Roz Morris – Become a Ghost-writer

Learn how to write books for others, win projects and make money

Many of the books that you see on the bestseller charts and the bookshop shelves are concealing a big secret. They weren’t written by the person whose name is on the cover.

They were the work of ghost-writers—professional authors for hire.

These authors may never be seen or acknowledged, but they are earning good money and are an essential part of the publishing ecosystem.

Why would you write a book you can never take the credit for?

• You get saleable book ideas
• You’re paid up front, and if a publisher is involved the advances are usually good
• You have no marketing responsibilities—unless you want them
• You work in a team—the client and maybe a literary agent, editor or publisher
• Research is much quicker, so you can produce books more swiftly
• You can broaden your writing horizons and repertoire—slip into another person’s world, voice and style
• You can make valuable contacts in the publishing industry for projects of your own

In this course you’ll learn:

• how the ghost-writing world works
• how writers get started
• how your professional and personal contacts might be a fruitful source of ghost-writing commissions
• how to pitch successfully to a ghost-writing client, literary agent or publisher
• what to ask for in a fair publishing arrangement and what price to charge
• how to collaborate and do justice to the client
• how to keep control of a project so that it finishes on time
• how to avoid projects that are too risky.

You won’t have to:

• wonder how much work to do on spec
• hesitate about discussing money or other terms
• work with time-wasters
• get derailed by common collaborating pitfalls
• find yourself shackled to a book that puts excessive demands on you or is never finished.

What You’ll Learn In Become a Ghost-writer

Module 1: A business and an art: your first steps

• Understand the ghost-writing world: glamour and fame!
• Understand the ghost-writing world: bread-and-butter work and your first project
• Understand what the client needs: general principles
• How much to do on spec and when to discuss money

Module 2: Craft for ghost-writers

• How to be a good surrogate: writing a book that isn’t yours
• You are the pilot: landing the book on time
• Wobbly moments: take them in your stride

Module 3: Business brains for ghost-writers

• Warning signs: learn when to say no
• Talk terms with confidence: what goes in a collaboration deal
• Money: what should you be paid?

Module 4: Go forth and ghost! Further advice and resources

• Audio: Welcome to your new secret identity! Tasks to do now and FAQs
• Cribsheets and worksheets
• Audio bonus – 47-minute Q&A with first students