Have you noticed that, while looking at websites for most large ghostwriting companies, the site doesn't disclose who owns the company? Why the secrecy? What's wrong with knowing who the corporate owners are?
Actually, with a little digging at various watchdog sites that patrol writing websites, one can find out a great deal of information on these mysterious firms that make big promises and deliver precious few (if any) success stories. For example, at least two major ghostwriting sites are owned by the same individual, a person who has been under investigation by his state's attorney general many times. Others are owned by two or three cousins (or brothers) who literally have no personal experience in publishing. They are lawyers, marketing specialists, entrepreneurs, and others who think that the "ghostwriting business model" is lucrative. This is why they subcontract work to freelancers across the country while charging exorbitant fees.
And why can't the ghostwriting companies tell you who their writers are, especially the writers who are allegedly bestsellers and hugely successful? If I had people like that working for me, I'd trumpet the news and make known the identities of these "industry pros." The reason is that most, though not all, of the writers are young and inexperienced and trying to gain some experience.
Ask for references, and you'll usually get none. Ask for the names of some books or clients, and you'll be given the names of publishing companies, not titles or authors. Their sole hope is that you will be impressed with their claims and the fact that they are "corporate."
In some cases, the owners of these companies have been sued, gone out of business, and reincorporated under different names. Having seen their work, it's a pity they are not sued more often.
They? Yes. I myself know who most of them are. You, unfortunately, never will. It's a secret as to who is really handling your work. Does that sound right to you?
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Mr. Hammett, How Do I Become a Ghostwriter?
I get many queries throughout the year, but many are not asking for my services. With each passing year, I get more and more emails from men and women asking for advice on how to become a ghostwriter. They usually tell me that they have helped a friend write a book or that they feel they'd be good at it. They cite some minor credentials and proceed to ask me how to build a clientele and conduct such a business.
Here's the problem: if they need to ask how to become a ghostwriter, they don't belong in the profession. One becomes a ghostwriter because he or she understands the publishing industry and knows what ghostwriters do. More importantly, a person becomes a ghostwriter because of extensive experience writing and editing manuscripts in a capacity that transcends helping a friend.
Here's an example used by permission.
Dear Mr. Hammett:
I would like to ask if you can provide me with any advice on becoming a ghostwriter. I have written several articles and helped various friends edit their books. I am very good with the written word and last year I ghostwrote a book on health. Can you give me some tips on making this a full time job?
Sincerely,
(Name withheld by request)
Regrettably, I can no longer provide people with advice, even at the expense of becoming a curmudgeon who looks down at aspiring writers. When someone tells me that he or she has helped a friend write a book, I have no idea if the book was good or bad. And a few articles does not a ghostwriter make. I paid my dues for twenty-five years as a writer and editor before advertising my services, and I was familiar with publishing.
The bottom line is that if you need to ask how to become a ghostwriter, you haven't gained enough experience to know the logical, self-explanatory steps to make the desire a reality. I am all for lending people a helping hand, but I can no longer, in good conscience, give streamlined advice that puts people on a fast track to providing mediocre services in a complex, little-understood profession.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Here's the problem: if they need to ask how to become a ghostwriter, they don't belong in the profession. One becomes a ghostwriter because he or she understands the publishing industry and knows what ghostwriters do. More importantly, a person becomes a ghostwriter because of extensive experience writing and editing manuscripts in a capacity that transcends helping a friend.
Here's an example used by permission.
Dear Mr. Hammett:
I would like to ask if you can provide me with any advice on becoming a ghostwriter. I have written several articles and helped various friends edit their books. I am very good with the written word and last year I ghostwrote a book on health. Can you give me some tips on making this a full time job?
Sincerely,
(Name withheld by request)
Regrettably, I can no longer provide people with advice, even at the expense of becoming a curmudgeon who looks down at aspiring writers. When someone tells me that he or she has helped a friend write a book, I have no idea if the book was good or bad. And a few articles does not a ghostwriter make. I paid my dues for twenty-five years as a writer and editor before advertising my services, and I was familiar with publishing.
The bottom line is that if you need to ask how to become a ghostwriter, you haven't gained enough experience to know the logical, self-explanatory steps to make the desire a reality. I am all for lending people a helping hand, but I can no longer, in good conscience, give streamlined advice that puts people on a fast track to providing mediocre services in a complex, little-understood profession.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
You Can't Become a Ghostwriter by Answering an Internet Ad
One of the main reasons why many people decide to become ghostwriters or editors is that they have seen Internet ads on Wiki, eHow, or About.com, ads that urge people to enter "the exciting and lucrative profession of ghostwriting." These ads list five or six essential steps people must perform in order to enter the alleged glamorous world of ghostwriting so as to make the "big bucks" from the comfort of their homes.
