Is Ghostwriting Worth it? 5 Awesome Benefits of Being a Ghost
The single question I get asked most as a ghostwriter is: ‘So, what exactly is ghostwriting?’
After countering with the standard jokes about ghosting my childhood pen pal and haunting the local bookstores, I’ll oblige with an obscure explanation, like, a ghostwriter is the writer equivalent of a ventriloquist puppet…or, a ghostwriter is like that A-plus student who agreed to write your English assignments for you in exchange for all your lunch treats.
The next intrepid follow-up is, ‘So why would someone want to do that? Why write a book without getting any of the credit for it?’
Did I not mention the lunch treats? (This was a kid from a rich family, and their lunchboxes were always stocked with pastrami and mini cheese wedges).
Ok, but seriously, it’s a fair question. A ghostwriter works in the shadows, doing all the hard work of putting beautiful words in happy arrangements, and taking none of the credit for it.
So, is it worth it?
A haunting conundrum…
You might pose the same question of writing in general. Most writers tend to have a love-hate relationship with our oftentimes frustrating and torturous craft.
I think the only reason we don’t have more writer-perpetrated homicides these days is because laptops are a lot less satisfying to send flying out of open upper storey windows than typewriters used to be.
But there’s a few key things that keep most aspiring writers plugging away despite the hair-pulling.
There’s the act of personal catharsis as you finally get all those pent-up ideas out on the page…The hope of seeing those ideas taking flight into the big wide world to make an impact (hopefully not on someone’s windscreen)…And, of course, the allure of validation — seeing your name, at last, in proud, embossed lettering on the cover of a published book.
The thing is, none of these rewards apply for the ghostwriter.
So, why do it?
Well, first let’s be real and admit that for most of us, the financial rewards are a major pull factor (did I mention the mini fruit roll-ups?). After all, ghostwriting is one of the few writing avenues that guarantees you a paycheck.
But for me at least, money is only one of the spokes in the wheel, and without the other spokes, this unicycle would soon be crashing and burning.
So, let’s get on with this circus act, shall we?
Whether you’re an aspiring writer contemplating the weird and wonderful world of ghostwriting… an author who wants some guarantee that hiring a ghostwriter won’t backfire in some sort of ugly revenge murder someday…or if you happen to be one of my friends or family members wondering just why I do what I do…I’m here to answer the nagging question.
Without further ado, here are five reasons why being a ghostwriter is absolutely worth it. (At least in my humble, ghostly opinion.)
5 Reasons to Love Ghostwriting
1. Experience walking in someone else’s worn-in shoes
So you probably don’t love the idea of pulling on someone’s sweaty Adidas after a few sets of tennis. But imagine getting to walk in someone else’s metaphorical shoes, to walk back through their life in the wizened old leathers of 20–20 hindsight? That’s a pretty unique and amazing journey to get access to. Of course, if you do your job right, the readers will get to come along for the ride. But as the ghostwriter, you’re in a special position to experience that journey in all its ugly and beautiful glory as you get inside your author’s head and memories. It’s a little like living a second life — one you would never have had an inkling of, traipsing around the mall in your crocs…
2. Get to plant some trees!
The story your author brings you is a seed. They’ve been carrying it around with them for months and years, and no matter how much they squeeze it or rub it or talk about it, it’s still just layin’ there.
You, the ghostwriter, get to be the gardener. You get the privilege of helping that seed take root…of nourishing it, watering it, speaking tender little words to it… until finally it bursts forth in its full glory. It was never your seed, and never will be. But without you, it never would have become an incredible tree. Thousands, maybe millions of people will get to enjoy its fruit and its shade for decades to come.
3. Enjoy the ideal working environment
The stereotypes are true when it comes to writers. (And I’m talking about vocational writers, not the 50 million newly spawned bloggers out there who have simply unleashed verbal diarrhoea on the internet).
Most of us were those insecure, socially-awkward teens who would rather spend a Friday night reading murder mysteries than go to a party. But we are also the type to build life-long one-on-one friendships and relationships that run deep.
That’s why ghostwriting offers the ideal work environment: it gives us the best of both worlds. For most of the project, we get to work independently in the safe and cosy company of our pets and pot plants. But we aren’t left in our solitude to get sucked too far into the black hole of self-doubt and creative burnout. Every now and then we’re forced to come up for air. We get to connect and collaborate with another human — one who is probably quite different from us — on a deep and profound level, with the opportunity to be energised and inspired by their unique perspectives.
Creative batteries filled, we can dive back into the work without someone looking over our shoulder, or trying to micromanage us. In a healthy ghostwriting relationship, the author puts their full trust in us, and we get the validation we crave from truly showing up in the relationship — not just doing a job, but helping to meet a pressing need through creative participation.
Of course, we also reap the practical and financial benefits that come with being on our side of the partnership — we get a guaranteed paycheck while the author carries all the financial risk. We get rewarded based on our track record and the quality of our work, instead of being at the mercy of market forces, reader whims or the publishing gods.
4. Get to focus on the best parts of being a writer
As many aspiring authors quickly discover, being a professional writer unfortunately comes with a plethora of unwanted but necessary activities that have precious little to do with the actual act of writing — and even less in common with their natural inclinations.
Marketing. PR. Publicity. Networking. Public speaking. ’Tis the stuff of nightmares.
Fortunately, the ghostwriter gets to have their wish granted for the floor to open up and swallow them into oblivion. Free from all forms of public pressure and critique, from all the personal and public demands that come with the world of the published author, the ghostwriter can simply float to the next project and focus on what they actually want to do: write!
Having the luxury of focusing on your craft without the distractions of authorhood means you can quietly level up your skills and your confidence without any publishers, fans or haters interfering and messing with your head. Even if your name isn’t on the cover of a book, you’ll still have the inner validation of a being a published writer. And hey, you’ll still have the world’s best fan club consisting of your mom, your best friend and your pet Pomeranian! What more could you want?
5. Stay limber in your writing career
To a certain degree, authorship can get you stuck in a particular groove. Once you’re published, your particular style, voice and niche is now set in public quick-drying cement — if not quite in stone. Of course you can keep growing and experimenting, but you’ll have set a certain precedent your readers and your publisher will expect you to live up to. Going in a completely new direction will take a strong force of will, and make it harder to build your following and keep agents and publishers in your corner.
As a ghostwriter, you have the freedom to be a total schizo — at least for a while. Sure, you’ll probably find you want to start focusing on a particular niche at some stage, but you can take your time figuring out what that is, dipping your toes in multiple genre and style pools, trying on different outfits till you find the one that seems to fit best. All the while, you can be as adventurous as you like.
As you explore, you’ll be acquiring a broad range of experience in the writing and publishing industry, building a diverse portfolio, and exposing yourself to a wide circle of influences, experts and potential mentors who can help guide your career and connect you to new and exciting writing opportunities.
At the end of the day, your career doesn’t have to stop with ghostwriting — this may simply be an effective stepping stone to you becoming a published author after all. Only, by that time…you’ll be embarking on that journey for all the right reasons, armed with a backpack full of wisdom, some comfy shoes, and of course, plenty of tasty snacks.
Looking for a passionate and professional ghostwriter to take on your next writing project?
Connect with me here on Medium or pop me a message at: andy @ andreakcontent dot com
Visit my website to find out how I can help you tell your story.
