What do a Labrador Retriever, a poor Southern tobacco farmer, and a World War II survivor[1] have in common? If you guessed nothing, you’d be wrong. In fact, each was the basis of a best-selling book. Two of them even went on to become Hollywood box office smashes.
The world we live in is a fascinating place, filled with thousands of entertaining stories. Some, like those of World War II survivors, will soon be gone—lost forever. Wouldn’t you like to make sure that your story isn’t? If so, you need to write a book!
“Sure,” you say. “It’s easy for you to say. You’ve written books and know how to get the job done. I’m just a [fill in the blank here] who knows nothing about writing. How can I see my name in print?”
The answer is ghostwriting.
Ghostwriters are professional writers devoted to helping other people tell their stories. Before they begin, ghostwriters will often ask their clients a number of questions to decide:
- How serious they are about seeing their name in print
- What their chances are for success
- How much it’s likely to cost
Here are 15 questions I’ve put together after speaking with hundreds of people interested in telling their stories and the ghostwriters who work with them. These are the questions every ghostwriter should ask their prospective client before they begin work and sign a contract:
1. Why are you interested in writing your book? Why now?
There could be a number of good reasons why you’ve never written a book before now. You might have been too busy getting your career started or raising your kids. But, it’s never too late. Consider the best-selling book and box office hit “Unbroken” about how an Olympic champion and World War II survivor was stranded in a life raft, then marooned in a Japanese prisoner of war prison before he was finally rescued. His story wasn’t shared with the public until 67 years after being rescued! Now is as good as any time to write a book.
2. How much time do you have to devote to writing a book? Are you working full-time while raising 4 kids? Or, are you semi-retired with plenty of time on your hands? Are you a hands-on or hands-off kind of person?
Lots of different people with different demands on their time write books. Some want to be actively involved, making decisions about every hyphen, comma and period. Others just want you to let them know when the book is done. The amount of time you’re willing to contribute to the manuscript will often make an impact on its price. Be sure to discuss your availability with your ghostwriter before starting the manuscript.
3. Do you have a central message?
The most important thing behind a book’s success is having a strong message. Perhaps you survived a life-threatening illness. Maybe you pulled yourself up from skid row to become a successful stock broker when everyone told you you’d never succeed. Life is fascinating, with thousands of twists and turns that you can share with the public—either to help them get past one of life’s hurdles or merely to entertain.
4. Is your book going to be part of a larger marketing plan?
There are a lot of reasons for wanting to write a book. Many people simply have a great story to share. Others want to use their books to further their public persona and help build their business. Books make great items to give away or sell at personal appearances.
5. Do you know if anyone has published a similar book? If so, when?
Just because other people have written books like yours doesn’t mean yours won’t be successful. In fact, it means there’s a lot of interest in your subject matter. The key to writing a great book is to uncover unique properties about your story—the things that set your story apart from everyone else’s.
6. Who and what is the market for your book?
Many authors claim, “My book will interest everyone!” While that may be true, it’s not likely. It’s more difficult to sell your book to everyone on the planet when only college-educated women between 25 and 50 will be interested in buying your book. Do your homework first, then go to work on your marketing plan.
7. Who do you plan on selling your book to? A small circle of friends, associates or the whole world?
Not a day goes by that ghostwriters don’t hear from new clients, “My book is destined to be a New York Times bestseller.” The fact is, barely a sliver of the 1 million new books published each year will make it to any bestseller list, let alone the New York Times. Nevertheless, be real when it comes to how you intend to market your book. Unless you’re J.K. Rowling, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you to ensure that your book sells. Make sure you carve out time or be prepared to hire others to market your book for you.
8. What are your plans for publication? Reach out to large, traditional publishers, smaller publishing houses, or publishing it yourself?
In a 2013 article on Forbes, Nick Morgan estimated that 600,000 to 1 million books are published each year. That includes both traditional and self-publishing. Traditional publishers rarely, if ever, accept first-time authors—especially if they’re not represented by established literary agents. Even then, they expect professionally prepared book proposals; something a professional ghostwriter can help you with, at a substantial cost. Even if your book is accepted, you may end up waiting anywhere from 18 months to 3 years before your book is published—if at all. On the other hand, savvy authors interested in self-publishing can see their name in print within a matter of months. And what about those huge-dollar advances? Those are things better left for the movies. Don’t expect much, if anything.
9. Have you started on the manuscript yet? If yes, how far along are you? If no, how do you envision the process of writing your book?
