Checklist on How to Hire and Work with a Ghostwriter!

Checklist 1: Find A Reliable Ghostwriter

How do you know if a ghostwriter is reliable and committed?

Before you outsource your project to a ghostwriter, here are some of the things you need to check about the writer:

• Has he written a book before? How many books has he written and what is his or her experience in authoring books
• Check if he has a personal website. If he does, it means he/she is likely a professional writer.
• Find out if they have a blog on their website and post articles on a regular basis. This shows that they are passionate writers and wouldn’t dump your work halfway or uncompleted.
• Check for testimonials: have they ghostwritten for other clients before. How positive are their reviews from other clients.

Checklist 2: Contact the Ghostwriter

• Once you are certain that the writer in question is reliable based on the checks above, You can make the initial contacts through phone call or email.
• Tell him specifically what you want to write about: State the big idea in not more than five sentences.
• Share your needs and ideas to the writer. You could talk to him about the size of the intended book, the style or language, the target audience and the possible title.
• Once you both have agreed on those details, talk about the pricing and the timeline of the project.
• Upon agreement on the timeline and the overall pricing of the project, ask the freelancer to provide a written contract for both of you to sign.  Here is the timeline for Teachersletter Publishing Services( The 60-days challenge):

Checklist  3: What To Check in the Contract Before you Sign

A contract is a formal agreement between you and the independent contractor. It serves as a guide for the smooth running of the project. It also ensures that both you and the freelancer are accountable for your words, actions and deliverables. Working without a contract is the beginning of failure.

So what are the key things to check in the contract?

• The timeline of how work will progress should be clearly stated. You don’t want a freelancer who does not stick to commitments.
• Check if the cost of the project is written as agreed.
• Ensure it is indicated in the contract that all Deliverables, whether complete or in progress, and all Intellectual Property Rights related to the project belong to you, and the writer has no right, or interest in your intellectual property.
• Ensure that the date and full address of the writer is clearly stated in the contract.
• Once these features are indicated therein, it is 90% safer to sign the contract.
• Make sure you pay an advance upfront as you agree on the contract. This is a great way to motivate the freelance writer to prioritize your project.

Checklist 4: Providing and evaluating content

What makes you an author of a book is your ability to provide content. If you can’t provide content, it makes work difficult for the writer.  The content you provide must not be elaborate.

Good writers have the ability to expand on one big idea you provide for them. For this to happen, you must provide them with the big idea. To help them help you,

• Ask them to provide you with the book outline: This is part of their job as expert writers.
• Use their guideline to generate content either typed or on audio recording.
• Most of them would prefer to have an interview with you if you have not written content.
• During interviews with the writer, deliver as much content as you can speak because that’s what the writer would be using to generate content in your own voice.
• Ensure that you monitor and evaluate the progress of the work on a weekly basis (at least once a week.) This attitude motivates the freelancer to take your work seriously.
• Feel free to modify and make changes to the writer’s work. You hired him so feel free to ask him to craft the work to suit your needs.

Checklist 5: Owning the Rights to your book

Once the content is crafted, edited, proofread and formatted, the last stages often do not require much work on your side.

However, you’d need to comply with the financial obligations of the project.

• Make sure you complete your financial obligations with the writer and demand for the final copy of the book is submitted to you.
• Ask the Freelance writer to grant you the rights of publishing in your own name on Amazon. This would depend on your agreement with the writer as stated in the contract form.

Author: Jini, is a prolific author and founder of Teachersletters Publishing Services. As an award winning teacher with a Cambridge International School in Doaula, he has 13+ years of teaching experience in writing, student-centered learning, bible teachers training and educational leadership. He is consider as one of the best keynote speakers of his time.