An Independent Ghostwriter or a Ghostwriting Service: Who Should Write Your Memoir?
Writing a memoir requires not only excellent writing skills but also the ability to look deeply into yourself, relive memories, and explore feelings and ideas that might be difficult or uncomfortable. And then, you have to convey them in an engaging way through a compelling, consistent narrative that will be interesting for your audience. Not everyone has these skills—in fact, most don’t. Even if you have led a fascinating life with interesting and unique stories that can make for a marketable memoir, you may not have the time or experience to pen a great book. Because these skills take time and experience to develop, many notable individuals hire ghostwriters to write their life story for them.
Hiring the right ghostwriter can be a complex process that involves multiple interviews and contract negotiations and requires a lot of time and emotional energy. This is why many authors choose to hire professional ghostwriting services instead of an independent ghost. Doing so saves you from having to conduct thorough research and scout out the right ghostwriter for your project—the company will simply dip into their expansive roster of professionals to find the best one for you. But what’s the better option for you?
The advantages of hiring an independent ghostwriter
The greatest advantage of hiring an independent ghostwriter is that you have complete control over who you hire, which means you can pick and choose until you find the perfect fit. If you don’t mind putting in extra time and effort to retain more control, this could be a good option for you. The most important qualities you want in a memoir ghostwriter are experience, empathy, and compatibility on both a personal and professional level—qualities you can monitor and analyze through the interview and hiring process. If you hire a ghostwriter who you don’t click with on a personal level, it’ll be hard to open up to them to the degree necessary to tell a great story, so don’t underestimate the compatibility factor.
It can also be easier to negotiate the price when you’re working with an independent writer, as they have lower overhead costs and can usually offer a cheaper rate for the same quality of work. This is certainly the better option if you’re on a tight budget.
The disadvantages of hiring an independent ghostwriter
Finding and interviewing independent ghostwriters who specialize in writing memoirs isn’t an easy task, and it can be incredibly time consuming. If you’re worried about the extra costs of a ghostwriting agency, consider whether it balances out the opportunity cost of investing so much time and effort into research. Divulging the details of your project to multiple people, having them sign NDAs so your conversations remain private, and discussing the specifics of your contract can also be emotionally draining. You may have to repeat this process several times to find the right ghostwriter.
It can also be difficult to vet potential candidates, as there are thousands of self-proclaimed ghostwriters online who may not have the credentials they claim to possess. If this is your first time searching for a ghostwriter, finding legitimate and experienced ghosts can prove to be especially challenging. If you end up with an inexperienced amateur lying about their credentials, all your efforts will be for naught.
The advantages of working with a professional ghostwriting service
The greatest advantage of hiring a professional ghostwriting service is that they have a network of experienced writers to choose from and will pair you with the most compatible ghostwriter for you and your book. They do the hard work of finding and vetting writers and can guarantee the quality and professionalism of their work. Of course, if you don’t like the ghostwriter they offer for whatever reason, you can simply let the agency know, and they’ll match you with another professional.
Ghostwriting services also provide in-house editing, proofreading, design, and even publishing and marketing services, which means you’re hiring an entire team of professionals to help you complete your book from beginning to end. When you add it all up, working with a professional ghostwriting service from the start can save you both time and money. They will usually charge you a flat fee for the entire project rather than for each individual service, which can add up if you’re outsourcing each service separately. If you’re new to the publishing industry, it can be easy to overlook the multitude of necessary processes outside of the actual writing, but they’re all crucial to publishing a successful book.
The disadvantages of working with a professional ghostwriting service
There are few if any disadvantages to working with a professional ghostwriting service. You may have a smaller pool of writers to choose from, but you can be sure they’re all experienced professionals The paradox of choice also means having too many candidates to pick from can be such an overwhelming task that some people simply give up. With a ghostwriting service, all you have to do is give the company an outline of your content, target audience, and goals, and they’ll get back to you with a well-suited ghost.
Hiring a professional ghostwriting service is the best option for most authors, especially those who haven’t worked with a ghostwriter before and don’t have experience with the publishing industry. A huge number of nonfiction books are ghostwritten, either because the author doesn’t have the necessary creative writing skills or because the author simply doesn’t have the time. There’s no shame in hiring a professional to tell your story.
If you would like to arrange a free consultation today, reach out to our memoir ghostwriting services and take the first step toward immortalizing your legacy in the pages of a professionally written memoir.
