523462009-12-04T11:04:00.003-05:002009-12-04T12:07:18.908-05:00A Ghostwriting Community Sounds Really Good to MeAt my writing desk in my home office in Southern California, I've often felt lonesome to know someone else who does what I do. I met Alisa through her amazing blog, Projecthappilyeverafter.com, and Ellen through her, and they've invited me to contribute here. I feel like I just got that coveted sorority bid I never got back in college.<br /><br />I have worked with one particular fellow writer -- she's the one who introduced me to this business, and I credit her with giving me a leg-up and an education without which I could not have been as successful as I've been as a ghost. But she's best described as a coauthor. Her name always appears on the books she works on, and she has had enough success that people who hire her WANT her name to appear.<br /><br />I, on the other hand, am happy as a ghost. I get to sit here writing and learning, looping and swirling words together, spiriting someone else's voice, selling and burnishing someone else's ideas. I listen to the author's speech, pick his/her brain, and fill in the blanks with my own research. It's freeing, kind of like the exercises we used to do in school where we'd try to imitate a great writer's style and rhythm.<br /><br />My road to ghostwriting was circuitous. I earned my undergraduate degree in the performing arts while accruing a lot of coursework in language and literature, which had always been passions for me. After a couple of years thrashing about in retail and waitressing jobs while working for free as a dancer, choreographer and actress, I stopped wanting to count on the arts to support me financially. I returned to school and earned a graduate degree in Exercise Physiology, with the notion of being a highly paid personal trainer for rich folk. I thought, <span style="font-style: italic;">hey, I can hang out in gyms, work out a lot, be buff, and make a high hourly wage - then I can go off and be an artist on my own time!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>Problem was, I didn't like being a personal trainer. Fortunately, I ended up with a client who was a writer, and who needed help, and was willing to give me a tumble. She's the one I mentioned earlier. I had a lot of foundational knowledge about human physiology and medical matters from my graduate education, so I stepped into the health niche pretty smoothly.<br /><br />That was 13 years ago. I've branched out from health and medical writing to write about education, psychology, and spirituality. When I started having children, I became passionate about topics related to pregnancy, postpartum health, parenting, and breastfeeding, and got to write about these topics a good deal. At this point, I'm starting a new health/medical assignment that will stretch over the next several months.<br /><br />Although I'm more than happy to work behind the scenes as a ghost, I have felt the need to write as myself from time to time. <span><span><span><span><span><span>I started my own blog at Open Salon: http://open.salon.com/blog/melissalynnblock. I have about 40 pages of a novel written, and I've written some good poetry. Still dancing and performing, too.<br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03283844565858991938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-41754305075252784222009-12-01T19:59:00.007-05:002009-12-01T20:36:50.996-05:00Celebrity Ghosts SpeakI had to chuckle today while reading the WSJ <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704782304574542001950568592.html">take</a> on celebrity ghostwriters.<br /><br />While there was lots of interesting information throughout, the best line came from David Ritz, ghostwriter to the likes of B.B. King and Aretha Franklin. A high profile mogul was willing to pay him an additional $40,000 to $50,000 to keep his name off the cover, "because he wanted people to think he’d written the book,” Ritz said. Ritz turned down the job.<br /><br />Now I have to admit that my first reaction was: <span style="font-style: italic;">Dear Mr. Ritz. Please send that gig to me. My silence is for sale and $50,000 sounds entirely reasonable. </span><br /><br />Still, in truth, Ritz makes a good point to all us ghosts out there: A client who <span style="font-style: italic;">really really really</span> wants you to keep it quiet may be raising a red flag. In some cases, there may be perfectly good reasons to keep the ghost’s name out of it. As ghostwriter agent Madeleine Morel points out in the article, sometimes it’s easier to market a book with just one name on the cover.<br /><br />But staying off the cover and staying completely off the radar are two different things. If the client is fibbing about his or her writing skills to the outside world, ghostwriter beware. The client who lives in fear of being found out can be very high maintenance. I've had those kind of gigs and there were many moments when the paranoia of the client made the work that much more difficult.<br /><br />Although an extra 50 thou might have sweetened it ;)Ellen Neubornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10822926280183826287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-7765317672361589762009-11-30T11:27:00.003-05:002009-11-30T13:28:00.733-05:00The Controversy Over Medical GhostwritingA form of ghostwriting has been in the news lately, shining a less-than-flattering light on the practice. So-called medical ghostwriting--where pharmaceutical or medical device companies pay ghosts to independently write journal articles and papers, then seek out researchers, professors and other experts who are compensated for allowing themselves to be named the authors of these papers and articles--is being challenged as unethical. <em>The New York Times</em> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/business/18ghost.html">recently reported</a> that Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Ohio), ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee wrote to the top 10 medical schools and asked what they were doing about their professors who put their names on these papers and comparing the practice to plagiarism.<br /><br />Ghostwriting, however, is a longtime practice and most ghosting arrangements bear no likeness to the shenanigans that are currently under Congressional fire. There are two important distinctions that make such "medical ghostwriting" different than most traditional (and ethical) ghostwriting arrangements.