Become a Ghost Writer

Do you love writing? Have you always dreamed of being paid to write and yearn of owning your own business and getting out of the rat race? If you have an aptitude for writing and want to go into business for yourself, then maybe you should consider becoming a ghostwriter! A ghostwriter is someone who writes articles, sales letters, even entire books for clients but does not receive "official credit" for their work-this is why they are called ghostwriters! But, while they may not be able to see their name in print, ghostwriters do get to gain valuable writing experience that may lead to opportunities down the road where they do receive credit for their efforts.

Becoming a ghostwriter does not require a lot of equipment or start-up capital but you will need a reliable computer and Internet connection. Now of course, this all depends upon the area you intend to specialize but there is no reason why you cannot become a ghostwriter with a personal computer, Internet connection, and perhaps a fax machine. If you need to buy all new equipment, the cost of start-up will range between $500-$1500.

Clearly, being able to write is necessary to becoming a ghostwriter. More accurately, the ability to write in an easy-to-understand and conversational manner is the most important ingredient to success as a ghostwriter. You will be asked to write in a wide variety of styles and formats so you will need to adapt to suit the needs of the client. Plus, as with any business, you will need a basic understanding of marketing and business practices to both build your client base and accurately track expenses and pay taxes correctly. Prior bookkeeping and sales experience are very helpful to ghostwriters so consider taking some courses in these two areas if you have no experience in either of these areas.

As is the case with most businesses, your charges and potential earnings will depend upon your reputation and skill level. Ghostwriters who can adapt to several different formats will be more likely to stay busy while those who specialize in one area and build a great name for themselves may actually make more money. During the first year, you can expect to make anywhere from $5-25 per 500-word article and between $7-15 per page of an ebook. Now there are tons of opportunities out there and your earnings will reflect how well you capitalize on those opportunities. First year ghostwriters will average 20-30K during their first full year of business.

Without question, the vast majority of ghostwriting jobs right now are based off of providing web content to website owners. The simplest way to meet these owners and begin building your reputation is to sign up with a freelance service. You will have to pay a monthly fee in many cases plus a percentage of the total price of projects you are awarded. Ultimately, however, you will want to open your own website as this is the most cost-effective manner of advertising your services and meeting new clients. With enough determination and good deal of effort, you can turn your passion for writing into a career and get out of the rat race forever!