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3 questions for any author

The moment when you’ve just finished writing your book is a big one.

You close your laptop with a satisfied sigh, dance a little jig of delight, and treat yourself to something celebratory. An inspired choice by an author friend of mine was fish and chips and champagne.

But after the excitement has died down, voices of doubt creep into your head. ‘Is this book a good one? Is it the best it can be? And what will other people think?’

This is when it’s worth pausing for a moment.

Recently I read a brilliant gem of a book: Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by the comedian John Cleese.

It’s worth reading for all sorts of reasons, but one of the best comes towards the end, when Cleese gives three insightful questions for you to ask when you show people your work. (Actually he gives four, but the final one isn’t that relevant to non-fiction, which is what I’m focusing on here).

I found myself inspired by these questions. And as I specialise in ghostwriting business books, self-help guides and memoirs, I’m giving you my thoughts on how they can help you make sure you’ve written the best book you possibly can.

Question 1: Where were you bored?

I love the fact that this question comes first.

So often, non-fiction books come across as if they’re instruction manuals. But readers don’t enjoy reading manuals, because they want to feel engaged with a book. If they’re not, they give up before the end of Chapter 1.

They’re also unlikely to follow the advice within the book. They don’t get the feeling that their needs are being catered for, so they assume that the author doesn’t understand them. This results in them switching off from the content.

Being a little bit boring shows a lack of respect for your readers, who’ve paid money and – just as importantly – committed several hours of their time to read your words.

There are all sorts of ways you can turn your book into a good read. The most obvious are to include stories, fun facts and analogies to make your ideas concrete and engaging.

You can also liven up your language by using varied vocabulary and the active voice. This gives your readers the impression that you’re sitting in front of them, speaking to them as a trusted friend.

Question 2: Where could you not understand what was going on?

There’s a marketing saying that I love: ‘A confused customer isn’t buying.’ Just as you walk away from a supermarket shelf crammed with products that don’t make their unique selling points clear, so will your readers put your book to one side if they struggle to work out what you’re saying.

Clarity is essential if you’re to persuade your readers over to your point of view. This is, after all, the main purpose of a business book or self-help guide.

Consider the difference between a text that takes you from one logical place to another, leading you by the hand so you know where you’re going, and one that jumps around so that you’re confused. You’ll soon give up on the second one.

In addition, part of being clear is starting in the right place for your readers. Are you beginning each chapter where they actually are, or where you think they should be? It’s easy to let your expertise lead you to believe that they know more than they do.

Question 3: Where did you not find things credible?

If your readers don’t find you trustworthy, they won’t take action on your advice. The orator Aristotle called this concept ‘ethos’, or the moral expertise and knowledge that guides your audience to believe you.

If your book doesn’t display ‘ethos’, your readers will question your authority all the way through. Given that one of your reasons for writing your book in the first place might be to enhance your credibility, this could be a killer blow.

You can make your book credible in various ways. Incorporating real-life examples or stories to back up your claims helps, as does including well-researched facts and information. You can use footnotes to reference your sources and to expand upon what you’ve written in the main body of the text.

But one of the key techniques is to address the possible counter-arguments to your claims.

For instance, if you’re advocating eating less sugar to lose weight, consider the cynics among your readers. What might they think? Could they assume that fat is the main enemy of weight loss, rather than sugar? If so, debunk that myth, rather than glossing over it.

To do this, you need to have a deep understanding of your readers. What do they already think? What do they care about? And how can you present your ideas so that they make sense to them?

John Cleese’s three questions are a brilliant place to start when it comes to evaluating your book. And of course, you can have a go at answering them yourself before you turn to anyone else – that will take you a long way.

The added bonus is that, after you’ve actioned the feedback, you’ll feel much more confident about your book. You’ll need that confidence when it comes to shouting about it from the rooftops while you’re marketing it.

Ginny Carter is a bestselling ghostwriter of 20 books, a book coach, and a successful author in her own right. Her guide to writing a standout business book, the award-winning Your Business Your Book, takes you through the process of planning, writing and promoting your own book.

The rise and rise of celebrity culture

As I was driving to my short summer holiday last month, while fretting in guilty fashion about the CO₂ emissions of the petrol-fuelled hire car I was driving, I distracted myself by listening to Radio 2.

Each hour the BBC news headlines informed me about the shocking fall-out of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, more extreme weather events, success for the GB team at the Paralympics …. and a story about Tom Cruise’s car being stolen.

Each hour, I waited for more details on this last item: was he held hostage? Did the thieves kill or injure someone through reckless driving? No. It was stolen and then, um, found a short while later, undamaged but with some items missing. That was it.

