If you read my article on 8 Reasons Why You Should Become a Ghostwriter, you probably have found at least one reason to be one yourself. Or perhaps you've just discovered that ghostwriting is a lucrative niche and you want to discover the amazing world of ghostwriting world.
But, how?
I'll reveal the 3 sure shot steps to let you through the doors of the ghostwriting right now.
Whether its blogs, articles, letters, emails, newsletters, scripts, books, ebooks, reviews or opinions- you write them down. Pitch to the editors of popular publications, newspapers, newsletters, blogs and magazines. In short, pick every opportunity online to get your writing with your byline out there.
Once people know you and you have got enough evidence of all your work being published and read, you will automatically have won the right to write for others. In other words, your clients will easily accept you to ghostwrite for them.
When it comes to ghostwriting, there is no such thing as a shortcut. You need to be patient.
Think of it like sitting in a long queue of traffic despite having the newest and fastest car. There's no escape. You are sort of stuck there and you can move forward and progress only by leaving the ones ahead of you behind. You do that by working hard. By writing more. By writing exceptionally well.
You need to 'earn' the title of a ghostwriter. For that, you need to have a strong portfolio of your work and stories of your success to back up your power to write. To write for others, that is.
This can realistically take several years and even decades to do. Take your time to practice your writing and gain experience to get there.
I broke into ghostwriting when a client of mine (on a content mill called Elance) asked me if I could help him with his book. Once I wrote the first one, I was given several more books to write for him.
And guess what I charged him for each one?
A mere $50 per book of over 50 pages. That is less than a $1 per page of 400-500 words each!
Yes, that rate was insane. It was not peanuts. It was a fraction of peanuts. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing back then. I was naive. I was new to ghostwriting.
On the positive side though, I got more referrals through him and did plenty more projects at better (but still low) rates for other clients.
A decade later, I can comfortably quote as much as $0.5 to 1 per word (as opposed to less than a dollar per page that I originally started with) for my ghostwriting projects.
I slowly climbed the ladder up and took in almost every window of opportunity to write or ghostwrite. I am still climbing that ladder and there is a long way to get to the top. But, that won't stop me from reading and writing plenty. I am being patient and working hard to get there every single day.
But, how?
I'll reveal the 3 sure shot steps to let you through the doors of the ghostwriting right now.
1. Read, Write, Repeat
No kidding. That's how it begins. You write, write and write more. And for good writing, you'll need to read regularly too. This will open up your mind to fresh ideas for writing.Whether its blogs, articles, letters, emails, newsletters, scripts, books, ebooks, reviews or opinions- you write them down. Pitch to the editors of popular publications, newspapers, newsletters, blogs and magazines. In short, pick every opportunity online to get your writing with your byline out there.
Once people know you and you have got enough evidence of all your work being published and read, you will automatically have won the right to write for others. In other words, your clients will easily accept you to ghostwrite for them.
2. Don't Rush it
Don't expect to write a single piece and start ghostwriting for clients the very next day it is published.When it comes to ghostwriting, there is no such thing as a shortcut. You need to be patient.
Think of it like sitting in a long queue of traffic despite having the newest and fastest car. There's no escape. You are sort of stuck there and you can move forward and progress only by leaving the ones ahead of you behind. You do that by working hard. By writing more. By writing exceptionally well.
You need to 'earn' the title of a ghostwriter. For that, you need to have a strong portfolio of your work and stories of your success to back up your power to write. To write for others, that is.
This can realistically take several years and even decades to do. Take your time to practice your writing and gain experience to get there.
3. Climb Your Way Up
Start off with small gigs and make your way up to bigger ones. This may not pay well but will help your name get out there. Let the word of mouth spread out about your work. Once you've done that, you can demand what you think you and your writing is worth.I broke into ghostwriting when a client of mine (on a content mill called Elance) asked me if I could help him with his book. Once I wrote the first one, I was given several more books to write for him.
And guess what I charged him for each one?
A mere $50 per book of over 50 pages. That is less than a $1 per page of 400-500 words each!
Yes, that rate was insane. It was not peanuts. It was a fraction of peanuts. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing back then. I was naive. I was new to ghostwriting.
On the positive side though, I got more referrals through him and did plenty more projects at better (but still low) rates for other clients.
A decade later, I can comfortably quote as much as $0.5 to 1 per word (as opposed to less than a dollar per page that I originally started with) for my ghostwriting projects.
I slowly climbed the ladder up and took in almost every window of opportunity to write or ghostwrite. I am still climbing that ladder and there is a long way to get to the top. But, that won't stop me from reading and writing plenty. I am being patient and working hard to get there every single day.
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