Looking To Hire A Writer?

You’ve got an dilemma brewing in your mind. You know your material, you know what you want to write about BUT you really don’t know where to start. Or, you start to write but realize you simply don’t have the time. What do you do?

At this point, it is time to consider hiring a writer. You can start by doing an internet search on ghostwriters. Aside note here: the term ghostwriting has become an ethical misnomer in the writing world. There are countless books written, not by the author, but by a hired writer. Or, if the author is well known, they may have a “stable” of writers. Thus the quandary: the author never wrote their book, so they cannot claim ownership … or can they?

Today’s writers want name recognition and a cut of the royalties. That is why you sometimes see “with so and so” underneath the author’s name. In past generations, a ghostwriter was truly the invisible “force” behind a ghostwritten book. The author received all the accolades while the writer was paid a flat fee.  

Now, if the author is not the writer, can the writer claim to be the author?

Here is the way we see it. The author is the one who has the idea for their book, but needs help putting that idea into words. So the author is truly the originator, which makes that person—the author!

The best way to eliminate any disagreements is to create a work-for-hire agreement. This type of agreement sets the rules for ownership, royalties, and other negotiated items.

Hiring a writer can be expensive (our team knows, this so we have writers in many genres who won’t cost you an arm and a leg) so it’s important to do your research. It is also important to interview the potential writer; you are entering into a writing “marriage” and you’ll spend considerable time with this person. The two of you will need to blend personalities, styles, and communicate clearly. However, the writer should always take the position that you are the author of the book and you have final say over the material that goes into it.

Until next time,

The AuthorSource Team

Get Published. Be Heard.