Some people think ghostwriters are, in some way, less capable than identifiable authors. Obviously, that’s untrue, and this article will explain why.
Ghostwriters require exceptional writing and storytelling skills: confidence, creativity, adaptability, and the ability to work at speed. Indeed, living the life of a fiction ghostwriter is preferable in many ways—you get to do what you love for a living with little of the downsides of fame or infamy.
In this article, we’ll explore what makes a great fiction ghostwriter, with a checklist to help establish whether this super-versatile career is for you, along with advice if you’re looking for a fiction ghostwriter for your next project.
Ready? Let’s get started.
What is a ghostwriter?
There’s no such thing as a silly question, which is why we sometimes need to address the elephant in the room. Because ghostwriting isn’t just someone who writes under a pseudonym.
Just for clarity, a ghostwriter is someone who:
- Writes content credited to another person: They might write articles or blogs, speeches, or novels.
- Adopts another person’s voice: This is a very specialized skill—the ability to convincingly write in someone else’s voice.
- Adapts their writing style to meet the client’s existing repertoire.
What skills do you need to be a fiction ghostwriter?
Writing for a living is one of the best jobs out there. Think about it: you’re never tied to an office, you make your own timetable, and you get paid for doing something you love.
But to be a great fiction ghostwriter, you need a range of essential skills.
The confidence of a ghostwriter
The best ghostwriters are unafraid of a challenge, because that’s what you get with every new assignment. It keeps things fresh, but it demands adaptability akin to an actor.
Self-confidence is key because you need to attract clients and, essentially, “talk the talk.” This is because most ghostwriters work completely anonymously—they often sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which means that they might not be permitted to publicize the fact that they’ve written a particular work, making it difficult to establish a reputation.
So, you need to be able to discuss strategy with clients to ensure you meet their expectations. But you also need to be okay with someone else receiving the credit and accolades for your work.
How do you build a portfolio as a ghostwriter?
While it can be more challenging for a fiction ghostwriter to build a portfolio, there are established ways to showcase your work.
You just need to be a little clever about it, and confidence is one of the key skills because you need to be able to “sell” yourself, know your value, and negotiate a rate that reflects your experience.
The creativity of a ghostwriter
Very few ghostwriting assignments give you total carte blanche to write whatever you like. Most of the time, a fiction ghostwriter is given a detailed storyline to follow.
So, you could be forgiven for thinking that a ghostwriter is just about filling in the gaps.
But here’s the thing:
Ghostwriting is super-creative, and—ultimately—you get to do the most fun part of the job: the writing. After all, an outline is a list of plot points—the ghostwriter gets to bring that to life through characters, pace, and a readable prose style.
Additional creative tasks for a ghostwriter
Depending on your level of experience, a client might task you to:
- Help conceptualize a project and organize their ideas: Some clients will have a clear brief (good times!), while others may demand honed ghostwriter investigative skills to help clarify the assignment’s boundaries.
- Be a thorough researcher: Your assignment might require knowledge of a particular profession, such as a medical professional or a law enforcer. You’ll get plenty of flavor by interviewing your client, but you may need additional external research to help deliver the convincing idiosyncrasies of the story.
- Develop the story yourself: You might be given only a title and a rough brief without additional support. Can you work as a silo?
Ultimately, you need to be a strong creative author to be a great ghostwriter, whether you’re developing the ideas or being given them.
The flexibility of the fiction ghostwriter
If there’s one facet that defines a great fiction ghostwriter, it’s their versatility. This means that you’ll need:
- Interviewing skills: You may be telling someone else’s story, and interviews are key to ensuring you glean the correct information. Listen to how they answer: this is the voice you’ll be replicating on the page.
- A love of reading: If your client has a back catalog, ensure you’re familiar with it. You’ll need to replicate their rhythm on the page and echo their lexicon.
- Tenacity: You’ll be working to tight deadlines, and you may be working alongside an editor. Be prepared to turn drafts around at speed and take notes that require swift action.
The best fiction ghostwriters can work closely to a brief when required, but can also drive the creative force of a project when given that opportunity.
How do I become a great fiction ghostwriter?
If you feel you have the creativity, confidence, and adaptability to thrive as a ghostwriter, there are plenty of opportunities. But like any job, you need to train, even if it’s informal.
You don’t necessarily need a degree in creative writing, but you do need a passion for the written word.
These are the qualities Relay looks for in a great fiction ghostwriter:
Be a fervent reader
The best way to hone your craft is to read enthusiastically. As a ghostwriter, you’re likely to write in a range of styles and tones, so being familiar with them is essential.
After all, you can hardly write an espionage thriller without having read John Grisham, John le Carré, Ian Fleming, Stella Rimington, Tom Clancy, or Mick Herron.
If you’re a fan of these particular writers, you might be a perfect fit for our current Espionage Thriller writer position.
Build a freelance writing portfolio
Ghostwriters typically work on a freelance basis, and it can be challenging to evidence your back catalog. However, there are a few ways you can develop a portfolio you can use to demonstrate your versatility:
- Self-publish: If you’ve already written a novel and you’re getting a lot of “no” from submissions (don’t worry—everyone suffers this!), consider self-publishing. It’s a great way to demonstrate your focus and ability to complete a project.
- Mock-up: If you’ve written a piece under an NDA, create a sample of a fictional job or anonymize the sample (change names, dates, and locations).
