Ghostwriting is a necessity for nearly every industry out there and that is why it is an amazing writing career with a lot of potential and a writing profession that any writer can pursue.
It is a skill-based job but there are no formal degrees for it and no formal courses. If you want to know how to become a ghostwriter then you need writing skills but you need a lot of other skills as well.
Let us understand how you can become a ghostwriter even if you are a beginner to professional writing. We will talk about what is ghostwriting and the difference between ghostwriting and authorship.
We will also explore freelance writing and tell you how that can tie into ghostwriting. We will also weigh in on the writing industry in general so that you might understand the writing opportunities even better.
So let us understand what is ghostwriting.
Ghostwriting Simply Explained
Ghostwriting is not creative writing although there are elements of creativity in it. Ghostwriting is a professional form of writing where a professional writer writes on behalf of someone.
The Ghostwriter does not claim ownership of the manuscript and they just provide their writing services for remuneration.
There are two parties involved in ghostwriting, the one being the ghostwriter and the other being the client where the ghostwriter is writing for clients. The client can then claim ownership of the written material and use it for publishing or for any other kind of scenario.
A ghostwriting project can be for something as simple as a blog or it can even be for something as complex as autobiography.
Ghostwriters work everywhere and in every industry and to give an example of that if you pick up any packaging that’s the nearest to you and you find an instruction manual, chances are that it has been written by a ghostwriter.
Ghostwriters are necessary wherever there is a need for professionally written quality content.
So, Is Ghostwriting Legal and Legitimate?
Ghostwriting is completely legal around the world and especially in India. We can understand the level of legitimacy and legality from the very fact that even the government and law firms use ghostwriters.
Ghostwriters are just professionals who provide a service in exchange for money and that is as simple as it can be. Whenever you hire a ghostwriter, everything is done legally and the ghostwriter signs a couple of NDAs or non-disclosure agreements.
A legal contract is created just like in the case of any other professional project where you need to hire a professional.
That is why you do not need to worry about a thing when you hire ghostwriters and you might need to hear a ghostwriter because writing tips on Google are just not enough to produce quality content.
Here Is How You Can Be a Ghostwriter
Start At a Basic Level
If you want to get big in the world of ghostwriting then you need to at least start somewhere before you can dream of big projects.
The best start would be to simply write casually. You can also write professionally for different blogging websites. If you can find out gigs where professional ghostwriters need an assistant then you can even lend a hand over there.
When you start on your journey of ghostwriting you cannot expect money or recognition at the beginning. You might not earn working as an intern at a ghostwriting agency but what you will earn is experience.
Then once you are accustomed to writing content you can then try out freelancing. Freelancing is when you enlist yourself as a freelancer on different freelancing websites like Fiverr etc.
This will give you an even better experience of what it means to be a ghostwriter.
Understand Client Communication
People outside the ghostwriting industry have the understanding that ghostwriting is all about writing skills but that is not the case.
Ghostwriting is half writing skills and half communication with the client and actually understanding the client.
The fundamental difference between ghostwriting and any other kind of writing is that when you are doing ghostwriting you are writing on behalf of someone else. That means you need to understand their ideas and their vision.
You are not working as an independent entity but you are working as a conduit for someone else’s dream.
When you do freelance work, you will understand how to do it perfectly. You will understand how to communicate with your client and you will also understand how to bring out the ideas of your client.
Additionally, you are also going to learn when to keep the client in the loop and how to give them samples of your work. The reason why communication is important is because if you do not maintain a constant link of communication then you might do a lot of time wastage.
That is why you must always keep communicative with the client and give them updates so that they might approve the update.
Apply At a Ghostwriting Agency
The third step you should take is to finally apply for a ghostwriting agency. This is because you now have the experience to work full-time as a ghostwriter.
And since you have so much professional experience along with projects to show for it, you will find it much easier to get a job at a ghostwriting agency.
If you want to be a professional ghostwriter then the best possible outcome is working at a ghostwriting agency.
This is because it is like being a banker and working at the top bank in your country. Ghostwriting agencies are the biggest entities when it comes to any kind of ghostwriting services.
In a ghostwriting agency, you will not find one or two ghostwriters. You might find ten ghostwriters but sometimes you can even find more than a hundred ghostwriters working together under a single roof.
But if you approach a ghostwriting agency with little or no experience then you will possibly be rejected. This is because a ghostwriting agency takes its reputation very seriously.
This means they will not just allow any outsiders to get into the industry and be a risk to their reputation.
That is why the more experience you can show the better you can be.
