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Ghostwriting is my favorite type of freelance writing contract, especially ghostwriting a book. The work gives me a long-term contract, and the writing is of a more journalistic nature than many other types of copywriting. Ghostwriters are often hired for more than just books, too. Some assignments include white papers, articles, speeches, letters, bios…the list goes on.

 

It’s a tricky thing to market, though. I can’t add samples of my work to my portfolio, because the whole idea of being a ghostwriter is no one knowing the ‘author’ did not write the book. I can’t even put the client on my client list. So how do you market your expertise in such an area?

 

Thankfully I have a wonderful client who knows my work and has many ideal clients for ghostwriting projects. Without such referrals I may never have come to love ghostwriting as much as I do. But referrals are definately the name of the game in ghostwriting circles.

 

My expertise is writing. The true value of having a professional do your writing for you is that you can count on a professional job. My job as a ghostwriter is to ensure the book is written in your “voice”, so it still is your book, even if you are not the one that pulled it all together. The goal is always to write a book you can be proud to have your name on, and I can be proud of having created.

 

Some of you might ask, why have someone ghostwrite a book for you? Well, say you are an authority in your field, and you’d like to build some awareness of that fact. You would probably be seeking some speaking or teaching engagements. What better way to lend credibility to your name and prove your worth to those hiring for those engagements than to have written a book on the subject? Or even a book on any subject. Not to mention the fact that you now also have something to sell at the back of the room afterwards that expands on the lecture you just gave.

 

Sounds good, right? A solid plan on becoming an authority in your field.

 

Now, do you have three months to sit down and write that book? Chances are you have all kinds of great information on your specialty scattered throughout documents, speeches, articles, reports, and various other sundry notes. Do you know how to pull it together to make a cohesive whole? What about your writing skills, how are they?

 

I can help. If you’re working towards being recognized as an authority in your field and you need a solid book….by you…to back that up, you could hire a ghostwriter like me to put it together for you.

 

And now I’m off to wrap up my latest contract. A few weeks of revisions and we should be ready to go to press. It’s a project I’m proud of, even if no one will ever know my involvement.

 

For questions or more information about ghostwriting, email me from my contact page at www.thewriteinitiative.com or leave a comment on this post.

 

Happiness is being ‘at work’ on something we love.

 

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I had this white paper on my portfolio page at one time, but as new and better samples of my work came available I decided to remove it and post it here instead. This document reminds business people that while they are experts in their fields, I am an expert in mine, and writing good copy is often harder than they think.

The Myths of Copywriting

 

Myth #1: Anyone can write copy.

 

It’s just not true. Not everyone can craft good writing, and when there’s a time crunch, things only get worse. A trained and experienced freelancer can focus on the job, get the writing done faster, and have it make more sense.

 

Myth #2: Good copy can sell your products/services for you.

 

It’s not the copy; it’s what the message does for you. What emotion does it elicit? Does it simply tell the target audience what you’re good at, or does it demonstrate it with solid facts and tangible figures?

 

Myth #3: I just need to tell my target market how reliable and innovative we are.

 

A good piece of writing doesn’t just tell you something, it shows you something, as the old ’show don’t tell’ mantra goes. Instead of using empty words (’We are reliable’), a good writer can demonstrate how you are reliable by using actual facts, figures, quotes, or the like (’We met or beat every client deadline in 2006′).

 

Myth #4: Freelancers cost too much money.

 

Truth is, freelancers save you money. By outsourcing when the going gets rough, a company can ensure it meets its deadlines without the responsibility of creating a new in-house position. There are no salaries, sick days, or benefits to worry about. Instead, you hire only for the specific project, and pay for a professional job. Even editing services can save you extra costs by avoiding sending inadequate or flawed documents to press.

 

Myth #5: I have copywriters on staff; I don’t need freelancers.

 

There are many ways to grow a business, and one of them is to market for a larger client base. You take on the work when the work is there. However, if you have more work than you do staff, why not outsource during busy times and avoid having a salary to pay during quieter times? Plus, new talent can bring a fresh perspective.

 

Myth #6: Bringing an outsider up to speed on my company’s products/services is a waste of time.

 

‘Bringing an outsider up to speed’ can actually generate new ideas and garner brainstorming that goes beyond what’s been done before. Also, by bringing in someone unfamiliar with your products or services, you can be sure that the message is going to make sense to those in your target market that might not be as familiar with your industry’s jargon as you thought. How can a fresh new take on the product hurt?

 

By Adria Laycraft, The Write Initiative

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