Do you also think that ghostwriting is about writing the plot of a horror story? This is so funny but sadly, not true. There is more to it, than what meets the eye. So, allow us to walk you through the nuts and bolts of this profession. A shadow writer is true to its name and prefers to remain invisible like a ghost. They are sheer content writers who remain anonymous their entire careers and don’t claim any credit for their work. Sounds a little odd, right? Who doesn’t want recognition in this era where fame is everything to people? Well you see, certain people simply care about challenging themselves and not the acknowledgement.
Over the years, the demand for such writers has seen massive growth and thus, we present to you the guide to achieve a successful career in the ghostwriting industry.
Establishing An Undefeated Career In Ghostwriting: A Handbook
Cashing your talent while staying mysterious at the same time is like walking on thin ice. However, content ghostwriting is the new talk of the town. Companies are eager to hire such authors so if a beginner wants to work, here are a few must-have skills.
- Adaptability
- Strong communication
- Flexibility
- Research proficiency
Now let us have a deeper look into how an anonymous author can achieve a successful career in five easy steps:
- Define Your Niche
According to the surveys, shadow-writing is more remunerative than it seems to be. It is a broad worthwhile field that has several niches, yet to be explored. However, by any means, it is not a piece of cake. The technicalities attached to it are massive for instance the protection of own rights. Therefore, look before you leap.
First things first, you must comprehensively examine everything and find a niche for yourself. You need to define your choice of writing styles. After that note down all the genres and themes, you want to work around. In addition, make a list of businesses or public figures you aspire to work with. Also, decide on the target audience.
- Build Networks
All of the activities done in the first phase will help in wrapping your mind around the significant areas. As a result, you now know where your expertise lies and can generate samples of work accordingly.
When the portfolio is ready, you must be confident about your samples. Make a profile on different online forums related to your work and upload the portfolio for the public to notice. It is the most crucial step because here you place yourself against the world so try to make a lasting impression. However, do not just sit around and wait for life to happen. Help yourself, and reach out to relevant personnel.
- Negotiate Contracts
Once you find a job to do, complete it with your best efforts and make sure the client leaves feedback. Next up is the agreement. Carefully study the specifics and discuss them with the client before you sign. Moreover, scrutinize all the terms and conditions. If there is something that bothers you, politely convey it to the authority.
Furthermore, it is your highest responsibility to be cautious when agreeing on the given rights and royalties. You might want to consult a lawyer to understand the implications of the contract. We advise you to move at a snail’s pace during this phase. Even the smallest uncalculated move can lead to grave repercussions.
- Develop Skills
Being a covert author lets you grow in innumerable ways. Such as, in eBook ghostwriting, the novelist can shapeshift into, who is he writing as. This empowers him to play around with the tone, word selection, and perspective.
Besides this, as the famous saying goes, practice makes a man perfect. Hence, keep taking up projects even with fewer profits to hone your craft to its peak. You can also polish your skills by reading other’s work or taking up courses. Moreover, the review that your clients give you is the biggest teacher of all time.
Apart from that, there are two unique selling points of your effort as a shadow writer: quality and precision. Compromise in either of them is not acceptable.
- Market Your Service
Once done with a few assignments, now is the time to market your skills strategically. The struggle to attract potential customers will only be fruitful if the projects are appealing enough. A proper website or social media platform is necessary for the exhibition of your services.
Remember that your nature of work requires you to have fewer assignments to display as trophies on the profile. Therefore, you have to have some original and recognized work samples as proof to earn the trust of clients.
In addition, your content must be search engine optimized. Filled with keywords and tags that are relevant and help you show on the SERPs.
- Do I need a degree to be a Ghost author?
Generally, the right set of skills and abilities are enough to qualify anyone as a ghost author. However, if the assignment is specific to subjects like science, law, or religion then a formal gradation will be mandatory.
- Is shadowwriting similar to freelancing?
Yes and no, at the same time. Shadow authors are theoretically freelancers but they are the only ones not acknowledged. All the other forms of freelancing, no matter what field, get recognition and limelight for their assignments.
- Is this profession illegal?
The legality of this profession solely depends on what terms are you working on. Such as, if your task is not making you steal someone’s identity without permission, you are good to go.
- How to build an appealing portfolio?
In the initial stages, you are advised to volunteer for the unpaid projects just to collect samples for your portfolio. You might also build experience as a freelance writer first and then switch to ghostwriting.
What Else To Consider?
Along with some major takeaways, below are a few tricks and tips you will need:
To be ahead of the games you need to accept failure and rejection like lessons. You ought to go that extra mile and get yourself accustomed to different writing styles. Besides that, take a pen paper and jot down what are your professional goals for the next 2 to 3 years. In this way, you will keep track of your progress and set benchmarks. Furthermore, you must be prepared for any ethical or legal problems that might arise.
Bonus tip: Keep hold of your senses. Your emotional intelligence will prove to be a resilient weapon once you commence this journey. Best of Luck!