What to Look for in a High-Quality Ghostwriter
Many people are frustrated with their search for a ghostwriter. After wading through a few portfolios, how can you tell which one is right for you?
The first thing you should keep in mind is price vs. value. Price is what you pay, value is what the product is worth. Granted, I have a vested interest, but I suggest you take a long look at freelancers because we almost always have higher quality writing samples, do all the writing ourselves, and are more flexible and can easily accommodate project nuances. Plus, if you're having someone else write something precious like your memoirs or sales copy, wouldn't you appreciate one-on-one communication with the professional portraying your message?
Locating a freelancer is often harder than finding an established writing organization. A good place to check is writing and marketing forums--the Warrior Forum is the most popular. I highly recommend looking at ezinearticles for higher ranked authors and checking out their sites. Next, ask people you know and trust. And if you've run out of options, elance.com is a freelance site. However, quality is low because the jobs are bid on and the lowest bid usually wins.
Once you find a few writers (hopefully 3-10), you must evaluate them. But how do you do this? Scrutinize their skills and samples, then compare them to their competitors.
First, peek at their services. Do they only offer one type of writing or specialize in a few? (This could be good or bad--are they a jack-of-all-trades or a high quality wordsmith who enjoys mastering forms?) Do they offer the services you need? Is their site easy-to-read and informative? Is their pricing clear? Do you feel like you'll get what you want?
Next, critique their samples. In the same way you'd be appalled if the mechanic fixing your transmission didn't know anything about gears, it should raise red flags if they have many mistakes in their work, their prose is long or unclear, and their style is hard to read.
If a writer doesn't check grammar and spelling, they probably don't spend a great deal of quality time with their writing--or they lack technical skill. Either way, ditch them because it'll cost you more on the backend to pay someone for editing.
Next, seek out clear, concise writing (unless that's not what you want!). If you want people to read your text, it must be quick and painless. If you find yourself deeply unclear of what a their prose means or must re-read their sentences, they're probably not the penman for you.
Then check your boredom level. Are their samples dull? Is it hard to finish their articles? Are you interested in clicking on their affiliate links or reading more? If you're bored, your clients or readers probably will be too.
Finally, check their style and tone. Does it overpower everything? Many scribes foolishly believe long sentences, lack of clarity, and rhetorical flair makes writing good. But the harsh truth is people will click away from, put down, or turn off boring, confusing, or longwinded things. And why would you even consider paying for writing that doesn't get read?
Now that you understand evaluating a ghostwriter, your choice should be much easier. So, get out there, hire a great writer, and make money off their excellent prose.
The first thing you should keep in mind is price vs. value. Price is what you pay, value is what the product is worth. Granted, I have a vested interest, but I suggest you take a long look at freelancers because we almost always have higher quality writing samples, do all the writing ourselves, and are more flexible and can easily accommodate project nuances. Plus, if you're having someone else write something precious like your memoirs or sales copy, wouldn't you appreciate one-on-one communication with the professional portraying your message?
Locating a freelancer is often harder than finding an established writing organization. A good place to check is writing and marketing forums--the Warrior Forum is the most popular. I highly recommend looking at ezinearticles for higher ranked authors and checking out their sites. Next, ask people you know and trust. And if you've run out of options, elance.com is a freelance site. However, quality is low because the jobs are bid on and the lowest bid usually wins.
Once you find a few writers (hopefully 3-10), you must evaluate them. But how do you do this? Scrutinize their skills and samples, then compare them to their competitors.
First, peek at their services. Do they only offer one type of writing or specialize in a few? (This could be good or bad--are they a jack-of-all-trades or a high quality wordsmith who enjoys mastering forms?) Do they offer the services you need? Is their site easy-to-read and informative? Is their pricing clear? Do you feel like you'll get what you want?
Next, critique their samples. In the same way you'd be appalled if the mechanic fixing your transmission didn't know anything about gears, it should raise red flags if they have many mistakes in their work, their prose is long or unclear, and their style is hard to read.
If a writer doesn't check grammar and spelling, they probably don't spend a great deal of quality time with their writing--or they lack technical skill. Either way, ditch them because it'll cost you more on the backend to pay someone for editing.
Next, seek out clear, concise writing (unless that's not what you want!). If you want people to read your text, it must be quick and painless. If you find yourself deeply unclear of what a their prose means or must re-read their sentences, they're probably not the penman for you.
Then check your boredom level. Are their samples dull? Is it hard to finish their articles? Are you interested in clicking on their affiliate links or reading more? If you're bored, your clients or readers probably will be too.
Finally, check their style and tone. Does it overpower everything? Many scribes foolishly believe long sentences, lack of clarity, and rhetorical flair makes writing good. But the harsh truth is people will click away from, put down, or turn off boring, confusing, or longwinded things. And why would you even consider paying for writing that doesn't get read?
Now that you understand evaluating a ghostwriter, your choice should be much easier. So, get out there, hire a great writer, and make money off their excellent prose.
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