You’ve got that Great American Novel in you. It’s kicking and scratching to get out, and will do just about anything to get out and be seen and heard. It’s right there, on the tip of your fingers, almost punching through that invisible barrier that sets you apart from other writers who have either found their voice and the means to tell their story . . . or have located and hired a ghostwriter. Yes, sometimes we all must face this fact: that we cannot or should not engage in a particular activity. Doing so may result in abject failure on all levels. And then what? Your novel languishes in agony.

An example: I cannot cook. I don’t even like to cook. If I were stranded on a deserted island, with a lavish fire pit and full kitchen with all the condiments and any foodstuff I could ever wish for, I’d still eat coconuts and chase crabs all day. A smart person would hire a cook.

Psychologists who specialize in learning have found that people who do not know where to start often do nothing at all to help themselves. My advice: start anywhere, ask a friend, call your librarian, type one or two key words into a search engine and see what comes up. With time, those who make an attempt to learn will find something useful, which they’ll refine, little by little, until they’ve reach their goal.

Rather than have you “start anywhere,” I’d offer the following simple steps: use a search engine to find results for ghostwriter or book ghostwriter. If you’re looking for someone to write articles for magazines, then try articles ghostwriter or magazine ghostwriter. For now, let’s stick with book ghostwriter. As you gather the results, list of ghostwriters and ghostwriting companies appears.

Now what? Pick the top one, even if it’s an ad or, in Google, a sponsored link. Go to the website and study it. Is the site clean and professional? Does it draw you in? What about the person or persons behind it? Do you get a warm and fuzzy feeling about them? Your intuition will guide you, so please do listen to it. If the website belongs to a single person, do they readily identify themselves and their credentials? What about fees? Do they state their services and fee structure up front? Do they have testimonials from previous happy clients? Are the names of those clients revealed? What about a site belonging to a company that provides ghostwriting services? Do they readily identify themselves? Who’s the person in charge? What are his or her credentials? Who are the people behind the scenes, the ones who run the daily operations? Do you get the feeling it’s a legit business? Do they make lofty promises that seem too good to be true? For example, do they claim to have top New York trade publishing industry contacts, or bestselling authors who work with them, but then upon light investigation the company offers no proof?

Again, regardless of your level of experience, your intuition will guide you to a first impression about a prospective ghostwriter or company that provides ghostwriting services. Personally, I recommend steering clear of any company that offers ghostwriting services, as they typically make claims they cannot back up, and often treat clients and authors poorly, in some cases, spending more time suing their own authors rather than working with them. Some examples of this poor treatment can be found on various writing forums on the web.

Once you’ve done a little research and made a list of some ghostwriters you like-initially, at least-it’s time to write some queries to these prospective ghostwriters. Please treat these electronic queries as if they were formal business letters: be professional and polite when addressing a prospective ghostwriter and when asking questions. Please be candid and accurate about your project, allowing the ghostwriter to better assess how he might help you.

Don’t send off the first draft of your query. Allow it to sit for a day or two, then go back and read it. Is it a polite and professional query letter? Have you described your project sufficiently and accurately? Have you stated in clear terms what assistance you’ll need from the ghostwriter? Did you ask about fees? The ghostwriter-client agreement should also be a topic of discussion, so don’t forget to ask about the contents of it.

Once you’ve interviewed 5-10 prospective ghostwriters, do some background checking, using the tools of the worldwide web. If possible, get references from your prospects. Anyone worth his salt will gladly give you, in the least, email addresses of previous happy clients you may interview. In some cases, previous clients may wish to remain anonymous and will not talk with you, much less escape the pages of a ghostwriter’s address book. You’ll just have to do more fact checking and researching.

If you get a bad or uncomfortable feeling about a prospect, cross him off the list and move on. The really good professional ghostwriters out there will make themselves available to prospective clients. Let’s say you’ve done your due diligence and have now landed a hot prospect. Yaaaay! The next step is to define how you will work with him or her, and then get cracking.

You’re now on your way. Best of success. . . .

William Dean A. Garner is a bestselling ghostwriter and editor of fiction and nonfiction books. He also is the principal and senior editor of Ghostwriter-Editor.biz LLC. Please contact him at articles@ghostwriter-editor.biz, or visit ghostwriter-editor.biz.

Last year I had the opportunity to finish several ghost writing projects. As with most ghostwriting I do, the experience is bittersweet. Bitter because from time to time I lose focus and find myself wallowing in self pity, usually when a brilliant story, metaphor, or simile is born, and no one will ever know I wrote it. During these moments, only moose tracks ice cream will do, and no, I can’t stand the sound of a keyboard under my fingers.

Why am I telling you this? Because if you are here, you are probably wondering if you should ghostwrite until you can have your own byline. That’s a decision only you can make, but it’s helpful to first talk to others who have done it. Then and only then can you determine if ghostwriting is a good fit for you.

This is what you can take from my experience …

Pride of ownership (or authorship) is a sly beast that can seduce the most humble soul. “Writers Write,” I drill myself when the best pops out, and eventually I’m back on track.

Of course, it helps to write things that make a difference, at least for me; I have to believe in what I write–and that’s partly the sweet. Over time, however, I’ve come to realize that the sweetest part of the deal is what I, the writer, have gained from ghostwriting. And no, I’m not talking about the paycheck.

Confidence
My self-confidence as a writer grows from seeing my words in print and knowing that someone is reading them. Yes, I aspire to have a byline like the next writer, but when the rejection slip arrives, confidence can take a hit and so can momentum. Ghostwriting fuels momentum when nothing else will.

