Steps to Hire the Right Ghostwriter for Your Nonfiction Book, Autobiography, or Memoir

When I started RHIBBON NATION in April 2018, I focused solely on ghostwriting. I wrote autobiographies, nonfiction books, thought-leadership articles, website copy, speeches, opinion pieces, statements of purpose, admission essays, and others for individuals and organizations, credited to them as authors. By the last quarter of 2019, I elected to narrow my services to ghostwriting autobiographies, memoirs and nonfiction books. Since early this year, we have re-jigged the company to include book publishing services.

By February 2021, the demand for my ghostwriting services grew beyond what I could handle alone, so I got other writers to form a team. Over time, I got better at picking good ghostwriters. At the moment, the team is so good that whenever we turn in work done for clients, we are applauded. Of course, there will always be amendments to be made in terms of some things to be added or taken out or some sections to be reworded; but generally, our work tends to meet the objective of each of our clients most of the time.

I thought that having recruited competent ghostwriters time and again, I am confident I can share my thoughts regarding a question I have been asked many times ‘‘how can I find a good ghostwriter for my intended book?’’. Folks who ask this question want to avoid wasting time and money on a ghostwriter who would do a poor job, forcing them to discard whatever has been written and start afresh with a more competent ghostwriter.

The following steps would be helpful to you in finding a competent ghostwriter:

1. Be clear about what you want to be written – You have to be absolutely clear about what you want to be written. Are you looking to write an autobiography, memoir, business book, or self-help book? Also, you need to know what you want to say in the book, your target audience, and what you want to achieve with the project.

2. Identify ghostwriters, get in touch with them and schedule interviews – Search LinkedIn for ghostwriters; thoroughly go through as many profiles as you need to and shortlist 3 – 5 candidates. Send each of the shortlisted candidates a message on LinkedIn or an email to give them an overview of what you are looking to do. Then ask if they can get back to you to schedule a time for a conversation.

During the interview:

(i) Ask for samples of their written work – Even if they cannot share with you titles of books they have ghostwritten – because of a non-disclosure agreement, they should have some published articles on their website, LinkedIn pulse, or Medium.com page that you can read to get a feel of their writing abilities.

(ii) Find out for how long they have been writing – The longer the ghostwriter has been writing, the more experienced they would be. The more experienced they are, the better they will likely be at their job.

(iii) Find out their process for ghostwriting a book – How would they get the job done? Will they interview you, record, transcribe and use the transcripts to write the book? Will they research, assemble resource materials, seek additional input from you and write the book? How would the book outline be developed? Will the ghostwriter deliver the draft to you in bits, say chapter by chapter, or will they finish writing the entire book and forward the completed draft to you? What would be the level of your involvement in all these?

(iv) Talk about duration and timeline – Find out how long it will take to write the book, whether it would be 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, or 1 year. Find out when they will be available to start working with you if you hire them.

(v) Find out about a non-disclosure agreement and a ghostwriting contract – If you do not want the involvement of the ghostwriter to be public knowledge, ask about a non-disclosure agreement. Beyond this, ask for a ghostwriting contract. A competent ghostwriter should have one. Let them know you would need them to share it with you if you eventually agree to work together on your book ghostwriting project.

(vi) Assess your level of personal connection or chemistry with the ghostwriter – You will be working very closely – and most likely sharing very personal stories – with your ghostwriter. The experience would be enjoyable only if you have great chemistry with your ghostwriter. Without this connection, the entire project will be long, tiresome, and laborious.

(viii) Ask about publishing – Some ghostwriters have connections to publishers and can link you with them to work with you to publish your book. If you do not know much about the book publishing process, you might want to find out from your ghostwriter if they can be helpful in this regard.

(ix) Find out their pricing – Ask each ghostwriter how much they charge for their services. If you like one of the ghostwriters but their rates are beyond your budget, you may have to increase the amount you are willing to devote to the project or go with any of the other ghostwriters whose rates align with what you can afford.??

3. Make a Decision – After you have gone through the process above with the ghostwriters you shortlisted, it is time to decide. You have all the information you need, so go ahead and pick one of them and kick-start the writing of your book.

Conclusion

If hiring a ghostwriter on your own seems tasking, do not worry about it. All you’ve got to do is get in touch with us at Rhibbon Nation. We have built a team of competent and experienced ghostwriters who are very good at writing autobiographies, memoirs, and nonfiction books – such as business books, technical books, self-help books, and others. We work closely with a person who engages us on a ghostwriting project to produce a book based on their inputs and ideas so that we can give life to their dream. Be assured that we will give everything we’ve got to create a book that will match your objectives 100%