William Hammett

For years, people have shown me bad writing produced by other ghostwriters, companies, and ghostwriting marketplaces. Don't get me wrong--there are some fine ghosts out there doing terrific work. But online ghostwriting has gone off the rails. Totally. I can't count the number of horror stories and complaints I've heard about ghostwriters and companies.

There's no regulatory agency to oversee the ghostwriting industry (if it can even be called an industry at all). Additionally, people seeking ghostwriters for their books are largely unaware of any aspect of writing, publishing, or the literary marketplace--or ghostwriting. How can anyone make an intelligent decision when selecting a ghostwriter if he or she isn't armed with the right information? How do you make a decision in a vacuum?

Most people look at price as a deciding factor. They want the best work for the cheapest price. I guess everyone wants that from any worker or business, but when it comes to various professions, you're never going to get superior work by paying low fees. Not gonna happen. You get what you pay for.

At the other end of the spectrum are people who are willing to dig deeply into their pockets because they believe ghostwriting companies are part of the mainstream New York publishing industry. They're not, but people want to buy into that illusion, which is awfully seductive when you start listening to project editors and managers and manuscript consultants. Most of these clients end up using the POD arm of the company, and they don't become famous authors or sell many books.

There are a lot of factors to consider when you're about to lay out hard-earned money to hire a ghostwriter, and most people don't have a clue as to what those factors are. If you want an insider's view of the world of online ghostwriting, download your free copy of my book How to Hire a Ghostwriter. It's filled with information and practical advice that you can use in making sure that your project is placed in the right hands.

Not all ghostwriters are created equal. I hope you find the very best.

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