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
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This is really informative about Ghost writing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this to us.