Independent Celebrity Ghostwriter
While working at a ghostwriting agency is the most formalised form of ghostwriting in the mainstream but there is a level of ghostwriting even more lucrative than that.
And that is working as a private celebrity ghostwriter and only handling celebrity clients. This is a very rare and niche market.
The reason why this exists is simply because celebrities much prefer hiring a single person rather than going to a freelancer or even an agency.
It is just something that celebrities do and if you want to reach this level then you need to create a lasting impression in the ghostwriting agency you work at.
Then you need to create your own network and finally, with a lot of hard work and networking, you can become a celebrity ghostwriter.
Additionally, if you can make sure to publish a book or two then it will help you with the experience because a majority of ghostwriting projects are going to be for books.
But How Do You Market Yourself as a Ghostwriter?
If you want to become popular as a ghostwriter then you need to market yourself and spread the word that you do ghostwriting. This is of course the phase before you get a job as a permanent ghostwriter at a ghostwriting agency.
Here at the ways in which you can be popular as a ghostwriter.
Market on Social Media
One of the simplest things you can do is simply run ads on social media about your service. You can do this while you are applying as a freelancer.
The more areas you try the more work you are going to get as a ghostwriter. When you post your ads on social media you might get a lot of people and some of them might even ask for samples.
When people ask for samples, you can ask them for a small project which you will do for free. That will be the best way to show your integrity and skills as a ghostwriter.
Try Approaching Small Businesses Online
Every ghostwriter has a specialisation. You might also be good at something as a ghostwriter and that is why you should approach industries that have or need that kind of content.
Perhaps you are an expert at writing content for children’s products. That is why you should do a quick Google search and find out the websites that sell children’s products.
Then you should review the quality of their content and email them that you can do for better job. You should also have them understand the importance of SEO and relevant keywords.
Do Not Refuse Jobs
When you start your career as a ghostwriter and you get project offers on freelancing websites or at other places you might run into a problem.
You might not find the best clients because the clients might not agree with your pricing and might ask for a very low price.
Or you might not even like the kind of work you are getting assigned. But when you are at the beginning of your career you should not be too picky.
This is because if you keep on doing the jobs you get, your name is going to grow in the industry and then when you are moderately established you can choose the projects you like and not just take in random projects.
How Much Can You Earn with Ghostwriting?
Fiction Writing
If you do fiction ghostwriting in India then you can expect to make a proper living because it is one of the most lucrative ways to earn as a ghostwriter.
This is because fiction ghostwriting is always in demand and with more people self-publishing their books, fiction is much higher in demand than non-fiction.
In India, you can expect to earn anything from ₹50 to about ₹100 for every thousand words. Although you can even earn ₹1 per word but that is among the highest you can get for ghostwriting friction in India.
It all depends on where you are doing the ghostwriting because if you write for an agency then you can expect higher payment but if you write as a freelancer then you are not going to get the same level of payment.
Non-fiction Writing
When we talk about nonfiction, the rates can become a little bit different because the demand for nonfiction is completely different from fiction.
Non-fiction is a more formal and commission type of work where you might get contracts from educational institutions on a yearly basis.
The payment model in non-fiction is different from the model in fiction ghostwriting because when it comes to non-fiction, ghostwriters usually charge by the hour.
Since nonfiction is specialised work that needs highly technical knowledge of that subject the payment rates are quite high.
If you are a skilled ghostwriter then you can expect to make about ₹1000 per hour. But of course, that rate can depend on the industry and the type of nonfiction writing.
Non-fiction ghostwriting is usually a different kind of skill that is highly technical and different from fiction ghostwriting which needs a lot of imagination.
Online Web Content Writing
Now we come to the third and probably the most popular form of ghostwriting which is online web content writing.
This type of ghostwriting has seen a considerable rise because every website needs content whether it is service page content or whether it is blogs and articles.
Brands need content even if they want to make a social media post. That is why there are different rates for different types of online web content writing.
If you are an established ghostwriter and you do blog post writing then you can expect ₹1 per word rates. If you are a beginner then the rate is going to be lower.
Let us hold blog post writing rates as a baseline because now if you want to know service page content rates then they are higher than blog post writing rates.
Now if you compare that to article writing then the rate is lower than blog post writing.
If you need social media content then the rate is actually different and based on different kinds of payment models. The client might pay you for posting social media content on a monthly basis or it might even be per post basis.
What Are the Different Types of Ghostwriting Jobs?
Speeches
One of the most popular forms of ghostwriting is speech ghostwriting and it is used by everyone from political leaders to community leaders, celebrities etc.
Speeches are even used for every kind of event whether it is educational events at schools or whether it is national events or even corporate events.