The steps are utilitarian in nature: be sure you have the necessary writing skills (which is the stumbling block for most); send your resume to agents or websites; decide how much to charge; choose a specialty; and set up a website. That's it. Do these things, and you can become a ghostwriter.
Notice that there is no attention given to obtaining the solid credentials that it takes to be a first-rate ghostwriter or editor. In reality, it takes years of training and experience to become a professional writer who contracts with others to write or edit their material. It doesn't involve a one-two-three step process culminating in advertising on a website.
What is disturbing is that clients place their hopes, dreams, and business transactions in the hands of freelance writers, and those writers should be consummate professionals, not people who respond to an Internet ad.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
The steps are utilitarian in nature: be sure you have the necessary writing skills (which is the stumbling block for most); send your resume to agents or websites; decide how much to charge; choose a specialty; and set up a website. That's it. Do these things, and you can become a ghostwriter.
Notice that there is no attention given to obtaining the solid credentials that it takes to be a first-rate ghostwriter or editor. In reality, it takes years of training and experience to become a professional writer who contracts with others to write or edit their material. It doesn't involve a one-two-three step process culminating in advertising on a website.
What is disturbing is that clients place their hopes, dreams, and business transactions in the hands of freelance writers, and those writers should be consummate professionals, not people who respond to an Internet ad.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
1000s of Qualifed Ghostwriters and Editors?
Many ghostwriting and editing sites offer you the opportunity to select a writer or editor from thousands (or tens of thousands) of listings of people who are allegedly highly qualified professionals. This is more than a bit misleading. There are not tens of thousands of highly qualified ghostwriters in the United States--and probably not in the entire world.
Let's look at ghostwriters first. Ghostwriting is certainly used by the publishing industry, but writing books is a tough, challenging occupation. It takes a unique talent to write a book, and writing a really great book is beyond the abilities of even those with decent writing skills. Fifteen to twenty years ago, there were probably a few hundred ghostwriters in the United States. The Internet has now created thousands, and their number is growing daily. But why?
Consider the above: people with "decent writing skills" think they can make big money at ghostwriting. I've known quite a few English teachers in my life, and I have encountered only one or two who had the potential to actually pen a good book.
When it comes to editing, a majority of people can't spot the errors in their own writing let alone the writing of others. I'll discuss the qualifications that ghostwriters and editors need in later posts, but suffice to say for now that there are definitely not tens of thousands of "qualified" ghostwriters and editors to choose from.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Let's look at ghostwriters first. Ghostwriting is certainly used by the publishing industry, but writing books is a tough, challenging occupation. It takes a unique talent to write a book, and writing a really great book is beyond the abilities of even those with decent writing skills. Fifteen to twenty years ago, there were probably a few hundred ghostwriters in the United States. The Internet has now created thousands, and their number is growing daily. But why?
Consider the above: people with "decent writing skills" think they can make big money at ghostwriting. I've known quite a few English teachers in my life, and I have encountered only one or two who had the potential to actually pen a good book.
When it comes to editing, a majority of people can't spot the errors in their own writing let alone the writing of others. I'll discuss the qualifications that ghostwriters and editors need in later posts, but suffice to say for now that there are definitely not tens of thousands of "qualified" ghostwriters and editors to choose from.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
It's Nonfiction, not Non-fiction
One way a potential client can gauge whether or not an editor or ghostwriter knows what he's doing is to look for red flags in the writer's resume. One of the most common errors--a rookie mistake, to be sure--is to spell the word "non-fiction" instead of "nonfiction." The word is not hyphenated. It is one word: nonfiction.
If a ghostwriter says that he or she can write your non-fiction, do you really want to hire that writer? Most people do background checks on doctors, lawyers, car dealerships, caterers, and just about any professional service that costs a great deal of money or that is providing a very important service. Do your due diligence and educate yourself about ghostwriters and editors.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
If a ghostwriter says that he or she can write your non-fiction, do you really want to hire that writer? Most people do background checks on doctors, lawyers, car dealerships, caterers, and just about any professional service that costs a great deal of money or that is providing a very important service. Do your due diligence and educate yourself about ghostwriters and editors.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Ghostwriting Clearing Houses and Brokers
When I started ghostwriting full time fourteen years ago, I had a dozen competitors online. Then the ghostwriting companies came, acting as brokers since the companies themselves (with a very few exceptions) rarely have any staff or office other than a mail drop or a modest room with a secretary. They exist to broker deals and collect most of the revenue (which is why the ghostwriters, making very little on a book, are usually "newbies" willing to work for pocket change).