- Create a blog: Many freelance ghostwriters contribute articles to magazines and write blog posts and articles for other clients. With permission, collate some of your work on a public or private blog website.
Create a portfolio of varied content
No two jobs are ever the same for a ghostwriter, and this is one of the reasons the job is rarely dull. So, if you’re starting out as a freelance ghostwriter, produce a portfolio of content that demonstrates your versatility.
If you’re focusing on literature, write 10,000-word samples in different styles. Write an espionage thriller, a medical thriller, or a legal thriller (we’re looking for writers in these genres). Write a romance piece (romance novels are BIG sellers), or start with a piece in your favorite niche.
But before you put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard), read plenty of examples in the genre you’re aspiring to demonstrate.
Be determined
Realistically, nobody is going to come to you in the freelance world—at least, not when you’re starting out. So, it’s important to demonstrate your determination and tenacity to make it as a fiction ghostwriter.
The average sample length most regularly requested by agents and publishers to get a taste of your writing voice is 10,000 words, so have a portfolio of examples that you’ve written yourself.
However, if the idea of writing 10,000-word samples feels too much like hard work, you’re probably not cut out to be a great fiction ghostwriter.
Note: We can all get write AI to write us 10,000 words. That’s not the point here. Never rely on AI to do the job for you. Show your personality on the page; AI can write grammatically correctly and mirror another writer’s voice, but the quality of its work is still definitely in question.
How do I find a fiction ghostwriter?
Are you looking for somebody to help bring your story to life on the page? The previous sections of this article have provided some insight into what you could expect to look for in a fiction ghostwriter.
A simple Google search will provide a long list of ghostwriters available for work. But how do you know which one is right for your project?
Here’s our checklist of things you should do when looking for the perfect match.
Ask a ghostwriter for a portfolio
As we’ve discussed above, fiction ghostwriters might work under NDAs, preventing them from sharing their work with prospective clients. But, as we’ve also explored, that doesn’t mean they won’t have a portfolio to share.
So, if your prospective ghostwriter is reluctant to share a portfolio, consider it a red flag. If they have nothing to demonstrate their abilities, it could be indicative of:
- A lack of experience: While this isn’t necessarily a non-starter, a ghostwriter needs to be able to convince you that they’re the right person. Without experience, that’s tough. Be weary of someone who’s all talk.
- Ignorance: Maybe they didn’t realize they should have a portfolio.
- Arrogance: Perhaps they don’t feel like they need to demonstrate their abilities.
Depending on the scope of your project, taking on an inexperienced, ignorant, or arrogant writer could spell problems for you. And you don’t want that!
Ask for examples in a couple of styles, and don’t be put off if their samples aren’t precisely matched to your project. If you enjoy their writing style (and their portfolio represents a range of voices), they may well be a good match.
Expect good communication
A great fiction ghostwriter needs to be responsive. A ghostwriting relationship often relies heavily on collaboration, so slow or vague responses might reflect a lack of cooperation.
Of course, you might experience slow communication because they’re working and they’re prioritizing their existing client. And that’s a good thing.
Expect some interrogation
This isn’t as serious as it sounds! No one should shine a light in your face! But, to ensure you get the most out of your relationship, expect a level of interrogative communication.
That sounds a bit dramatic, admittedly, but a great fiction ghostwriter is naturally inquisitive.
They should interrogate your needs to ensure they fully understand the parameters of your proposed project.
Do you recognize “you” in their work
While you might not immediately recognize your voice in their sample work, knowing that they can adapt is essential for a great working relationship.
So, while they might not precisely hit the nail on the head with their portfolio, can you hear distinct voices in their samples?
Does each piece of work sound like it’s from a different narrator? Can you “hear” other voices “telling the story?”
What to expect from a fiction ghostwriter
If you’ve found your perfect ghostwriting match, there are a few things you should expect from the relationship.
Timely delivery
You should agree on a project timeline with reasonable milestones. Remember, writing in any form is a craft, and it takes time.
An experienced ghostwriter will negotiate the project milestones. Respect their opinion because they know how long it will take. Don’t expect a work of fiction in a day. That’s unrealistic. For a 70k-word novel, it’s likely to take at the very least a couple of months.
But if you agree to a timeline, expect your ghostwriter to respect their deadlines. Of course, they might need more time than they predicted, but they should offer a legitimate excuse if they’re late.
Be prepared to prepare!
Your ghostwriter needs material to get them started, and that is most likely to come from you. So, be prepared to spend time with your writer.
They may wish to interview you or ask to meet informally to become familiar with your voice. Or they might suggest closer collaboration at the beginning of the process to make sure they’re capturing the right tone.
Be prepared to have some input into the process. It’s the path to the most successful outcome.
Be clear about revisions
Once you’ve agreed on a fee, your ghostwriter will get to work on the first draft. They may be in regular touch at the beginning of the process to ensure their initial chapters hit the appropriate tone and approach.
There’s no standard fee for a ghostwriter and each will have their own rates. However, you should ensure there’s a clause in your contract that specifies included revisions.
No ghostwriter will be prepared to make endless revisions—especially if you’re unclear about what you’re asking them to do at the start of the project. So, ensure you know how many revisions are included in your agreement before writing commences.
Would you make a great fiction ghostwriter?
We’re always on the lookout for talented, adaptable writers who might fit into our team of dedicated ghostwriters. We’ll pair you up with an editor and support you as much as you need to get started on a new project.
Check out our list of current ghostwriter vacancies, and get applying!
Thanks for reading.