Any writer in search of more work knows the market for well-paying, and even not-so-well-paying writing, has dramatically shifted in the past few years. Magazines have dried up – Ladies Home Journal being the most recent example – or are now relying solely on an established stable of writers. Newspapers are struggling and were never really known for high pay. Websites and online publications in need of content are providing new opportunities, but the pay isn’t always worth the work.
One of the few niches where demand seems to be increasing is ghostwriting, or writing for clients without receiving credit. From books to blog posts to articles, speeches, letters, and Wikipedia entries, there is a wide array of opportunities.
The top question, of course, is where to find the work. Here are the three biggest sources:
1. Literary agents. Literary agents are a strong potential source of book ghostwriting work because they frequently hear from would-be authors and experts who have a great idea, great contacts, and/or a great platform, but who lack the skills or the time to write anything themselves. In order to lock down a publishing contract, for which the agent receives a 15% commission, the agent needs to pair his or her client with a writer willing to work behind the scenes. That’s where you come in.
To find agents who can be a regular source of book ghostwriting work, first identify the types of books you want to ghostwrite, hopefully based on previous books you’ve penned. Then search for agents who specialize in those subjects and introduce yourself.
2. Social media. Becoming visible on one or two social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Twitter, or Facebook and Pinterest, for example, helps get your name and ghostwriting services in front of people who could use you.
You can quickly establish your expertise by actively posting useful information on sites like these, as well as Instagram, Google+, and your own blog. LinkedIn has brought me tens of thousands of dollars in book and blog writing work, and I’m admittedly not that active a LinkedIn user.
3. Other writers. Struggling writers have a tendency to view other writers as competitors for juicy projects, rather than seeing them as the potential source of work that they really are. Successful writers and ghostwriters recognize that there is more than enough work to go around.
So when you come across a potential assignment that isn’t a good fit for you – maybe you specialize in parenting and the gig available is for a technology writer, for instance – be sure to pass it along to an appreciative colleague whose niche is tech. It’s likely they’ll then think of you first when a similar situation arises on their end.
If you assume a mindset of abundance and look for ways to share information with other ghostwriters, you will tap into an ever-growing network of potential project sources.