In the past three years, online ghostwriting clearing houses have multiplied like loaves and fishes. Ghostwriters, editors, and proofreaders post profiles and offers of service, along with resumes. While I have seen a handful of resumes that seemed to list legitimate experience and describe people who can indeed write or edit, over 95% of all listings contain grammatical errors and sentences with bizarre, awkward constructions. This is disturbing, especially in light of the fact that the writers are college graduates who have worked for many companies (and even publishing companies, though these are usually very small outfits). Why can't they write a clear, concise sentence?
Here is a brief example of the kind of prose one finds: "Hi. I'm Brandy, and Im a passionate writer who loves to write books, add copy, blog content, and am professional across the many things that I write, if you contract with me, be assured that I will do a great and terrific job for you!"
Whoa there! Let's break down the problems in three short lines of sophomoric prose.
1) Brandy is a writer who likes to write and is professional when she writes. Hmmm. Brandy is a bit repetitious and redundant. Most passionate writers like to write.
2) Im should be "I'm." There is an omitted apostrophe.
3) "If you contract me ... " begins a new sentence. Brandy wrote a comma splice and needed a semicolon or period, not a comma after "write."
4) The phrase "and am professional across the many things that I write" is very awkward. What does that mean--"across the things I write"? This is a sentence that I would have deducted points for when I was a high school teacher.
5) A great and terrific job? What kind of prose is that? I see such prose from sixth graders, not "professional editors and writers."
Most writers on clearing house sites post these kinds of errors, although the example above (not literally taken from any site) is a bit more egregious than most. If one cannot write an error-free resume or paragraph, then how can one write a book? If one can't edit a few lines of his or her own work correctly, how can one be trusted to edit someone else's book?
Do you really want to give your money to such people? There's that Catch-22 again. If you can't recognize grammatical errors and awkward writing, you may end up hiring these "professionals."
I'm not saying that these people are intentionally dishonest, but they don't know enough to know what they don't know.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
In the past three years, online ghostwriting clearing houses have multiplied like loaves and fishes. Ghostwriters, editors, and proofreaders post profiles and offers of service, along with resumes. While I have seen a handful of resumes that seemed to list legitimate experience and describe people who can indeed write or edit, over 95% of all listings contain grammatical errors and sentences with bizarre, awkward constructions. This is disturbing, especially in light of the fact that the writers are college graduates who have worked for many companies (and even publishing companies, though these are usually very small outfits). Why can't they write a clear, concise sentence?
Here is a brief example of the kind of prose one finds: "Hi. I'm Brandy, and Im a passionate writer who loves to write books, add copy, blog content, and am professional across the many things that I write, if you contract with me, be assured that I will do a great and terrific job for you!"
Whoa there! Let's break down the problems in three short lines of sophomoric prose.
1) Brandy is a writer who likes to write and is professional when she writes. Hmmm. Brandy is a bit repetitious and redundant. Most passionate writers like to write.
2) Im should be "I'm." There is an omitted apostrophe.
3) "If you contract me ... " begins a new sentence. Brandy wrote a comma splice and needed a semicolon or period, not a comma after "write."
4) The phrase "and am professional across the many things that I write" is very awkward. What does that mean--"across the things I write"? This is a sentence that I would have deducted points for when I was a high school teacher.
5) A great and terrific job? What kind of prose is that? I see such prose from sixth graders, not "professional editors and writers."
Most writers on clearing house sites post these kinds of errors, although the example above (not literally taken from any site) is a bit more egregious than most. If one cannot write an error-free resume or paragraph, then how can one write a book? If one can't edit a few lines of his or her own work correctly, how can one be trusted to edit someone else's book?
Do you really want to give your money to such people? There's that Catch-22 again. If you can't recognize grammatical errors and awkward writing, you may end up hiring these "professionals."
I'm not saying that these people are intentionally dishonest, but they don't know enough to know what they don't know.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Ghostwriting Companies: Beware of the "Package Deal"
Many ghostwriting companies make most of their money on their Print on Demand services, with ghostwriting used to create their own clients. As mentioned earlier, "many" of these companies use ghostwriters with little talent.
This aspect of ghostwriting involves what is called "upselling" of services. The pitch goes something like this: Let us write your book and we'll give you a discount when it comes to publishing it. Let us publish it, and we'll give you a discount in promoting it.
These companies frequently tell clients that they will help them obtain literary agents, although this is puzzling inasmuch as the book is now already published. Why would a client need a literary agent? Agents do not handle self-published books unless they sell 10,000 to 25,000 copies.
