Pointers on publishing: Who you're gonna call? Ghostwriter!
Published:Sunday | May 26, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Corine La Font, Contributor
No, this is not a remake of the Ghostbusters hit song by Ray Parker Jr, but it makes good for a play on the words in this title.
Ghostwriting has nothing to do with ghosts, at least not in the way we think of ghosts. They are ghosts in that they work virtually, at their home office or at another location where they are commissioned to write anything from blogs and articles to manuscripts. The work they produce for you is considered work for hire and, as such, the output is not their own and they cannot take credit for it. In other words, once you find a ghostwriter that can follow instructions, research and write well, they make you look good.
The service is a specialised one and can be quite costly, but there are a few places online that offer writing services that I have come across in my day-to-day activities that I would like to share with you. In my estimation, the prices there are ridiculously low compared to the usual high-end rates for this kind of service. If you decide to look into the ones I have itemised below, you will notice that the rates range from the low-end to premium, but even the premium rates are low given the time and effort you save in writing for yourself.
One thing you need to keep in mind is that it will take time to find someone with whom you will work well and someone you can trust. Don't be too open and obvious in asking for what you want and don't let the ghostwriter do all the work for you. For example, if you wish to get an ebook done, you don't need to let them know that you are writing an ebook. You can say you want a 1,500-word report on the chosen topic. This can be used for the first chapter and do the same for the second and third and so on. Ask different writers to do these to get an idea and feel for their work.
do some of the work
Don't be lazy now and leave all the work to the ghostwriter! At least do some of the work yourself so that when faced by readers or the media, you can speak to the work and know deep down in your heart you did make a contribution to the final outcome. If the topic is not in your area of expertise, DO NOT ask a ghostwriter to write on the topic for you as you will not have a clue about its accuracy or if it makes sense. Again, DO NOT be lazy and think that in this technologically savvy environment that you will get away with selling a book you know nothing about. Some have tried and miserably failed. Your readers and people around you will know better. Don't you think it will be in your best interest to speak as an expert rather than a fraud? Remember, first impressions last.
OK, so here are some picks at online resources you can tap into for your blogs, articles, reports or any other form of writing you may need. All offer the opportunity to find writers as well as to get jobs as freelance writers. Some allow you to see the work first and then pay and others take the money up front, hold it in an escrow and then pay the writer upon acceptance of the work by the client. All have some form of tutorial videos to guide you through the process as well as procedures and checks and balances to protect the client, especially, and the writer, so that transparency and principled behaviour is maintained. Here are the links to check them out, so do your due diligence and determine which is the best fit for you, and remember to check in with your conscience when you are ready to make your work public.
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Corine La Font is an author, certified author assistant and online book marketing specialist. She is also an award-winning publishing resource in the 2013 Small Business Book Awards. Get a copy of her book at http://amzn.to/TFHQka. Tune in to her radio programme at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/helpdeskja. She can be reached at corine@helpdeskja.com or visit her website at www.helpdeskja.com.