Mastery
Mastery comes through practice. And there’s no better opportunity to practice than moving beyond the dress rehearsal and on to the real stage. Ghostwriting lends me this opportunity. It is particularly important for me to write for a real audience because I don’t ever want to teach writing from a theoretical stance. I want to experience the frustration my students experience and the joy of finally birthing writing others want to read. My craft improves when I write; ghostwriting can keep me writing.

Honesty
For me, writing is not a job but a passion and a mission. I don’t write for money or self-fulfillment (although I like getting paid for my writing and find fulfillment producing it). I write because I can make a difference with the passion I was given — I write to move. I write to inspire. I write to give hope. And I write to make this world a better place — thus I can and will only ghostwrite if I can sleep at night and face myself in the morning. It is easy to compromise when no one is watching –when the product doesn’t bear my name. Ghostwriting tests my integrity.

Some writers strongly advise against ghostwriting. Jerry B. Jenkins, prolific writer and bestselling author of the Left Behind series, has mixed feelings about ghostwriting. Having done so himself in five different occasions, he advises against it. He believes that “The writer deserves credit, and the reader deserves to know who did the writing.” I sense that Jenkins has developed sensitivity for the inner struggle that ghostwriters face.

Still don’t know whether ghostwriting is for you? Take on a small project and get the feel for the process. You will know.

Maria Keckler, a fired up wife, mother, teacher, leader, speaker, and freelance writer, has been inspiring and helping others for over 15 years in a variety of educational, corporate, and ministry settings. She holds a Master’s degree in English and teaches writing as adjunct instructor at San Diego Christian College and Southern California Seminary. She’s director of Instructional Technology and the Ezra Center for Excellence for a consortium of K-20 Christian schools and ministry organizations.

Blogs:  Wordsmith Me: http://wordsmithme.com/ Celebrate Hope: http://celebratehope.net/

Making money at home by writing may sound appealing, but not everyone is suited for it. The following are some skills and personality traits that writers need. Do you have what it takes to write for pay?

First of all, you need to enjoy writing. If English was your least favorite subject in school, or the thought of writing an essay sends shivers up your spine, you should consider other ways to make money from home. On the other hand, if you do enjoy writing and have a good set of basic
grammar skills, writing from home could be a profitable venture for you. Simply enjoying the writing process may not be enough, though. Writers spend a lot of time at home working alone. Do you find it easy to work by yourself or do you prefer to work with a group of people? Are you able to stay focused, and meet deadlines? These are some other elements to consider if you are interested in writing for pay.

Writers need to be able to meet deadlines and they need to work well under pressure. You may get an assignment for a 500 word article that must be completed the same day.  Writers should also be excellent researchers. You may get an assignment to write an article on a topic for which you have little or no knowledge, a place you have never visited, or a hobby you have never tried. Do you know how to find quality information about a subject, and do you know how to take what you have read and articulate it in your own voice?

Many professions require a “thick skin,” and writing is no exception. How well do you handle criticism and rejection? As a writer for hire, you are being paid to write something for someone else. You may think you’ve created a Shakespearean masterpiece; but sadly, your opinion doesn’t count. The customer is always right and if your customer doesn’t like what you have written, you will need to start over or take the article in a new direction. Is that something you can accept?

If you are going to be working as a copywriter or ghostwriter, you may not receive credit for your work. While it is becoming more common in the “book world” to give credit to a ghostwriter, the general notion is that the ghostwriter goes unknown. The owner of a website may ask you to write
several articles or blog entries, without giving you credit for the material. Would it bother you to see them take credit for your words?

Three Ways to Break Into Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is known for being a tough industry to break into. However, with some hard work and determination, you can find success in this field.

The online market is booming for freelancers. Website owners need content. They know that the more fresh, quality content they have, the more visitors they will receive. Online markets will not pay as well or carry the same clout as a glossy, full-color magazine, but they are a great way to
get your feet wet. Plus, given the fact that the cyber world moves a lot faster than the traditional printing world, your articles will be published sooner. As you know, the more pieces you have published, the easier it will be to land bigger jobs in the future.

Don’t forget to target your local newspaper when looking for freelance writing jobs. Newspapers have strict deadlines, and can certainly use freelancers (often called ‘stringer reporters’). Writing for a newspaper can be hectic; as mentioned before, they do have strict deadlines, and you
may get an assignment on a moment’s notice. However, if you do a good job and complete your work on time, the editor at your local paper could open the doors to bigger newspapers and magazines.

While you may only be able to name a few magazines, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of small, regional, and trade magazines being published today. A great tool for writers is www.writersmarket.com. It is a database full of information on markets that buy freelance work
(“market” is a general term for a magazine or newspaper). The editors at smaller magazines are oftentimes more open to working with people that have little experience.

Contacting a market and offering to write for them is often called a “query.” Each market will have different guidelines they use to accept queries; for instance, some may accept queries via email whereas some will want them by snail mail. Always use the proper name of the person you are
sending the query to. You can find this information on the company’s website or through www.writersmarket.com. It is also important to know the market you want to write for. For example, if you want to write an article containing tips for traveling with pets for XYZ Magazine, make sure that
magazine hasn’t published a similar article in the last year.

Once you have written several pieces for smaller markets, you can take the leap into writing for larger, more well-known magazines and newspapers. However, you might find you enjoy and prefer working with smaller markets.

Regardless of which niche you elect to pursue, a lucrative career could await you as a writer.