Lessons Learned from Ghostwriting

I’m sure there are many lessons that people learn when ghostwriting a book. These are a few of the things that I’ve learned in my own experiences.

Active listening during an entire interview or conversation. You can take notes while you talk or record the conversation if the client knows you’re using a recorder, but if you don’t have a recorder or don’t use it for phone calls you could miss some important details.

Most people love to talk about themselves and what they are interested in. A few questions may be all they need to give you the information you need.

If you are not clear on something, then repeat what you think they said and ask if that is right. You can also ask them to clear up some confusion over a topic or fact.

Ghostwriting can help you find your own voice by learning to write with someone else’s voice.

These are just a few. If you do some ghostwriting and have other things you’ve learned from the experience I’d love for you to leave a comment. Have a great day!

Virtual Book Tours

Anyone who visits the blog regularly knows that once a month I have another author for my guest. We get to learn about them and at least one of the books they have written. I started a year ago to participate with a group that formed after attending the Museonline Writers Conference 2008. This free conference is one of the best conferences you could ever attend. It lasts a week and Lea Shivas and those who work with her to make this conference a success offer workshops and discussions with awesome, knowledgable presenters.

One of the workshops I participated in last year was concerned with promotions online. A few of us exchanged emails about starting a group that could do virtual book tours together on a rotation. The result was the VBT – Writers on the Move group.

Virtual book tours are a growing promotional tool and a great way to help other writers get the word out. It’s fun and can help bring people you might not otherwise get as random visitors to your blog.  You can put on your calendar that the 1st and 3rd of each month you’ll find another guest author here.

Everybody’s talking about… Family Relationships

Today I’m participating in a mass blogging! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about family relationships. Why family relationships? We’re celebrating the release of Therese Walsh’s debut novel today. The Last Will of Moira Leahy, (Random House, October 13, 2009) is about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, whom she lost when they were teenagers. Visit The Muffin (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html) to read what Therese has to say about family relationships and view the list of all my blogging buddies. And make sure you visit Therese’s website (http://www.theresewalsh.com) to find out more about the author.”

Goodie Giveaways: Besides link-love, we have several goodies to give away (gift certificates, t-shirts, tote bags, books, subscriptions). We will hold random drawings for all bloggers who participate by putting all of your names in a hat. Good luck!  Go to , The Muffin

Blending Families

I have a blended family, like many other women. It has its challenges, but we have had some great times with all of the kids. When my husband Greg and I got married eleven years ago, he had three adult children from a previous marriage and I had three children – two teenagers nearing 18 and a 12 year old daughter. My two oldest left home before the wedding so that left my 12 year-old in a home with two parents. She wasn’t particularly happy about the changes at first. I had been a single mother for almost 10 years. She had always thought it would be just the two of us during her high school years. It was rough that first year or so, but we came out on the other side as a close knit family unit. Our daughter became more “ours” than just mine.

The peak of great times involving all six of our children was at a family wedding. Everyone came from around the country and we spent three days together. It was the first time we had all been in one place at the same time. We really enjoyed the time and watching our adult children interact as siblings.

I know that everyone hears the worst stories about blended families. Ours has been spiced with trials, tragedies, and heart wrenching times, but the good times have been like climbing to the top of the mountain and seeing the whole view. I wanted those of you with blended families who are in the trenches trying to build a family that there are good things that happen.

Now for my guest:

About the author, Therese Walsh:

Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of genre fiction. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She’s had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.

She has a master’s degree in psychology.

Aside from writing, Therese’s favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell.

Therese’s website: http://theresewalsh.com
Therese’s blog: http://theresewalsh.com/blog.html
Writer Unboxed: http://www.writerunboxed.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ThereseWalsh
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/therese.walsh

About the book:

The Last Will of Moira Leahy

By Therese Walsh

A LOST SHADOW
Moira Leahy struggled growing up in her prodigious twin’s shadow; Maeve was always more talented, more daring, more fun. In the autumn of the girls’ sixteenth year, a secret love tempted Moira, allowing her to have her own taste of adventure, but it also damaged the intimate, intuitive relationship she’d always shared with her sister. Though Moira’s adolescent struggles came to a tragic end nearly a decade ago, her brief flirtation with independence will haunt her sister for years to come.

