Getting started in ghostwriting as a career can be hard but with plenty of patience, practice and persistence, you can become an effective ghostwriter.
Ghostwriters are the unnamed writers behind much of the online web content that you see or read on many websites. And while they do write so much of the web content they are often very underpaid compared to named writers.
However, that doesn’t mean you should not consider being a ghostwriter. The trick to having a decent paying career as a ghostwriter is being an effective freelance writer and marketing yourself well.
5 Tips To Become A Ghostwriter
Just remember those low-paying jobs today could become much higher paying ones later on. Writing is a job where you have to pay your dues and work your way up from the lower-paying ranks to the better-paying jobs.
1. Practice makes perfect
A great way to look at the lower-paying jobs is they are writing practice for your dream writing job. Writing practice always increases your skills by improving your sentence structures, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Learning how to edit your own work in order to be a more effective writer is very important for any writer including the aspiring ghostwriter. People prefer pieces with little to no mistakes because it makes the named person look like a better writer.
Continue to write articles and pieces to be published under your own name in order to have examples of your own work to show to potential clients. Every writer needs a good portfolio for effective marketing.
2. Keep your clients happy
Becoming an effective ghostwriter is about being able to make your clients happy. If you’re writing for a magazine, website or blog, make sure you understand the required style so that your work matches their writing style.
While some clients might encourage your artistic flair to be in your work, most want you to write to their specs and ideas.
Always meet your deadlines. If you can’t meet them, communicate with the client that you need an extension before the deadline. You are building a reputation, so being reliable is very important.
Communication is the key to being reliable. Ghostwriting generally comes with firm deadlines, so it’s best to get into the mindset of making sure you can meet them when you agree to a job.
The majority of ghostwriting jobs are conducted over the Internet, so having a reliable computer and an Internet connection is important if you are planning on a ghostwriting career.
Make sure you secure your sensitive data and devices. They are not only the tools of your craft but your only communication device as well.
You can also find many websites for writers that offer online writing software and writing tools to help guide you on your way to a career as a freelance writer.
Some of them offer document editors with built-in grammar and style checking to make sure you’re always sending top quality work to your clients.
3. Learn SEO content writing
Learn SEO such as keyword placement and density; figure out how to use it effectively. While SEO is not always required, having a good understanding of it for the jobs that do, makes you a much more valuable ghostwriter.
Knowing SEO is also good for marketing and branding yourself. You can use it on your blog, website and social media sites so the search engines find you easier when a potential client is seeking out a ghostwriter.
These SEO content writing tips and tools will help you learn how to write content that both humans and search engines will love.
.
4. Write What You Know
Write on subjects that you are comfortable with and have a good understanding of. It not only makes the work much more enjoyable but your writing will have a flow to it, that forcing a topic you don’t know or like will have.
If you like writing on academic subjects, you can find a number of essay writing platforms to stay self-employed and avoid paying a fee to a middleman. Writing is an art and your writing reflects not only when you enjoy it but your moods as well.
5. Don’t be a Copycat
Never copy other’s work without giving credit. Most clients want completely unique and original content. Plagiarism is not okay.
If you do quote someone else or paraphrase, make sure you give a reference to where you got the piece and don’t use more than a sentence or two per piece at the most.
Many clients will use a plagiarism checker to check your work; it would be a great investment to use a duplicate content checker on your piece before submitting it to the client.
Getting started in ghostwriting as a career can be a little hard but with plenty of patience, practice and persistence, you can become an effective ghostwriter.
But, if looking for second career options for women, ghostwriting is a work from home career that is suitable for anyone who loves writing and has decent writing skills.
Also read:
- Writing Careers: 8 Things Every Freelance Writer Needs To Know
- 7 Tips For Beginners To Find Freelance Writing Jobs From Home
- Online Writing Jobs: 7 Powerful Tips To Get Paid As A Writer
- How To Get Paid To Write Essays As An Online Essay Writer
- Resume Writer Jobs: Start A Professional Resume Writer Career
- Screenwriting Tips For Beginners: Start A Writing Career In Television
- Freelance Copywriting Jobs: 5 Steps To Start Your Copywriting Career
About the author:
Dan Ripoll is co-founder and CEO of Content BLVD, a crowdsourced content marketing platform enabling businesses and bloggers to publish informative, engaging content and grow their audiences.
.
I agree with your idea of writing on the topic that one is comfortable with, that’s not only make content engaging but also useful. thanks for sharing these tips.
Very good article. Practice makes the man perfect.