It is impossible to understand the modern world without acknowledging the steady and deep infiltration of mainstream news and television broadcasting by celebrity culture, the ‘Kardashian effect’ – that is, the idea that something is newsworthy simply because it is said by a famous person, or has happened to one. When I was young, gossip about the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was confined to the colour supplements. Nowadays such froth may feature on the front page.

This obsession is not harmless. In the same week that the BBC told us about a theft of car belonging to a movie star, I learned more about trauma and suicides experienced by nurses and doctors in the UK who are whistleblowers, hounded to self-destruction by the retributive action routinely meted out to almost anyone in the UK public sector who dares stand up for public safety and civil rights, as I wrote about in an earlier blog. Such cases receive negligible media coverage.

I think I understand why our news media have an imbalance in coverage towards lives of movie stars, singers and sportspeople, sometimes neglecting stories that are profoundly in the public interest.

This is an issue for ghostwriters. After all, to an extent we contribute to, and profit from, celebrity culture. The reasons are largely to do with economics, and the dynamics affected me personally, because I became a ghostwriter in response to them. Before digital media transformed the economics of publishing, around the period 2004-2008, it was possible for freelance writers to pursue a career penning features and news, including material that we might call ‘real’ stories. With the collapse of revenues from print advertisements, all media had to change their business models. The PR industry grew, while the pay rates for investigative journalism fell. Those of us whose only ability was writing had to earn a living by writing on behalf of others – others who could afford to pay.

In my case, I am often able to combine conscience with a reasonable income as there is a growing industry in sustainable business, in which I’ve developed some specialist knowledge. It’s easy, however, to imagine an ethical dilemma for a ghostwriter: accept a modest fee to promote the appalling way in which a citizen’s rights have been denied, or a lucrative sum to describe how an Instagram star made their millions with questionable tactics?

The publishing industry has questions to address. Increasingly, publishers insist upon an author having a large following before committing to publishing a book. This was evident in case of the fake cancer sufferer Belle Gibson, whose misleading dietary advice was published in a lavishly produced publication The Whole Pantry by Penguin on the basis of her huge social media following. The book encouraged cancer sufferers to shift away from scientifically sound medical treatment, before her deception was exposed by investigative journalists.

It might be mistaken, however, to take the cynicism around stardom too far. Most famous people have genuine ability and achievements, often humanitarian as well as artistic or sporting. Marcus Rashford, for example, is a gifted footballer as well as an articulate and effective social campaigner, using his profile to alleviate poverty and suffering. Perhaps, for every bad celebrity, there is a good one.

We ghostwriters could strive for a balance; alternate our memoir-writing with some honest investigative endeavour on behalf of a sound cause, in the way that some lawyers will combine corporate work with pro bono human rights cases.

Above all I think the growing tendency towards celebrity worship is an issue that as a society we need to discuss – publishers and ghostwriters included.

• Philip Whiteley is an author and ghostwriter, who pens fiction under the byline PJ Whiteley. There is more information at www.pjwhiteley.com

Author and ghost – Who does what?

Cards on the table. Not all potential author ghostwriting relationships are a match made in heaven. This is why authors are advised to speak with a number of ghosts before they choose their collaborator. It’s also why ghosts don’t agree to take on every project they are offered.

Even if it looks like there might be a possible writing relationship, it is crucial that both sides do some very careful due diligence before signing up to work together. Part of this process is to make very certain that everyone understands their respective roles.

To explain, it may be useful to recount a story where a book project didn’t go the distance, even after initially positive discussions. The author in question is a hugely successful businessperson, in a very specific and complex field. ‘His people’ spoke with me at length about the project and agreed, based on my past work, I’d be perfect for the gig.

The next meeting was with the would-be author himself. Everything seemed to be going well, the chemistry was good and, in a good sign for me, this person had also read and admired some of my previous work from a broadly similar field. Then, out of nowhere, he stopped the flow of conversation and said there needed to be an in-depth, thorough understanding of the field in question. Before I knew it, I was being asked highly complex questions, which I would have needed a PhD in the subject to understand. I half expected to be locked in a room with an exam paper, a pencil and an hour to complete the assignment.

My knowledge of maths, science and other subjects away from the literary world is not bad. I even have a number of formal qualifications. However, my knowhow was not even close to the level this person operated at. (If it was, I would perhaps be a millionaire rival to him!). I very much doubt there is a ghost in the world that operates at this level. The point is, though: there does not need to be. If both parties stick to what they are good at, it is more than likely that they’ll be able to achieve a very readable and successful outcome.

My response was to remind the author that I bring the words, and he brings the expertise. That is how the ghosting/author relationship works. Since he wanted to target a broad business readership, it was up to him to explain his thinking to me in a way that this broad audience would understand. I’ll do the rest.

Needless to say, we needed to agree to disagree. 