A LONE WOMAN
When Maeve Leahy lost her twin, she left home and buried her fun-loving spirit to become a workaholic professor of languages at a small college in upstate New York. She lives a solitary life now, controlling what she can and ignoring the rest–the recurring nightmares, hallucinations about a child with red hair, the unquiet sounds in her mind, her reflection in the mirror. It doesn’t help that her mother avoids her, her best friend questions her sanity, and her not-quite boyfriend has left the country. But at least her life is ordered. Exactly how she wants it.

A SHARED PAST
Until one night at an auction when Maeve wins a keris, a Javanese dagger that reminds her of her lost youth, and happier days playing pirates with Moira in their father’s boat. Days later, a book on weaponry is nailed to her office door, followed by anonymous notes, including one that invites her to Rome to learn more about the blade and its legendary properties. Opening her heart and mind to possibility, Maeve accepts the invitation, and with it, a window into her past. Ultimately she will revisit the tragic November night that shaped her and Moira’s destinies, and learn that nothing can be taken at face value, as one sister emerges whole and the other’s score is finally settled.

Note: To read reviews about The Last Will of Moira Leahy, please visit Therese’s website: http://theresewalsh.com/News_Reviews/news_reviews.html

Why be a Ghostwriter?

Sometimes people ask me why I would want to ghostwrite when I could spend the time writing under my own name or pen names.

For me, the answer is that ghostwriting provides a good income if you establish a good reputation with publishers, book packagers, and clients/authors. I’ve also become a better writer. After all, the more you write, the better you get if you are truly working on your craft and pushing yourself to always get better at it.

If you are a person that doesn’t like anonymity and it’s important that you are the one in the lime light, then ghostwriting isn’t for you. When the book does well, I’m still very excited about it, but my author is the one who is taking the bow. That is what I get paid for – to remain a ghost, in the background.

One of the books on leadership that I ghosted became an amazon best seller in Canada. I have a copy of it on the shelf with other books I’ve written and am very proud to have it there. However, it is important to remember that without the author’s ideas and message, I wouldn’t have written the book. The collaboration is a great experience, especially when you and the author really click together.

Ghostwriting has given me the opportunity to write about many different topics – nonfiction. I’ve written about overcoming fears, becoming more than you are, getting the best and most out of life, leadership in business, real estate, teaching children how to manage money, and finding your purpose.

Most ghostwriters get paid a flat fee for their work and then go on to the next project. Sometimes a ghostwriter is recognized. One of my clients recognized me in the acknowledgements of his book. Occassionally, a ghostwriter gets a small percentage of the profits/royalties on books sold.

Sunday and What Happened to Fall?

I admit that my efforts for every day blogging for a month now has a couple of missed posts. However, I am going to keep going. Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I usually spend the moring involved with choir, Sunday school, and services and than have a quiet afternoon with family or friends. Sometimes, I read or take a nap. By evening, I start putting things together for the week.

This weekend we went from a few days of Fall weather, most of the leaves haven’t even turned yet – Winter arrived yesterday with a major cold front and we had our first freeze. Wow!

Tomorrow … more about ghostwriting.

Successful Ghostwriting

The initial interview helps getting to know your client/author as well as what they want to cover in the project.  I begin by finding out about the client’s background and interests. How did they get to where they are? Visit with them regularly during the project.

Clarify the type of book they want to write and what the subject will cover. As a ghostwriter, part of your job is to help direct your client in narrowing a subject that is too broad. For example, relationships has many subtopics. Education has many aspects. It is best to focus in on one aspect or only a few related subtopics. People don’t realize it, but their first instinct is to cover everything in one book. It becomes a never ending book. Encourage your client to write more than one book about the topic.

Work through the basics of what they want to say in the book. Their personal stories help enrich the content and help the reader to associate with the writer and the subject matter. What people does the client admire? Do they have favorite quotes? Who is their market? Are they clear on what the overall message is?

Compile some questions that you want to ask your client about their book and put together specifics that help clarify what the book includes. Then, put together an outline. Submit the outline to your client and then collaborate until you get the outline that your client is satisfyed with.

Next, it’s time to begin writing. As in other writing, allow yourself to write the first draft imperfectly. No first draft is ready for publication. It is where we start.

Most of all, enjoy working and collaborating with your client. Give them your best and they will return for your services time and time again. They will also refer other people to you.

