Many businesses hire ghostwriters for their publications. It makes sense. Books take a lot of time and skill to master. Most businesses simply do not have the time or the resources to publish a book by themselves. The answer is to hire a business ghostwriter.

It is difficult to get the right match. This is something you should really take your time over.

 

1.      What Level of Involvement

All writers work differently. You need a writer who will match your level of involvement. Some writers need a guiding hand all the time. If you do not have the time to manage in this way, you need a writer who is more independent.

On the other side of things, if you are a control freak you need to work with a writer who tolerates this. Some writers hate it when their clients want hourly updates and daily drafts.

 

2.      The Budget

You can find writers charging three figures to seven figures, and everything in between. The quality of the content does not always hinge on how much the writer is charging, but it can. Determine your budget early and look for a high-quality writer who matches this budget.

There are plenty of online resources categorizing writers by budget. Ask people in online ghostwriting and business networking groups for recommendations based on budget.

 

3.      What are Your Goals?

Get a better book by giving your writer a strict goal. Your ghostwriting venture will have some sort of point, such as to drive more sales or to introduce a new service. Ask your prospective writer how they are going to meet this goal.

Ultimately, a book must lead to something. It has to contribute towards your overall goal. A good read with no point is not going to give you anything in the world of business ghostwriting.

 

4.      Shop Around

Always shop around. When you think you have the right writer keep looking. The chances are you will find someone better. There is no rush and you should not feel pressured to make a decision right now.
Getting this decision wrong could easily cost you thousands of dollars.

 

5.      Interview the Writer

Never hire a writer after exchanging a few emails. You need to speak to the person properly. Yes, you have their credentials, but only by talking to them will you gain access to their personality. Whether their personality matches yours is crucial to a harmonious project.

If you cannot afford to have them fly in from the other side of the country, conduct a Skype call.

You do not have to interview everybody. Limiting interviews to two or three should be enough.

 

6.      Read their Previous Works

Most businesses are not willing to take such a big risk by hiring a writer who has never ghostwritten before. Whether you are is a personal decision you have to make. If this is your first time hiring a ghostwriter, we would advise against it.

Each ghostwriter should have available samples for you to read. Read their previous books and see if their writing style matches your vision. Even ghostwriters leave a similar flavor and style on every book they create.

 

7.      State Your Expectations (and get it in writing)

 The easiest way to prevent conflict is to state your expectations prior to starting the project. You should also protect yourself by getting all your expectations in a contract, and making them sign it. Not only is this legally binding but also it confirms the writer understands what is demanded of them.

Here are some of the expectations you may want to state:

• How often you want feedback and the amount of detail within said feedback.
• The deadline of the project.
• Any payment milestones.

Try to state these expectations in as much detail as possible. You do not want to argue with your writer over them later. In addition, you provide yourself with some defense if the project doesn’t work out how you planned.

 

A Final Note

Hiring a business ghostwriter is a time-consuming process. Never attempt to cut corners during the hiring process. When you are making a decision that costs thousands of dollars you should take as long as you need.

The trick to hiring is to treat it like hiring a new employee. Even if they are only working with you for three months, this can have far-reaching repercussions if you get it wrong.