Ghostwriting

Ghostwriting FAQs

• What is a ghostwriter?

  A ghostwriter is someone who gets paid to create the content for a book or e-book, but they don’t get the credit for being the author of the finished work. The person who will officially appear as the ‘author’ usually hires a freelance ghostwriter to produce the necessary content for an agreed fee. It’s assumed that there will be no acclaim for the ghostwriter’s contribution as all the credit goes to the person who hired them.

• How do I hire a ghostwriter?

  Firstly, define what your goal is by identifying what type of book you want to co-write, who your audience is, and how you’ll publish it. Depending on whether it’s fiction or non-fiction you can filter the freelancers based on genre, service options such as topic research, outline, blurb, seller level, location, and delivery time. Engage with at least 3 to 5 freelancers, check their references and interview them to make the best choice.

• How does ghostwriting work?

  When you hire a ghostwriter, it doesn’t mean that the freelancer will do all the work while you just wait for the end result. You need to be involved in every step of the process - to give enough initial details about the story, sources, materials and all the details needed, then to give comments and annotations for each version of the manuscript. Collaboration is essential up until designing the cover and publishing your book.

• Is ghostwriting legal?

  Ghostwriting has a longstanding history, and it is perfectly legal if the agreement between the writer and the buyer is done in a clear manner. In fact, if the ghostwriter agrees to deliver the services as ordered by the buyer, and the buyer agrees to compensate him/her, then the agreement will stand in the court of law. Some buyers also check the texts for plagiarism and might have grounds to reject the delivery if evidence of that is found.

• What types of projects do ghostwriters get hired for?

  Ghostwriters can also be called copywriters or freelance writers and can be hired to write fiction or non-fiction books on a great variety of topics and genres. Whether you want the ghost to create the whole content of a how-to guide or a romantic novel, an autobiography, or a scientific treatise, you can find the right professional who can also do topic research, book cover, formatting, citations, and rewrites.

• Who gets credit for the work once the project is complete?

  By definition, the ghostwriter remains anonymous as the hiring person is the one paying for and owning the project and the copyright for the book. However, up until the order has been submitted and accepted by the buyer, and the fee has been fully paid, the copyright can potentially be disputed by the ghost. Using milestones to submit the work in chunks, protects both buyers and sellers and ensures smoother delivery.