For additional information about becoming a ghostwriter, read my article at Writing for Dollars.

More on Ghostwriting

Okay, for anyone who is keeping track, yes, I missed yesterday. However, I’m back today. A good friend passed away and I just didn’t make it to the computer yesterday. I’m really trying to do well with the posting daily challenge. I won’t let one day missed stop me. Now, lets look at ghostwriting.

The biggest challenge in being a ghostwriter is to always write in the author’s voice. Your client is the author. When doing a ghostwriting workshop, I include how to capture that person’s voice.

Some tips are:

Listen to the way they speak.

Ask yourself if there are certain terms or words they use a lot.

Watch for common phrases.

Listen to how they structure their sentences – spoken or written.

Talk with them in person and through emails enough to capture how they say things and how they feel about the subject matter.

Get them to tell you personal stories that will fit in with the theme or subject matter of the book. They will help you maintain their voice, as well as put more of them personally in the book.

Use a recorder if you can. If you’re working with them from half way around the world, talk often on the phone. There may be a video of them speaking that they can send you or one online.

Ask them for notes or any drafts they may have of the book. Those are helpful for sentence structure.

Then, start writing and do the polishing so that your author’s message flows.

Those are the tips for today. Tomorrow I’ll address how to get to know your client through interviews.

On Being a Ghostwriter

I went to a party about a year ago and when a woman asked me what I do, I told her I was a freelance ghostwriter, author, and speaker. She nodded and then asked “Do you like scary stories?”

I had to explain to her that a ghostwriter doesn’t write stories about ghosts or necessarily scary stories. Anyone else who may be a little confused, let me clarify that ghostwriters are hired to work with a person who has a good idea, a message, or information that they want to write into a book. They either don’t have time to do it themselves or can’t write. So, ghostwriters like myself collaborate with them and assist them in writing their book.

In cases with high profile clients, a ghostwriter has to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Sometimes, the ghostwriter’s name is given with the author’s name. For example, Don Piper with Cecile Murphy (90 Minutes in Heaven). Most of us work annonymously and are paid a flat fee for our work. Then, we move on to another project. It can be a very lucrative career.

Hope you’ll come back tomorrow to find out more about this life as a ghostwriter.

October is Awareness Month

October is probably best recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. When I went to the market today there were pink balloon, pink reusable shopping bags, pint flowers, and even a chance to win a pink scooter. With gas prices bouncing up and down, a scooter might not be a bad alternative to a car. We see people with pink ribbons and many companies put out special packaging with pink or pink ribbons during October. It is a very worthy cause. I am totally in favor of and support efforts to end all types of cancer.

However, it is also awareness month for some other causes as well. It is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a problem in our society and world wide that persists. If we all worked together, then it could be stopped. I’m a survivor of domestic violence. We need to help each other and not ignore when we hear something or see someone abusing another person. No one deserves to be treated that way. The National Hotline is 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 1.800.787.3224 (TTY)
Anonymous & Confidential Help 24/7

Others are:  Niemann-Picks Disease Awareness (a disease that affect metabolism and that are caused by genetic mutations) find out more at Niemann-Picks

Head Start Awareness Month – find out more at Help Children

Energy Awareness Month – learn about it Energy

Disability Awareness Month

You can find all the other things that October is at What Health?

Just wanted to take this opportunity to share with you all the things I know I wasn’t aware of besides Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness.

Watch for the Spirit of Christmas Catalog

I know that some people may already have their Christmas or holiday shopping completed. I’m not one of those. When my children were small, I used to collect small gifts from the starting in August and accumulate them until it was time to wrap and put them under our Christmas tree. However, as they have gotten older (now all adults) I don’t do that any more.

I am excited to tell you about the Spirit of Christmas Catalog that is coming out to help all of you do some shopping from home. There will be books, videos, and music. There may also be other gift items. I’m excited to be included in it myself and at the same time anxious to see all the things that everyone else is submitting. My books Rebekah Redeemed will be included, as well as my novel that is coming out just in time for the holidays, Shelter from the Storm.

When I think about Christmas catalogs, I remember as a child being so excited when they would come in the mail. My brother and I would pour over them. It was all part of the excitement of the season. I’ll be getting the url for you as soon as it comes out. I know it’s early, but I can’t resist. Merry Christmas!