The inside track – Ten top tips for successful author/ghostwriter collaborations
Hiring a ghostwriter who has already helped pen a bestseller is a great start. But, how do authors make sure their collaboration produces a book that flies off the shelves too? We’ve asked some of our bestselling ghostwriters to give us their tips for a winning writing partnership.
1. Understand the process
Some people seem to think that a ghostwriter will spend weeks and weeks holed up with an author, waiting for them to say something interesting. This is not the case at all. While the process will vary between ghosts, nearly all writers will follow a tightly defined interview schedule. After initially agreeing upon the scope of the book with the named author, the ghost will interview this author over a series of occasions, spending anything from a few hours to an afternoon with them each time to dig into the story. These interviews will usually be recorded and then used to write the agreed narrative. Timelines can vary, with some interviews being held on consecutive days, or spread out over many months. What is important is that the author makes themselves available for this crucial part of the process.
2. Be honest and candid
Authenticity is key to a successful collaboration. If, during the interview process, the author attempts to rewrite history, or is overly defensive about their actions, or even hides the facts, it will quickly erode the trust between collaborators. Ghosts will do their homework ahead of any interview and be familiar with the bare facts, which they expect the author to then build upon. Even if authors find certain details difficult to share, or believe they may paint them in a bad light, they should still discuss them openly. After explaining the circumstances of what happened, both parties can then discuss how best to portray these details. It is not in a ghost’s interest to make an author look bad, but without the facts it is very difficult to create a compelling narrative.
3. Listen to advice
Authors: it’s your story, but don’t ignore what the professional writer has to say. Bestselling ghostwriters have experience of what works best and know that some content will leave readers cold. An author might believe their long-running story of their battles with their boiler are amusing, but this lengthy anecdote might not fit in with the overall style and tone of the rest of the book. It can be difficult, but it really is better to let the ghostwriter do what they do best and take their advice. Take full advantage of their expertise.
4. Pause for the detail
When it comes to personal stories that may have been told a hundred times, it can be tempting to rattle through an anecdote. Don’t. Ghosts need detail. They need to know who else was in the room, the time of day, and any other circumstances leading up to the big reveal. When prompted to expand on a story, authors will often believe this involves a simple description of the general surroundings, but collaborators need so much more. Think about the sounds outside, whether it was the shouts of revellers on the way home from the pub, or birds gearing up for the dawn chorus. What else was distracting the author at the time? Were they, say, doing their best to ignore the stale smell of the dregs of wine that had been polished off an hour before? These are all important evocative details.
5. Focus on goals
Many authors write for reasons other than to simply produce a book. The purpose of the exercise is to share their knowledge about their particular field, or boost their credibility by ‘owning’ a sector through their authoritative writing. For this to be successful, an author must be very clear with their ghost about their goals and the full extent of their expertise. It is only when an author fully shares their aspirations that a ghost can properly craft a narrative that meets these needs, where the core message runs front and centre throughout the book.
6. Share your inspiration
Whether it is your top three books of all time, or a pile of yellowing letters from a favourite relative, share, share, share. Authors should never be afraid of overwhelming their ghosts with information. They thrive on it and even the smallest snippet can provide a ghostwriter with valuable insights into an author and what makes them tick. This is another essential element towards creating an authentic piece of work.
7. Phone a friend
Depending upon the genre, it can help when an author puts a ghost in touch with people close to them, be it a close relative, friend, or business partner. An interview between a ghost and such individuals often provides great background for the book. It can even prompt entirely new lines of questioning when guest interviewees introduce a new story which can be used to jog the author’s memory.
8. Feedback, feedback, feedback
Ghostwriting is an iterative process. Each time an author and a ghostwriter meet, the ghost learns more about their client. This is an essential part of the process of finding the ‘voice’ for the book. Equally importantly, when a ghost begins to share draft chapters, an author should take their time to review them and provide their comments. Authors might think it’s a moot point to say, ‘I never use the word extraordinary or fabulous,’ but a ghost won’t know that. Tell them what words you would use instead. Similarly, if a ghostwriter gets a story slightly wrong, explain why. They won’t be offended. It is their job and they always welcome feedback. Where possible, make a quick turnaround with any comments. Authors may have other things going on in their day-job, but this book could well be all a ghost is working on. Prompt feedback will help keep the collaboration on track.
9. Be patient
Even highly experienced ghostwriters take a little time to get up to speed with a new collaboration and to entirely find the author’s voice. Authors shouldn’t expect the draft of the first couple of chapters to be perfect. It’s not down to the ghost’s writing skills, it is simply a case that the success of the relationship will build over time. The more feedback an author provides (see above) the quicker this will happen.
10. Set time aside for the final review
By the time an author receives a finished first draft, they may feel like they’ve read the book many times over. However, this last stage is crucial. At this stage, the ghostwriter will have already gone through the entire manuscript to sense check it and make sure there are no gaps, or unresolved stories. However, this is now the author’s opportunity to read the book from start-to-finish as though they are reading it for the very first time. Is this the narrative they envisaged from the start? Or has it evolved into something even better? If the answer is no, there will need to be revisions. If yes, the collaboration has been a success and, all being well, on the way to realising the successful outcome the author dreamt about when they first invested in ghostwriting services.