The experience made me think a lot about what makes for a successful writing collaboration. It is important that both sides are very clear from the outset about what they want to achieve and who brings what to the table. When I work with authors, I always begin the process with a lengthy interview, where the author will lay out the areas/themes they feel should be covered in the book. This is not a one-way process though. Often authors will speed through certain events, or gloss over others, which scream out to be a significant part of the book. This initial stage is an opportunity for a ghost to raise parts of the story which they feel might be more important to the reader and probe them more deeply.

During this same interview, it’s useful for a ghost to set out their expectations in terms of access to the author for interviews. They may need, say, 20 hours of interviews at an hour to two hours at a time. It is up for discussion whether or not this will be on a regular basis, or via a bunch of interviews at the beginning of the process. (And will very much depend on an author’s availability).

Also up for discussion are the main communication channels during the process. While the bulk of the information a ghost uses is gleaned from interviews, I find it really helpful if it is possible to ping over a quick text or WhatsApp to clarify certain points. I always encourage authors to send me any thoughts, or additions, as they come to them. One I worked with, would send me two- or three-liners on an almost daily basis. They all made their way into the text – often in real time. From a ghost’s point of view, there is nothing worse than complete radio silence from an author and it can seriously delay the process. A quick burst of texts can really move the collaboration along. In a similar vein, a ghost will commit to sending over regular drafts once the project really gets going. This is the opportunity for their co-writer to check that the book is going in the right direction and that the ghost has a complete grasp of the brief.

My next step, following the first, wide-ranging interview, is to write a chapter-by-chapter plan. This is very helpful as a guide or road map to follow as the book is written. It is also a useful document because it outlines my understanding of the project, key elements of the agreement, such as expected length of the book and the time earmarked to write it.

With a clear brief and an early discussion about roles and responsibilities, it’s easy to move on to the exciting part: writing the book. After that, keeping things on track is a question of keeping those channels of communication open. Any deviation from the early agreement can be caught early on and an open, honest and respectful discussion will easily get things back on track. No exams required.

Teena Lyons writes regular blogs at www.professionalghost.com

Giving a Ghostwriter Credit

It was Agatha Christie who said: ‘People should be interested in books, not their authors.’

And often this is the case. Aside from celebrity writers and a handful of household names, many authors of our favourite books are people we wouldn’t recognise if we bumped shoulders in the street.

Whenever I tell people I’m a ghostwriter, they always ask the same question: ‘Isn’t it annoying your name is not on the cover of the book you’ve written?’

The answer to this question is both simple and complex. The simple answer is no. I am not worried my name isn’t on the book cover because it’s not my story to tell. Without the author’s story, there is no book.

My job is to listen, write the manuscript in the author’s voice and then, poof, disappear. The author is the person who will market the book, be the public face of the book and ultimately own the book. To greater or lesser extents all authors help ‘write’ the book too, even if they don’t jot down a single word.

Ginny Carter agrees a ghost’s job is to stay hidden. ‘I love being behind the scenes,” she says. ‘Which is something people find hard to believe, but each to their own.’ Phil Whiteley and Ben Jeapes agree it’s a consequence of our chosen profession.

I second this. I’d also wager most ghostwriters are introverts, empathetic listeners with a deep love of human stories but who don’t necessarily want to take centre stage.

The complex answer to the question about lack of recognition is yes it does bother me sometimes. Especially when it comes to the acknowledgements section of the book where every ghost appreciates seeing their name and a heartfelt thank you. Often the word ‘ghost writer’ is not used, it’s dressed up in a more creative manner. Caro Handley was once called ‘Queen of her Craft’ ( this one is going up on her wall) in the acknowledgements, while my authors have told me often: ‘This book could not have happened without you,’ in print.

Another ghost from United Ghostwriters agrees any nod of recognition is a bonus, even if it doesn’t always work out this way.
One of our writers said: “I did have one occasion that left me a bit miffed: a famous explorer and I worked on his book intensely, got on well and he seemed pleased with the final manuscript. I saw the copy-edit and the proofs and he’d included a nice ‘thank you’ for helping him make the most of his stories which was a good euphemism. But it was deleted from the final printed book. To this day I don’t know whether he took it out or the publisher did but it felt a little unnecessary.”

Some authors find the idea of using a ghostwriter uncomfortable. Admitting you have used or needed a ghost brings out a feeling of insecurity in some authors. United Ghostwriters have stories of authors giving detailed fantasy accounts of their writing process when everyone knows the author did not write a single word.

Once, an author I’d ghosted for was interviewed on a breakfast radio show about his book. When he waxed lyrical about how he struggled to find the perfect opening words for the first chapter I had to smile.

Susan Feldstein can relate. One of her authors spoke publicly about disappearing to a log cabin in the woods for weeks at a time to write. Well, that was what he told his wife he was doing..