That is why if you can get into speech ghostwriting then it will definitely be an amazing experience.
TV Series and Movie Scripts
You can also get into TV series or movie script ghostwriting because they are also definitely very popular. While it might be difficult to get started with them but you can definitely keep trying.
It has one of the highest paying rates out there and if you can manage to create a career in scriptwriting then you will have one of the most stable ghostwriting careers out there.
Fiction Ghostwriting
Now we come to the most familiar form of ghostwriting which is friction ghostwriting. Within fiction ghostwriting you get everything from novel writing to story writing.
Fiction ghostwriting requires a lot of imagination and also understanding and good communication with the client.
Non-Fiction Ghostwriting
Non-fiction ghostwriting can be anything from writing on different types of research topics and it can be about anything that is not fiction.
Non-fiction ghostwriting can be about motivational books or it can be about therapy books as well as tech magazines and so much more.
Non-fiction ghostwriting can involve technical ghostwriting for different products such as instruction manuals and product specifications. Non-fiction ghostwriting is a very broad topic and it needs a blog of its own.
Autobiography
Autobiography ghostwriting is a special kind of ghostwriting where the client hires the ghostwriter to write their autobiography or the story of their life.
This is usually the case when the client is too old or perhaps does not have professional writing skills to write down a book.
This is a type of ghostwriting where the ghostwriter needs to be in constant communication with the client and develop a relationship with them.
Blogs and Articles
Blog and article ghostwriting is the most popular form of ghostwriting where the ghostwriter writes blogs for the company of the client.
If you visit any service-based website on the Internet and if you find a section called blogs then it is highly probable that a ghostwriter has written it.
Landing Page and Service Page Ghostwriting
If you decide to create a good and permanent career out of ghostwriting then one thing you can do is to write landing pages and service pages.
These are some of the most popular gigs for ghostwriters because the work is not complicated and does not need any specialisation.
However, you need to establish a good communication channel with your client in order to express their vision of the company on the landing and service pages.
There are so many other kinds of ghostwriting and ghostwriters out there and there are things like academic and educational ghostwriting as well as children’s book ghostwriting, finance ghostwriting and so much more.
Ghostwriting is also excellent for you if you ever plan on becoming a published author because ghostwriting will give you plenty of experience to do so.
Having said that, if you are looking for a professional ghostwriting agency with some of the finest writers and ghostwriting talent as well as skills then we are here for you.
We are Ghostwriting India and we are the fastest-growing ghostwriter-for-hire agency in India. We do every kind of ghostwriting out there from academic ghostwriting to memoir writing.
We do children’s book ghostwriting as well as scriptwriting. We are also experts when it comes to online web content writing such as service pages and landing pages as well as blogs and articles.
We are basically the one-stop solution for all your content and ghostwriting needs and we welcome you to check out everything we do on our website.
COMMON GHOSTWRITING FAQs
Is it hard to become a ghostwriter?
It is as easy or as difficult as any other career or profession. The thing you must keep in mind is that there are no shortcuts to ghostwriting.
You need to take one step at a time and gather your experience because experience is everything in ghostwriting. You need to keep on writing and not be too picky about your clients in the beginning.
All you need to do is simply keep on acquiring new skills and develop client communication skills.
You need to understand how to meet deadlines because deadlines are something very important in ghostwriting. If you simply have the passion for it then it will be a dream career for you but if you do not like writing then you will not enjoy it.
How do I start ghostwriting with no experience?
You cannot do ghostwriting without experience and if you want to start ghostwriting without experience then the first thing you need to do is to gather experience.
You need to start writing and you might not get paid for it in the beginning. You need to start writing blogs and you need to establish yourself as a professional writer.
You can then utilise that experience in order to become a freelancer and work as a freelancer on freelancing websites. You might not get the best rates but you will at least get paid as a ghostwriter. It will give you enough experience to apply for a job at a ghostwriting agency.
And once you get a job at a ghostwriting agency you can officially call yourself a professional ghostwriter that is permanently established in the ghostwriting industry.
What is the qualification of a ghostwriter?
You do not need a qualification to get into ghostwriting. Although you will find ghostwriters with bachelor’s degrees in literature as well as master’s degrees as well.
This is still not a formalised industry which means you do not have specific courses and degrees that come with any other technical course.
With ghostwriting, all you need is experience and willpower and if you have both of them then you can make it big in the ghostwriting world.
Having said that, being a ghostwriter might also be difficult for you since it is not a standardised industry and there are still no courses or degrees.
All you need to do is to be passionate about ghostwriting and things will be alright.