In other words, do you plan on being intimately involved with the writing process, or would you feel more comfortable leaving it up to the ghostwriter along with editorial input? Do you have research, notes, and interviews you’ve already collected? Ghostwriters can write books for everyone—from someone who can’t read or write, to experienced writers who know how to write manuscripts themselves. They’re also prepared to work with the author through a variety of channels: in-person or telephone interviews, emails, and even notes scrawled on the back of envelopes.
10. Do you have an editor in mind?
If not, you’ll need to hire one in addition to you and your ghostwriter’s efforts. Let me be clear: even if you hire a professional ghostwriter to write your story, you’ll still need to hire an editor. Most publishers insist on it. Why? Because everyone can make mistakes. The more eyes on your manuscript, the better.
11. When would you like to see your book published? Do you have a target date? A special upcoming event?
Timing is everything. Publishers claim that the “sweet spot” for publishing a new book can be several months to as little as two weeks. After that, it’s off to the next new books. If you’ve just written a warm, fuzzy, family-oriented book, Christmas might be the time to sell it. On the other hand, if you’ve written a book about outdoor activities and grilling, perhaps lining your publication date up with the 4th of July makes the most sense. What you don’t want to do is publish a book about the latest outdoor gadgets during the middle of winter. No one will buy it. You’ll need to decide when you’d like to publish your book 6-12 months in advance.
12. How long do you envision your book to be? (e.g. number of pages, number of words, etc.)? Do you envision a special format (e.g. coffee table book, or other large formats)?
Many ghostwriters recommend at least 150-200 pages as a starting point for simple format books. That translates to around 40-50,000 words, more or less. The cost of having your book ghostwritten will go up and down from there. See notes below.
13. Will you be hiring a book cover designer, or do you need help with that?
The front book cover is probably the MOST important part of the book. It’s the thing that will make people want to pick up your book from the New Releases table at Barnes & Noble—or not. You DO NOT want to skimp on this or have a well-meaning friend design your cover for you. And, don’t forget about the back cover. The cover and back cover is often the difference between selling your book or seeing it languish in the back room of bookstores—or in dumpsters.
14. Are you planning to include photos or graphics in your book?
If so, are they your own or do you need help with creating/licensing them? If you need permission to use the material, make sure you write the powers that be in plenty of time before publication and save the documentation should you ever run into legal issues. Photos and graphics can also drive up the cost of the book—above and beyond the manuscript, editing, and covers.
15. Do you have a budget in mind? Does it include things like cover design, formatting, advertising, promotion, etc.?
Let’s be real. There is a LOT that goes into writing a good book. Beyond having a great story, there are hundreds of things beyond the scope of this article that need to be done properly if you want your book to be a success. As mentioned in point #12, many ghostwriters use 200 pages (40-50,000 words) as a convenient starting point and adjust their fees accordingly. But just how much will it cost to have your manuscript written? That’s a difficult question, based on a lot of variables.
Depending on their experience, client load, and other factors, you can count on paying ghostwriters anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000.00 USD and more to write your manuscript. Some may charge more. Ghostwriters for famous celebrities can command in excess of $250,000.00 or more to write their books. If you speak to a ghostwriter who’s willing to write a 200-page manuscript for less than $10,000, run for the hills. Or, at the very least, vet them thoroughly. They’re either desperate for business or are not accurately representing their abilities. Hire a qualified, professional ghostwriter. You’ll never be sorry.
It’s also within the scope of professional ghostwriters to write book proposals for their clients at an additional fee. Book proposals are detailed marketing analyses that often run more than 50-60 pages. They include a table of contents, author biography, descriptions of your competition, sample chapters and other samples from the book to convince publishers why they should publish your book. While costs vary, expect to pay between $5,000 to $10,000.00 USD just for the proposal, in addition to the manuscript.
Beyond writing a professionally-written manuscript there are many things that go into successfully writing, publishing, marketing and selling your story. Done correctly, writing a book can be one of the most memorable experiences of your life. Something that you can continue to share with friends, family, and colleagues for years to come.
If you’d like help with writing a book, or a book proposal, contact the Association of Ghostwriters, Google “ghostwriters,” or contact me for more information. Don’t wait until it’s too late to share your stories with the rest of the world. Get started on writing your book today!
[1] Labrador Retriever: Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog
Poor Southern tobacco farmer: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
World War II survivor: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
