Ghostwriting FAQs: It’s Not a Mystery Anymore
Ghostwriting is a huge part of many successful Internet marketing businesses. I receive questions about using ghostwriters in online business quite a bit so I thought I’d take a minute two answer some of the most common ones.
“Is it ethical to have someone else writing your material?”
This is a question that gets asked more than any other when it comes to hiring ghostwriters. The short and simple answer is: Yes, it is fair and legal, but if you have any doubts, consult the appropriate legal counsel because I am not a lawyer. But here’s why.
If you stop and think about all the people that use ghostwriters, you might be surprised at how many do. Here are just a few examples.
Authors: Many authors hire ghostwriters to write their books.
Brick & Mortar Stores & Companies: How many company owners do you know that run a company AND create advertising material, type up inter-company memos, or other written material for their employees? Not many because they are busy managing the company and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day for them to do it all. Not to mention, there are people in the company who are stronger in those aspects of the company than the CEO’s.
“What do you do when you've hired a ghostwriter for a project, she completes it -- but when she's done, it's not as good as you expected?”
One thing you need to remember is that no one person will write exactly like you do. That being said, here are a few tips for getting your finished product as close to what you would write as possible.
Clear & Concise Details
Give your ghostwriter as many details as you possibly can about the project. Even if they seem like they are a given, the more detailed you are with your request, the better the finished project will be.
Request & Give Samples
Before hiring a ghostwriter, ask for samples of their writing. If they have written on the topic you are looking for, ask for specific examples. You’ll get a better idea of the way they write.
Don’t forget to send them to some articles you’ve written too. This will give them a better idea of the approach and voice you take in your articles.
Review, Request Changes, Rework Content
As with any outsourced work, you must check the work. Once the material is returned, review it and if there are things you aren’t happy with, request that the changes be made by the writer (check their policies however because if it’s just a matter of preference, you may need to pay more) or simply make the changes yourself.
If the article is not at all what you requested and it’s obvious, let the writer know. Simply point out what you requested and how the content is different. Many times it’s a matter of miscommunication and the writer will be happy to make the changes.
If the changes are minor, such as a few words you wouldn’t normally use or rewording a sentence to make it sound more like you, you can quickly and easily make the changes yourself…but you might mention them to your writer, so she can learn from the suggestions.
“How do I deal with a ghostwriter who is unreliable?”
When working with a ghostwriter, you need to set specific guidelines as to when the work will be completed and returned to you. Some writers will let you know right on their website what the turn around time is for your project, others you may need to ask. If it’s not clear to you, simply ask in an email. Realize that if you need your material yesterday, you will probably pay a rush fee to be pushed to the front of the line.
If you’ve begun work with a writer and all of a sudden he or she isn’t returning things as quickly as before, don’t be afraid to find out what’s changed. Don’t automatically think the worst. It only takes a second to send a quick email asking if everything is ok and if there is anything you can do to make their job easier.
And hey, if you want to avoid the hassle, you know that All Custom Content, will help get rid of many of these concerns. ;-)
“Is it ethical to have someone else writing your material?”
This is a question that gets asked more than any other when it comes to hiring ghostwriters. The short and simple answer is: Yes, it is fair and legal, but if you have any doubts, consult the appropriate legal counsel because I am not a lawyer. But here’s why.
If you stop and think about all the people that use ghostwriters, you might be surprised at how many do. Here are just a few examples.
Authors: Many authors hire ghostwriters to write their books.
Brick & Mortar Stores & Companies: How many company owners do you know that run a company AND create advertising material, type up inter-company memos, or other written material for their employees? Not many because they are busy managing the company and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day for them to do it all. Not to mention, there are people in the company who are stronger in those aspects of the company than the CEO’s.
“What do you do when you've hired a ghostwriter for a project, she completes it -- but when she's done, it's not as good as you expected?”
One thing you need to remember is that no one person will write exactly like you do. That being said, here are a few tips for getting your finished product as close to what you would write as possible.
Clear & Concise Details
Give your ghostwriter as many details as you possibly can about the project. Even if they seem like they are a given, the more detailed you are with your request, the better the finished project will be.
Request & Give Samples
Before hiring a ghostwriter, ask for samples of their writing. If they have written on the topic you are looking for, ask for specific examples. You’ll get a better idea of the way they write.
Don’t forget to send them to some articles you’ve written too. This will give them a better idea of the approach and voice you take in your articles.
Review, Request Changes, Rework Content
As with any outsourced work, you must check the work. Once the material is returned, review it and if there are things you aren’t happy with, request that the changes be made by the writer (check their policies however because if it’s just a matter of preference, you may need to pay more) or simply make the changes yourself.
If the article is not at all what you requested and it’s obvious, let the writer know. Simply point out what you requested and how the content is different. Many times it’s a matter of miscommunication and the writer will be happy to make the changes.
If the changes are minor, such as a few words you wouldn’t normally use or rewording a sentence to make it sound more like you, you can quickly and easily make the changes yourself…but you might mention them to your writer, so she can learn from the suggestions.
“How do I deal with a ghostwriter who is unreliable?”
When working with a ghostwriter, you need to set specific guidelines as to when the work will be completed and returned to you. Some writers will let you know right on their website what the turn around time is for your project, others you may need to ask. If it’s not clear to you, simply ask in an email. Realize that if you need your material yesterday, you will probably pay a rush fee to be pushed to the front of the line.
If you’ve begun work with a writer and all of a sudden he or she isn’t returning things as quickly as before, don’t be afraid to find out what’s changed. Don’t automatically think the worst. It only takes a second to send a quick email asking if everything is ok and if there is anything you can do to make their job easier.
And hey, if you want to avoid the hassle, you know that All Custom Content, will help get rid of many of these concerns. ;-)
1 Comments:
You raise an interesting point about ethics. As Internet marketers, we often think of ourselves as completely solo entrepreneurs, solely responsible for everything in our business. I agree that we are solely responsible for the overall message our online businesses give, but we'd be pretty much insane to think that we could create all those individual messages in a way that will ensure continued growth for our businesses.
Nice post.
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