The craft of the ghostwriter
Clients suddenly have time to tell their personal stories
GHOSTWRITING, the genre of literary arts that involves hiring a writer to pen your story, is one of the few global cottage industries thriving during the pandemic.
Barbara Basbanes Richter owns In Ink Ghostwriting, out of Larchmont, New York. She said she and her team of writers have been “busy during the pandemic with personal histories and memoirs — family stories set down on paper to be passed from one generation to the next. Given the historical and unprecedented nature of these challenging times, I think people want to ensure that their stories aren’t forgotten.
“And now, people have the time to devote to such a project. We’ve had whole families take part in memoir projects, which was difficult to organize in the past because everyone had competing schedules — these days, with so many people working from home, it’s much easier to interview participants.”
Richter said she advises potential clients to do their homework and don’t be afraid to ask questions. “There’s a range of ghostwriters out there, from bargain-basement newbies to ‘celebrity’ ghosts who charge princely sixfigure sums. Hiring a ghostwriter on the cheap almost ensures that the work product will be rushed, sloppy and, sometimes, may even be plagiarized (we’ve inherited quite a few projects like this).
“Also, run away from any ghostwriter who guarantees you’ll get a book deal or a literary agent. There are no guarantees in the book industry.”
Richter tailors the writing process to meet the needs and goals of the client. “Some clients come to us when they have a general concept for a book, others might share an outline of what they want to achieve and still others present a full manuscript they want edited and prepared for publication. We’ve seen it all and work with clients no matter where they’re starting out and what their goals may be.”
Richter said prior to the initial inter
view, which is generally conducted via phone or video chat, “We draw up a plan in coordination with the client that outlines the scope of work and what we want to achieve on each call. Then we create a book plan – a detailed table of contents that will guide us throughout the process.
“Next, we’ll try to schedule as many interviews as possible, to take place once a week but structured to best fit the client’s schedule. This process ensures that the client’s time is spent wisely. At this rate, a memoir can be completed in as little as three to six months.”
What Richter advises you do before the initial call is prepare and have on hand supporting material. For example, if you are writing a memoir and you’ve kept a journal, or you have letters, photographs and other memorabilia, have those to present to the writer.
“Some clients worry about inundating us with material, but there is no such a thing as too much!” Richter said. During the interview she is “listening for elements of a story that a client might not realize are the thread that ties the narrative together.”
For writers who aspire to be a ghostwriter, Richter says most of her writers have been “putting pen to paper for at least a decade, if not more. Confidentiality is core to our business, so anybody who feels the need to scream from the heavens who their current clients are, need not apply.”
Richter says what makes a good ghostwriter is patience. “Patience is critical. It can be hard for clients to share the innermost details of their lives. Active listening is the hallmark of any good ghostwriter. That means being open to taking the story in an interesting direction and asking probing questions to get at the heart of a narrative.
“Ghostwriting isn’t an entry-level job,” she continued. “It requires experience writing across a variety of genres and a willingness to read widely and regularly. I write under my byline for this very reason. (In fact, my forthcoming translation of Mademoiselle de Malepeire was just hailed by Publisher’s Weekly as a ‘ripping yarn.’) Some ghostwriters specialize in particular areas, but In Ink Ghostwriting is what I’d call a generalist firm – our goal, no matter the topic, is to ensure that the content is engaging and entertaining to the public.”
Richter says she’s only turned down one project. “The details and the goals of it were too egregious. The job of a ghostwriter is to tell the client’s story, whatever it may be. I think we’ve seen it all in terms of personalities and requests.
“Hiring a ghostwriter can be like getting into a six-month marriage – it can get intense, but that’s part of the deal. We sign hefty nondisclosure agreements with many of our clients, so I can’t share any of those stories, anyway.”
For more information about Richter’s ghostwriting services, visit her website at
‘Patience is critical. It can be hard for clients to share the innermost details of their lives. Active listening is the hallmark of any good ghostwriter.’
BARBARA BASBANES RICHTER