Have you ever wondered how so many celebrities write their own children’s books? Or how there are over one hundred titles in the Nancy Drew series? Well, there’s actually a very straightforward answer: ghostwriting. And no, it does not involve any paranormal activity.
Ghostwriting is when an author collaborates with a professional writer to tell their story. The writer is the “ghost” behind the scenes. For example, someone who has an idea for a book—be it a children’s book, memoir, or novel—but doesn’t have the time or expertise to write a full manuscript may hire a ghostwriter to complete the work for them. The ghostwriter will hold interviews with the client to masterfully draw out their story and then transform it into a manuscript, capturing their unique voice and message. Just like a ghost, ghostwriters’ names are usually not displayed on the front cover, often lurking in the acknowledgments instead.
Notable Ghostwriting Examples
Here are some examples of ghostwriting—in the real human world, of course!
Children’s Book Series
Those book series you loved in elementary and middle school? Well, you may be shocked to find out that some of them were written by a ghostwriter—or several. A publishing company would create a character, like Nancy Drew, and a pen name for the cover but hire a team of ghostwriters to write the series. Of course, the writers had to work in a consistent style so that nothing seemed amiss. This way, the publisher could release several books a year. The Nancy Drew books and the Hardy Boys were created this way. Other series were written primarily by the same author but used ghostwriters for spin-offs and tie-ins, like Goosebumps and The Babysitters Club. But don’t worry—this doesn’t make these books any less magical! They still feature the same characters you know and love . . . just brought to life with the help of a few more people.
Celebrity Children’s Books
There are lots of kids’ books “written” by celebrities, but were they actually? Often, celebrities have great ideas but may need assistance with the actual writing process, which is where the ghostwriter comes in. People like Kristen Bell, Whoopi Goldberg, and Madonna used ghostwriters or co-authors for their children’s books. On the other hand, some celebs want to try their hand at writing independently! Channing Tatum, Chris Colfer, Lupita Nyong’o, and more wrote their own children’s books, some of which were even award-winning
The Ghostwriting Process
Are you feeling inspired? If you’re considering working with a ghostwriter on your project, follow these steps to ensure a fruitful and rewarding collaboration!
Finding the Perfect Ghostwriter
There are a ton of ghostwriter options out there. How can you be sure you select the right one for you? For one thing, it’s important to narrow down the options based on experience and specialization. If you’re writing a YA fantasy, you probably don’t want to hire a ghostwriter who’s exclusively written adult business books. Make sure you’re also selecting someone who is highly rated with a proven track record for success. Then, have a conversation to make sure you are a good match in terms of writing process, project needs, and personality. If you’re going to work productively together, you need to click with each other.
Getting to Work
Although each author-ghostwriter team creates a tailored process that works great for them, it’s typical to start with a conversation to nail down the overarching message of the book and the key points—essentially the table of contents. From there, through a series of recorded interviews and discussions, the ghostwriter will expertly write the manuscript. Of course, you will have every opportunity to review the content, make revisions, and ensure everything is moving in the right direction all the way until you have a completed manuscript!
Cost Expectations
You may be thinking that writing a whole book for and with someone is a pretty big undertaking—and you are absolutely right. It’s hard enough to write a manuscript. To artfully capture someone else’s story in someone else’s voice? That’s arguably even more difficult! This is why ghostwriting is perhaps the most significant investment in the publishing world. Many ghostwriters charge per hour or per word, but costs also depend on the writer’s experience and the scope of the project. For a quality full-length manuscript (such as chapter books or young adult novels), the total cost is usually somewhere between $40,000 to $60,000 and even up to $100,000 or more! Professional ghostwriters certainly don’t come cheap, but they have worked hard to hone their craft, and they provide more than just a product. They give their clients the chance to immortalize their stories on the page and share their words with the world.
Tip: These numbers don’t apply to picture books, which are shorter, simpler, and much easier to write. At Blue Balloon Books, an author can expect to pay around $1,000 to collaborate with a ghostwriter to bring their picture book to life.
Alternatives to Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting is an excellent option for authors who have the story and voice but who are relying on a professional to actually write the manuscript. However, there are some other ways to bring the manuscript to life too!
Author Coach
An author coach is a happy medium (no pun intended) for someone who wants to write their own book but doesn’t know where to start. An author coach, like a sports coach, will guide you from start to finish as you write your manuscript, holding you accountable, being your personal cheerleader, and providing you with genre-specific tools and exercises to encourage you to write. You will likely create a schedule to meet with your coach so they can check in on your progress and give you tips. With their help, you will make sure and steady progress through the writing process until you cross the finish line with a completed manuscript ready for editing.
Ghost Editor
Writers are not the only kinds of ghosts in the literary world, and I don’t just mean Casper and the Headless Horseman. Editors can be ghosts too! Ghost editing is a combination of ghostwriting and developmental editing, designed for writers who have written a first draft of a manuscript but need more help fleshing out their story. A ghost editor uses a very heavy hand as they complete their first round of edits, often adding pages worth of content rather than just leaving comments on the structure and plot as a developmental editor may do. While they don’t write the whole manuscript, they write enough to be considered akin to a ghostwriter.
Are you looking for a ghostwriter? Or maybe you just need an extra push from an author coach or editor? Blue Balloon Books has you covered! Check out our website to get in touch with an acquisitions editor who can advise you on the best path forward.