What is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is when a client hires a writer to produce a work for him, and the client is ultimately credited with authorship of the work. Ghostwriters are hired across all fields for both fiction and nonfiction works. From a career potential, it is a field that has expanded as the Internet has grown.

Identification

Ghostwriting is one of many quiet writing jobs available for those who can write well and don't mind being publicly unknown. In most cases, a ghostwriter takes an idea or basic manuscript and turns it into a novel. The person who created the initial idea is credited as the author of the publication. Occasionally, the writer can negotiate a small credit for her writing into the deal.

Nonfiction

The most common type of ghostwriting is for autobiographies. The writer can have a small or large role in the writing process. The writer's job can be as simple as acting like an editor for the public figure or as complicated as turning sketched notes and quotes into a book. Other nonfiction works, like speeches and articles, can also be ghostwritten. Businesses, medical professions and blogs are often looking for writers to create works. Although it is ethically questionable, even students look for writers to produce papers, entrance essays and dissertations.

Other Uses

Ghostwriters are less common in the world of fiction but are still used. Sometimes, they turn ideas into novels, while in other situations they create entire works for use by a publishing company. Some well-known, large-volume writers use ghostwriters to be able to continually produce the number of works their fans expect. Other times, ghostwriters work under the popular name of a person who does not exist or who has retired. For example, the "Goosebumps" series of young fiction was written by R.L. Stein. While Stein wrote the initial books in the series, the latter part of the series was continued by ghostwriters. Carolyn Keene, the writer of the "Nancy Drew" series, never existed. The series was, in fact, written entirely by ghostwriters.

Compensation

The compensation for ghostwriting depends greatly on the work being completed. The range of pay for writing a book is anywhere from $3,000 to $100,000 in the United States. The pay depends on the length of the book, the amount of writing to be done and the notoriety of the author. For a popular author, the fee could be upwards of several hundred thousand dollars.

Careers

If you are interested in a career in ghostwriting, a few considerations should be taken. Most ghostwriters specialize in particular areas of writing. If you believe you have strengths in specialized areas, try to stick to those. The Internet is a fantastic source for finding writing gigs. Check for websites with bidding potential and attempt to bid on contracts that are within your area of expertise. Use the Internet and local media to market your business and have writing samples available for potential clients to look through. Getting the first few assignments is the most difficult part, but once experience and talent partner together, the potential is limitless.