The companies also promise to send press releases to newspapers or to have the book reviewed. Most reviewers (or papers) to whom the books are sent have no interest in the kind of book in question, and no sales are produced by a small blurb in an obscure journal or newspaper column.
But once again, people ignorant of the publishing and ghostwriting industries--people who think that a book that is written and published is going to be a cash bonanza--write checks every day to these firms, unaware that they're being taken for a long, unpleasant ride.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
This aspect of ghostwriting involves what is called "upselling" of services. The pitch goes something like this: Let us write your book and we'll give you a discount when it comes to publishing it. Let us publish it, and we'll give you a discount in promoting it.
These companies frequently tell clients that they will help them obtain literary agents, although this is puzzling inasmuch as the book is now already published. Why would a client need a literary agent? Agents do not handle self-published books unless they sell 10,000 to 25,000 copies.
The companies also promise to send press releases to newspapers or to have the book reviewed. Most reviewers (or papers) to whom the books are sent have no interest in the kind of book in question, and no sales are produced by a small blurb in an obscure journal or newspaper column.
But once again, people ignorant of the publishing and ghostwriting industries--people who think that a book that is written and published is going to be a cash bonanza--write checks every day to these firms, unaware that they're being taken for a long, unpleasant ride.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Complaints about Ghostwriting Companies
I have gotten many heartbreaking letters over the years from clients asking me to fix botched manuscripts written by (or on behalf of) ghostwriting companies. (As I stated earlier, I am not claiming all companies are responsible for such shoddy work, but as of this writing, I have not yet seen one that I could put my trust in.) Below is a letter, used by permission, that sums up what has become a common complaint.
Dear Mr. Hammett:
I saw your ghostwriting website and believe you might be able to help me. I recently had a prominent ghostwriting company write my science fiction novel. I paid them a lot of money and was assured I would be given high quality work that would stand a good chance at getting published.
What I received was a manuscript that was written by a combination of two authors. The story had no discernible plot, and the characterization of the main characters was nonexistent. The manuscript was a total mess. I asked the company what they would do about it, and they asked me for more money to fix the problems. I asked them about the guarantee I received that I would get a quality manuscript, and they replied that they had delivered a manuscript in accordance with the contract I signed.
Can you help fix this mess? Can you rewrite my story.
(Name withheld by request)
People who don't understand publishing or ghostwriting are easy prey for companies that give potential clients a slick sales pitch and pressure people to sign a contract ASAP. The companies deal in volume, and most people are simply "account numbers" handed over to unqualified writers. The man above certainly didn't get one of those "bestselling authors" promised by virtually all of these companies.
As I said, the above problem has been brought to my attention year after year. Are the companies ever sued? Sure, but the contracts are never really examined by most clients, who don't realize that the company is holding all the cards and have lawyers--the proverbial sharks--on retainer. No one is going to spend $50K in legal fees to get back their $30K in ghostwriting fees.
I always advise people to seek independent writers, but that's still problematic. As this blog will show, most independent writers and editors are also totally unqualified and produce work that is mediocre at best. Usually the work is riddled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. As far as content is concerned, the manuscripts are poorly organized and executed.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Dear Mr. Hammett:
I saw your ghostwriting website and believe you might be able to help me. I recently had a prominent ghostwriting company write my science fiction novel. I paid them a lot of money and was assured I would be given high quality work that would stand a good chance at getting published.
What I received was a manuscript that was written by a combination of two authors. The story had no discernible plot, and the characterization of the main characters was nonexistent. The manuscript was a total mess. I asked the company what they would do about it, and they asked me for more money to fix the problems. I asked them about the guarantee I received that I would get a quality manuscript, and they replied that they had delivered a manuscript in accordance with the contract I signed.
Can you help fix this mess? Can you rewrite my story.
(Name withheld by request)
People who don't understand publishing or ghostwriting are easy prey for companies that give potential clients a slick sales pitch and pressure people to sign a contract ASAP. The companies deal in volume, and most people are simply "account numbers" handed over to unqualified writers. The man above certainly didn't get one of those "bestselling authors" promised by virtually all of these companies.
As I said, the above problem has been brought to my attention year after year. Are the companies ever sued? Sure, but the contracts are never really examined by most clients, who don't realize that the company is holding all the cards and have lawyers--the proverbial sharks--on retainer. No one is going to spend $50K in legal fees to get back their $30K in ghostwriting fees.
I always advise people to seek independent writers, but that's still problematic. As this blog will show, most independent writers and editors are also totally unqualified and produce work that is mediocre at best. Usually the work is riddled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. As far as content is concerned, the manuscripts are poorly organized and executed.
~William Hammett
Contact wmhammett@aol.com
SITEMAP
About
Articles on this Website
William Hammett
Contact
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)