How to Hire a Ghostwriter

Many business owners know what they want to write, whether it's brochure copy or an autobiography. They just don’t know how to put what they want to write into actual words. That's where a ghostwriter comes in. A ghostwriter turns your vision into words, but you put your name on the final copy. No one has to know that a ghostwriter wrote the copy unless you want them to know.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

How to Hire a Ghostwriter

1. Identify your needs. Why do you need to hire a ghostwriter? Do you need a ghostwriter to write brochure copy, your life story or just a business letter?

2. Determine where you are going to find a ghostwriter. You can post an ad in your local newspaper, on the internet, on a job board or even on an online auction marketplace.

3. Focus on more than just price. If you want quality, you're going to have to pay for it. There may be an occasion when you find a talented writer who wants to build her portfolio and, as a result, she will give you a lower price. Generally, however, expect to pay for quality work.

4. Ask to see potential writers' portfolios. Writing samples are important for several reasons. They allow you to evaluate the writer's work and to determine whether you like the ghostwriter's particular writing style.

5. Ask each writer you are considering to provide you with the name and contact information of current or former clients. Do not just ask for references; actually contact those references. Find out whether they were happy with the ghostwriter's work, whether the project went smoothly and how well the ghostwriter communicated. If the reference won't work with the ghostwriter again, find out why.

6. Ensure that the ghostwriter signs a work-for-hire agreement prior to work commencing. A work-for-hire agreement essentially states that, upon full payment for the project, you own all copyrights to the work, barring the ghostwriter from ever using the work again. (Many ghostwriters stipulate that they own the work until payment is made in full.) You may want to allow the ghostwriter to use a portion of the work in his portfolio, but that is entirely up to you.

7. Create a project proposal before the ghostwriter begins work. A project proposal should outline the details of the project, including the date the project will begin, the project deadline, the amount of pay, the method of payment and any other information you deem pertinent.

8. Chances are, your ghostwriter is going to ask you for a deposit before work begins, so be prepared for it. If you have a big project, you may want to set project milestones. At each project milestone, the ghostwriter turns in a portion of the project and you pay a portion of the total project fee.