Writing a book—or any kind of work that you hope to publish—is a huge undertaking. Not everyone has the time or the skill to accomplish it, which is why ghost writing is a popular solution. Ghost writing services help people with ideas for books or articles to find an experienced writer to write their story for them.
The first step in the process is finding a talented ghost writer who’s available for hire. In this post, I’ll share some resources for connecting with real writers who can help you bring your story to life.
What Is Ghost Writing?
Ghost writing is a service in which a person hires a writer to craft a piece for them. There are ghost writers for every genre and format, including novels, short stories, memoirs, nonfiction books, ebooks, articles, and blog posts.
The main reasons people hire a ghost writer are:
- Time. It’s takes many long hours to write a book or even an article, especially if you want the work to be up to publication standards. If you have other commitments, you might not be able to dedicate the time to writing your own story.
- Lack of skill. Writing is a skill that needs to be practiced. Many people who could write the piece they want to publish hire an experienced writer to do it instead because they feel that the result will be more polished.
A ghost writing contract usually specifies that the work the writer produces will be owned by and published under the name of the person who hired them. So, if you want to make sure you still get credit for your book or story idea, there’s nothing to worry about.
How Much Does Ghost Writing Cost?
Ghost writing expenses vary by project and the writer. Short pieces such as blog posts and articles are often priced per word and may cost a few hundred dollars.
Book length projects will be much more expensive, simply due to the volume of work to be done. Depending on how much material you provide your ghost writer they may also be doing a lot of planning or researching to write your story. You can expect your ghost written book to cost several thousand dollars.
How Can I Get a Real Writer to Write My Story? (Where to Find Ghost Writers)
The first challenge in getting your story written by a professional is finding a ghost writer. While you’re on the hunt, keep these tips in mind:
- Check credentials. The last thing you want to do is hire a bad writer who isn’t capable of producing work that’s up to your standards. Ask to see past projects or if you can contact former clients for references.
- Budget wisely. Many ghost writers charge by the word or by the page. Consider how long you think your piece will be when deciding if you can afford a ghost writer.
- Find the right fit. Even if a ghost writer is highly skilled and within your budget, it doesn’t mean they’re the best one to take on your project. You’ll want to search for a writer who is experienced in your genre and preferably your subject matter as well. It’s also important that they’re able to capture the style and voice you desire. If you want your novel to be witty and sarcastic, you probably don’t want to hire a writer who specializes in serious, informational nonfiction, and vice versa.
With these caveats in mind, let’s take a look at three sources where you can find a professional writer to write your book for you.
1. Ghost Writing Agencies
A quick online search will return several ghost writing agencies. These businesses employ vetted and experienced writers and help match them with clients.
An agency is a great place to find a real writer for your story because you can be fairly confident in the quality of the work they’ll produce. It should be very easy to request references from former clients and to verify your writer’s track record.
Plus, when you contact an agency about ghost writing services, they should be able to connect you to the writer on their staff who is best suited to your project.
These are all excellent benefits, but as you might expect, they tend to come at a cost. Agencies will likely charge more than freelancers for ghost writing services.
2. Freelance Directories
There are thousands of freelance ghost writers to be found online. Marketplaces such as Fiverr and Upwork include plenty of writers for you to choose from, often at relatively affordable rates.
However, you’ll have to put in the work to find the writer who has the right experience for your project. There’s no vetting system in place for most freelance directories, so you’ll need to turn to client reviews to determine if the writer you want to hire is up to the task of crafting your story.
3. LinkedIn
Finally, you can find ghost writers social media platforms. LinkedIn is an especially good place to look because it’s focused on professionals.
On LinkedIn, you should be able to see how long a writer has been in the business. They might have even posted some past projects that you can look at to determine if they’re the right fit for your story.
In addition to looking for individual ghost writers on LinkedIn, you can also peruse ghost writing agencies that have pages on the platform.
Conclusion
If you have an idea for a story but don’t want to write it yourself, finding a ghost writer to bring it to life for you is a great solution.
When looking for someone to write your story, make sure to examine their credentials and check out their past projects and clients. Keep your budget top of mind and look for a writer who can bring the right style and expertise to your piece.
When you’re ready to start looking for a ghost writer, agencies, freelance marketplaces, and LinkedIn are all quality places to begin your search.
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Featured Image Credit: Unsplash.
Molly Tyler
Molly received her B.A. in English in 2016, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2019. She now works full time as a digital content marketer.