How to: Become a ghostwriter

According to US News and World Report, ghostwriting is one of the 30 Best Careers for 2009 – along with audiologist, clergy and hairstylists. This mix clearly caters to busy people who need a benediction said while their hearing is checked in the hair salon as their autobiography is written.

Marty Nemko dishes the dirt on what it takes to become a ghostwriter – the ability to write powerfully and fast in another person’s voice with the interviewing skills to unearth interesting information from clients. Apart from emailing random celebrities and offering to ghostwrite their autobiographies, Nemko suggests other ways to break into the field.

Another source of celebrity ghostwriting work: writing speeches and articles for politicians or business leaders. You can also ghostwrite for just plain folks: websites, family histories, or Grandpa’s memoir.

The financial reward: A median salary (with eight years in the field): $56,900. Which sounds suspiciously low – are ghostwriters spiriting away their earnings from the eyes of IRS?

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2 Comments so far

Hmmm…your ending thought has led me to wonder…
I know a few ‘ghost writers’ who are always chasing a (deadly) deadline; but seem to be living more than quite well.
Thanks for another thought provoking post;-)
Lucy
http://www.esl-ealandmore.blogspot.com

I too am suspicious of the salary. I did some free lance ghost writing several years ago for a technology consulting firm. I translated some technical material their CTO wrote into something more appropriate for the public website (basically marketing material). I did it on a flat fee basis and did quite well. IF I had continued on a more full time basis, it would have been very lucrative.

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