When it comes to recognition in the publishing industry acknowledging the importance of the ghostwriter has a way to go too.
Especially when ‘ghost writing’ is often not viewed with the same level of kudos as ‘writing’ at times. Especially when clients ask ghosts to write their book for free, or for a ‘cut of the profit’. (Let me say, royalties are often minimal, even sometimes with best sellers. Taking on unpaid work to help others make money is not something any professional writer aspires to). Some mainstream publishers offer ghostwriters as little as £1500 to write an entire book, a fee which works out to be far less than the legal minimum wage.

‘Ghost writing’ is the same as ‘writing’ a book. You can’t do it half-heartedly. You can’t put in fewer hours or care less than if you were the author of the book.
In summary, every book usually involves around a minimum of 25 hours of interviews, transcribing, then usually three to six months of full-time writing. Often research around the subject is also necessary.

Every single book presents challenges of a different kind. It could be an author’s first language is not English or their memories are clouded. Or the timeline doesn’t fit. Or they want to omit a key part of the story.

My job, at times, is to make the unworkable work. To smooth things over. To make things easy for my client, the author, and often the publisher. Nobody wants to hear their ghostwriter making excuses about writer’s block or an inability to think of a good ending.
Is a ghostwriter afforded the same hand holding and editing guidance as other writers? Probably not.

Even if we don’t have our names on the book cover, it’s in the public’s interest to know we exist. Our services are vital. They keep the publishing industry ticking over.

Meanwhile, I am, like all the United Ghostwriters, always grateful for a heartfelt thank you, whether face-to-face or in print.

For Teena Lyons, one of her authors went a step further. They sent her a sample copy of the published book, which gained lots of national attention, with their name scribbled out and hers in place. Inside was a touching personal dedication to thank her for the hard work.

In almost all of the 22 books I’ve ghosted, there are touching words of thanks buried deep in the acknowledgements. There for me to see and, importantly, for future clients looking for a ghostwriter to see.

Sometimes the thanks my authors give is so effusive I’ve glowed inside with pride. Ghosted or otherwise, every published book is a major achievement in its own right and to take a moment for everyone to appreciate this makes it worthwhile. Just before I disappear for good.

Time and Space

Allowing a manuscript time and space to settle is a fundamental component of the ghostwriting process. Building a solid structure upon which the manuscript can thrive is, for me, a necessarily painstaking task, and the writing itself can hit some speedbumps, when things don’t quite sit right on the page. Minor deviations on the planned route to completion are absolutely fine, expected, and actually welcomed, should they result in a stronger story that looks even better than planned and communicates all that the client desires.  

Another essential part of the process is deliberately distancing myself from text for a period of time, in order for it to settle, and to return to it with a fresh set of eyes, so to speak. Not only do any typos/mistakes become more obvious, but any problematic sections of the text itself are apparent. It’s a bit like watching a film for a second time. Unless you’ve got a tremendous ability to recall pretty much every scene, character arcs, and twists and turns in the plot (I certainly don’t), there’s a good chance that parts of the film will appear fresh – unseen, even – and the same process applies to ghosting. I’ll remember most of the client’s story, but other elements feel less familiar, and it’s often here that I find finesse is required.

Rewriting is so much easier than the process of laying down a first draft. Even with a roadmap to follow, finding the right tone isn’t an entirely straightforward procedure. I need to echo the client’s voice, if memoir, or find the best characterisation, if fiction, and this requires a great deal of thought and reflection; and, sometimes, heading down a few blind alleys, if material doesn’t work. With a rewrite, however, most of the hard work has already been done, and there’s an opportunity to identify and bridge any gaps, and maximise the manuscript’s potential.

It’s like that expression: being too close to something. When you’ve engrossed yourself in a particular project, its flaws aren’t immediately obvious, so time and space help to highlight defects. Another means of achieving this is when other people read the piece. With my own work, it’s something I do regularly, as alternative perspectives often open up other avenues for further consideration. My readers might identify areas of plot that could be improved upon, or turns of phrase that don’t hit the spot.

As a ghostwriter, this isn’t something I’ve done with other people’s work very often, as confidentiality is paramount, and I would require the client’s permission to allow somebody else to take a read. Sometimes, I’ll suggest a client asks their friends to read their manuscript and feedback their thoughts, but for the most part they want to keep the material between us both, which is why our collective judgement is so important to improving the manuscript as it stands at that point.

I try and leave text to settle for a good few weeks, if possible. It isn’t always, as I may be on a deadline, which is where years of ghostwriting experience come into play, and a nose for identifying the weaker aspects of a project are required. So even if you aren’t able to give a piece of work as long as you might like to settle, at least a little distance will undoubtedly help when preparing to deliver the final product.