<br /><br />Intellectual Collaboration: First and foremost, any intellectual collaboration that went on--the crafting of ideas and making a case for a specific point of view--was not done between the named author and the ghostwriter. In my collaborations, I spend hours speaking with the author, making sure I understand his or her ideas, insights, experiences, and the information he or she wishes to convey through the work. And while the author may have a point of view that he or she wishes to use to influence a way of thinking, the difference is that it's obvious. The author's name is on the cover of the book or the by-line of the article. First, a commercial or special interest creates a body of work that will be published or presented in a medium that is supposed to be "objective" and then pays an expert to lend his or her name and credibility to the piece without any input from that expert. Invariably, that means the collaboration is biased in favor of the sponsoring organization and the persuasion does not come via the expert's own intellectual property, experiences and viewpoints. Since medical journals, papers, and reports often shape current medical thinking, this type of veiled promotional activity may have serious implications for the public at large.<br /><br />Conflict of Interest. Whether it's true or not, it is often assumed that a writer's allegiance is to the entity writing his or her check. So, if a writer is crafting a paper to be presented at a medical conference and being paid by a pharmaceutical company, it's a safe bet that the paper will not contain negative information about the pharma co, even if it's valid. At the same time, the so-called "expert" is being compensated for lending his or her name to the piece. It's safe to assume that the organization footing the bill is not going to enthusiastically fund anyone who doesn't toe the company communications line. In traditional ghosting arrangements, the writer is paid by the named author. They're on the same team, working toward a common outcome in the work. And once a writer is compensated by the author for such a collaboration, that expert goes into the do-not-use file because of similar conflict-of-interest issues when the writer reports for other media. After having been compensated by a source, there is an inherent conflict of interest in using that source for objective reporting.<br /><br />Alisa Bowman rightly pointed out to me that this is similar to advertorial creation, where a writer may very well work directly with the funder to craft the message and then someone else's name is put in the piece. The difference there is that those sections are clearly labeled "Advertisement," "Advertorial," or "Special Advertising Section" to distinguish them from objective editorial. That was not the case in these instances of medical ghostwriting.<br /><br />When an author and ghost work together to create a piece of work based on the author's ideas and knowledge, the ghost is a facilitator, helping the author get the right words written. When the ghost collaborates with a special interest in secret and then uses the credibility of another to influence public health decisions without any kind of disclosure, a serious breach of ethics has occurred.<br /><br />What are your thoughts on latest medical ghostwriting findings? Join the conversation in the comments section.Gwen Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08483998551249144065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2582490877285585995.post-91964548595412649902009-11-21T20:53:00.004-05:002009-11-21T20:55:12.417-05:00How to Interview a Ghostwriter<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Before most authors hire me, they want to talk to me over the phone. This, I think, is good protocol. After all, hiring a ghostwriter is a huge investment of time and money. It takes at least a few months and much more than a few thousand dollars to get a book written for you. You want to go into the experience knowing you’ve hired the right person.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It’s perhaps not quite as important as making sure you’ve hired the right cardiac surgeon, but it’s close. It’s definitely up there with hiring the right divorce lawyer or investment banker.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Yet, invariably, I find that I end up interviewing the authors during these calls, rather than them interviewing me. Usually the author tells me all about the project and about him or herself. I ask a lot of questions because I have a lot of questions. (More on those questions in an upcoming post).</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Then a half hour or so later, I can tell that the author likes me a lot—but knows absolutely nothing about me. I know this because I’ve said little to nothing about myself. So I ask, “Is there anything you want to know about me?” Usually the author asks something innocuous, like whether I tape and transcribe my interviews. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I can only assume that most authors don’t know what to ask. That’s why I came up with this list of questions. If I were going to hire a ghostwriter, this is what I would want to know:</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1. How will you capture my voice?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2. Have you ever missed a book deadline? If so, why?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3. How much time will I have to devote to this project? Will you do all of the heavy lifting, or should I be more involved?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4. How will you gather information for the book? (Note: if it’s a health book, I would ask, “Will you find the studies you cite, or do I need to supply them for you?”)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">5. My agent/editor is telling me that my book/book proposal needs to be highly commercial. What does that mean and can you help me do that?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6. How do you work with authors to develop their unique message, program or hook?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">7. How will you ensure that I am happy with the final product?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">8. How do you usually work with authors? What generally happens? </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">9. How long does it take you to write a book?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">10. What unique strengths do you bring to the table that other writers lack?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">11. Why should I hire you over some other writer?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">12. (If applicable) Other writers charge less than you do. Why should I pay more for your services?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">13. How did you get into this anyway?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Coming soon: How to interview an author.</span>Alisa Bowmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12263740228631355000noreply@blogger.com1