The Benefits of Hiring a Memoir Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter is a valuable resource for authors who may not have the time, energy, or skills to create and organize their book ideas themselves. They primarily work with authors in a collaborative role, helping them with research, plotting, writing, and many other aspects of creating a viable manuscript. Now that self-publishing has become much more mainstream, hiring a ghostwriter is more common than ever, and even authors who have a limited budget can find effective and skilled ghostwriters to bring their stories to life within a reasonable timeframe.

Why Hire a Ghostwriter for a Memoir?

Ghostwriters can be found writing essentially every genre – both fiction and non-fiction. One of the most popular genres that authors hire ghostwriters for is the memoir genre. There are many reasons why memoirists are attracted to the idea of hiring a ghostwriter whether their goal is to end up on the bestseller list or simply create a modest title that documents their life to leave a piece of themselves behind on behalf of their children and loved ones. Here are a few of the most common reasons why memoirists choose to hire a ghostwriter:

Writing a memoir can be time-consuming.

A memoirist may have remarkable writing skills, but writing a book takes time, especially if your goal is to make a viable income from it. UnTapped has worked with many writers who simply don’t have the time to complete their manuscripts on their own. Some of these authors have the idea, but can’t find the time to start writing or may not know how. Others have a draft ready, but they need help restructuring it in a way that makes sense, which often takes more time than writing the draft on its own.

Ghostwriters often have an open schedule that they reserve for new business. In other words, they will likely have a minimum of 10 -20 hours available per week to dedicate to your book and nothing else. For authors who only have a few hours available in the evening or weekend, this is a huge benefit.

Writing a memoir requires skill. 

Believe it or not, you don’t have to have writing skills to be an author. The memoir genre is full of authors who have an interesting and engaging story to tell, but simply lack the ability to get that story onto the page. Others may have the skills to draft a story but get stuck when trying to organize the plot or create an outline. A ghostwriter specializes in both writing and plotting, but more importantly, they’re highly skilled at drafting the story in a way that makes sense to the author and from a literary perspective.

Marketing a memoir can be difficult.

If your goal is to make money off of your memoir, it’ll need to be written in a way that is engaging to your readers. You might be the most interesting person in the world with a million-dollar memoir just waiting to be written, but if you can’t keep eyes on the page, it doesn’t matter what celebrity you grew up with or which notable event you played a role in – you won’t be selling more than a few copies. A ghostwriter is immersed in the publishing industry and knows how to curate an audience and write your story in a way that will draw attention to your work.

The Ghostwriting Process for Memoirists

The collaborative process between a memoirist and their ghostwriter starts with a series of interviews and rigorous research. Generally, there will be several hours of calls or in-person meetings where the ghostwriter gathers all of the information they’ll need to draft an outline for the memoir.

Once the memoirist approves the outline, the manuscript will be drafted chapter by chapter through a shared document so that the author can make revisions or suggestions as needed. If any additional information is required, the ghostwriter will schedule calls or meetings with the author to strategize the draft more thoroughly.

How Much Time Will It Take?

It depends on many factors. Is the story simple, and straightforward, with little research required? Is the target word count low? If so, it may take as little as a month or two to complete the first draft. It also depends on the availability of the author. Because a ghostwriter can only move forward with the approval and collaboration of the author, the timeline to completion generally depends on how often the author and the ghostwriter can get together for strategizing sessions. 

How Will a Ghostwriter Capture My Voice?

Many memoirists have reservations about hiring a ghostwriter to help them write their book because they feel protective of their stories and storytelling style. One of the most common questions UnTapped receives is “Why hire a ghostwriter to tell my story? Isn’t it easier for me to tell it myself?” and “What if they get it wrong?”

These concerns are valid, and in many cases, hiring the wrong ghostwriter can weigh down the project significantly. But when a memoirist is matched with the right ghostwriter for the job, the value and viability of the manuscript are elevated significantly. A skilled ghostwriter can help an author organize their story in ways they may not think of on their own. They will also be the author’s biggest cheerleader and will work to protect the authenticity of their story and voice at every step of the process.

Who Owns the Rights to My Memoir?

It depends on the ghostwriter and if there is a contract or agreement between the author and ghostwriter. While rare, some ghostwriters ask to be included in the acknowledgments page of the book, while others insist on complete anonymity. Additionally, some ghostwriters may ask for their fees upfront, while others may ask for a percentage of the sales proceeds. When hiring a ghostwriter, it’s imperative that memoirists do their research and make their copyright and NDA requirements clear to their future ghostwriter before starting work.

If copyright and credit are important factors to you as a memoirist, UnTapped’s policies on the matter a straightforward and clear – we do not retain any rights to the copyright or credit of your book. Our ghostwriters will never make their role in your book publicly known in any way, except in the rare circumstance where they may privately reference their experience when seeking new clients. Even then, they will never do so without your express and explicit permission.

Is Hiring a Ghostwriter Expensive?

Finding the perfect ghostwriter to tell your story can be a long and arduous journey. You’ll not only want to find someone with the skills to organize drafts, write engaging plots, and cater to your audience; you’ll also want someone who resonates with your story on a personal level and is invested in its success. Ghostwriting rates often reflect this unique and special professional relationship with rates ranging anywhere from 10 cents to a dollar or more per word. 

Because we value the art of personal and intimate storytelling and because we know that self-published and indie writers often have tight budgets, we try to keep our ghostwriting rates between .09 - .20¢  per word. We also offer monthly payment plans so that we can avoid weighing down your budget. We also never ask for a percentage of the proceeds – once your book is complete, the resulting income is yours to keep.

How to Hire a Ghostwriter

The onboarding process for memoirists seeking ghostwriting services generally starts with a short consultation to gauge the project, how long it will take, how much work will be involved, and what it will cost. Once the ghostwriter has a clear idea of what to expect, the memoirist and the ghostwriter will develop a working schedule to interview and strategize the first draft and will meet (typically weekly) to discuss revisions or rewrites.

Are you ready to get started? Do you have a story worth sharing? Give us a call at 406-214-2524 or email Zach at zach@untappededitorial.com for a free consultation.