3 Lessons Learned (for a Ghostwriting Service)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by

What ever happened to transparency? In an age where cyber threats, identity theft and fraud have spawned multimillion dollar security companies, one would think transparency would be high on the list of most businesses, especially those selling services on the web. And yet…

While browsing the various competitive ghostwriting sites I was quite surprised by what I found: Sites with no transparency, unsubstantiated claims and some highly questionable content. As a result, I learned three valuable lessons that (I think) can benefit other business owners as well..

For example, one site that claims to have a roster of numerous writers has a number of testimonials all of which are (oddly) about the person who runs the ghostwriting services and what a wonderful job HE does. So what exactly does this “highly touted” roster of writers actually do?

Lesson # 1: Don’t create, and boast of, a padded roster of writers (or associated), most of whom will never get any work from the business. Instead, be forthright that it is your own business and that you will be utilizing the skills of other professionals as necessary.

Another website scrolled down endlessly with more copy than the Dead Sea Scrolls. The site owners, and ghostwriters, had posted tons of tedious material that was self-indulgent and led me to believe that they had never heard of the editing process.

Lesson # 2: Don’t post 2 million words of extraneous rambling on your website. It looks cheesy and nobody wants to read it – mush less take you seriously as a ghostwriter.

The third, and most alarming site, makes a host of claims that are not supported. The site claims that people will be best selling authors, but the owner fails to back it up with any “best selling” books. When Amazon rankings show self-published titles in the 10 million range, that does not indicate the kind of “best sellers” that one would envision.

Lesson # 3, Excessive amounts of marketing, hype and promises are questionable at best. Promotion need to be supported by legitimate credits (transparency).

BTW: It also struck me as odd that the site owner’s LinkedIn connections totaled well over 500, but I did not see any publishing professionals, literary agents or individuals in the industry among the listings.

Sure, there are some excellent ghostwriting businesses and I hope we can benefit from each other if our specific services do not meet the needs of a client. But I do think that transparency is important and along those lines, I’m open to questions and more than willing to share my book list with my clients. For more on me, visit http://richmintzer.com. For more on the writers, editors, proofreaders and others that will work with Your Book Your Way, feel free to ask.

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Your Book, Your Way: A New Business

Posted on July 9, 2011 by

I recently decided it was time to start my own ghostwriting business. Why not? I have been ghostwriting for years and, unlike some of the tri-state area ghostwriting groups, I pride myself on not being “elitist”. I simply enjoy working with real people and real businesses to bring their thoughts and ideas to fruition. So, with that in mind, I am in the throws of launching Your Book, Your Way, a ghostwriting service for book proposals and manuscripts.

Roughly seven years ago I was asked to ghostwrite a book about retirement planning. The subject was new to me at the time, but I made it through. Then, within a year, I had another ghostwriting assignment with a brand new author for St. Martin’s Press. We did a proposal and she landed the highest advance for a new author in the history of St. Martin’s. Shortly thereafter, I wrote a short book for the folks at L’Oreal Cosmetics celebrating 20-years of success at one of their many factory locations. Thus began my ghostwriting career, which has since included working for a wide range of clients from Broadway producers to doctors to business owners.

I have found that as a ghostwriter, the key to success, in my humble opinion, is being able to capture the voice and personality of the individual and/or business. To do so, you need a knack for understanding people and the ability to communicate effectively, which includes listening. I studied Communications in college and received my Master’s Degree in Psychology, both of which, I believe, have helped me as a writer over these past 25 years.

This business, however, is not about me, but about the businesses and individuals who are seeking a ghostwriter to tell their stories and market themselves. Time and time again, books have proven to be a very effective marketing tool for impressing clients and garnering speaking engagements.

What to look for in a ghostwriter for your book, or book proposal:

• First, you want someone with whom you can communicate comfortably.

• Next you want to know that the ghostwriter has a successful track record in books, not speechwriting or some other area. Transparency is also a plus, even in ghostwriting. Look at credentials and visit amazon.com.

• You also want someone who does not believe in the cookie cutter approach. Not all projects should fit into a set formula.

So with that in mind, I’m hoping to fit these credentials.
I can’t help but feel energized about launching this business. It is important to me that I am able to connect with my clients and that they feel inspired and actually have some fun during the writing process. After all, it’s their book, their way.

Note: I am aligned with several other professional writers, a few top-notch editors, several literary agents, some traditional publishing houses and a few self-publishing houses if you should choose that route. I’m also a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA).

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