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Writer's pictureSAMUEL CHIBUNNA

How Do You Become a Ghostwriter

As a recruiter for a publishing house, I often hunt for good ghostwriters. When we see books, scripts and articles, most of these pieces are written by ghostwriters or writers who write for another person.

Ghostwriters can work alongside a publicly recognised author or work as a freelancer with their work adjusted perfectly to meet their client’s needs. If they have the right skills, they can improve the piece they are working on by giving the content more depth and style.

If you are considering entering this field, it is a question as to what skills and preparations you should make to succeed in it.

Below are some recommendations to help you start your career as a ghostwriter.

Know What A Ghostwriter Does

Before you begin practising your ghostwriting skills, you need to know what the position is all about. A ghostwriter typically writes a piece that will be credited to another person. That other person will provide the ghostwriter with the ideas they want to see in the main article while the ghostwriter does the writing. While some may argue that ghostwriting should be illegal, it is entirely legal as long as the idea of the piece they written is the main author’s idea.

Read

No matter what type of writer you are, it is always vital that you read often to learn about various styles and tones that you can use in what you are working on. As a ghostwriter, you need to be able to adapt to all sorts of material and make sure it works seamlessly with your intended content.

Write Content In Various Genres And Voices

Aside from reading, you can also take the time to write content in various voices and genres. For example, you can work on blog entries or fiction stories using different tones and discussing topics you usually don’t write. As you practice, you will be able to gain consistency and understand the terms needed when writing specific topics in an easy-to-understand format. The more niche your writing genre is, the higher your rate.

Create A Portfolio Of Your Work

You need to show them your work to appeal to your target audience. What better way to do so than through a portfolio? A portfolio can showcase your best pieces and allow people to read them in a better format. When picking your works, it is best to have a mixture of articles in your portfolio at various lengths to show how you remain in line with the literary tone set for these pieces.

Don’t stop by just creating stories on your blog. Branch out to Wattpad, AO3 etc., so you can gain readers to show that others widely accept your writing style.

Start With Your Contacts

Since you are just starting in this field, it is best to get some practice before officially starting the career. Ask your contacts if they need any ghostwriting done for their projects and help them make it happen. Once you are done, ask them for their feedback so you know how to improve the next time you are asked to write in that specific genre or tone.

Ghostwriting is not for everyone, but it allows writers to explore how to create different pieces and meet new people they can work with. As you gain experience, you can slowly build your career and find enjoyment in the activity that you may not have thought of before.

Can’t get enough of MiddleMe? You can find me sharing my thoughts here as well:  Instagram @kallymiddleme Twitter  (MiddleMe_net) FaceBook (MiddleMe.net) LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kallytay

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