Hello, I'd like you to pay me to write your life story
August 25, 2015 11:25 AM Subscribe
What's the best way to approach potential ghostwriting clients?
I'm looking to get into ghostwriting - in particular, approaching prominent and/or wealthy individuals to write their life stories, which often seems to blend into the story of a successful and often multi-generational family business. Not for general publication, more of a vanity thing, or whatever that's called today.
I'm curious about the best way to approach these folks. I have some in mind already, and I have good credentials, but absent a personal introduction we're basically talking cold-calling, and (ironically) I'm struggling with the wording. I definitely don't want to seem like one more sketchy stranger looking for money, which I'm sure they get a lot.
Or should I just be putting all my effort into tracking down personal connections?
I'm looking to get into ghostwriting - in particular, approaching prominent and/or wealthy individuals to write their life stories, which often seems to blend into the story of a successful and often multi-generational family business. Not for general publication, more of a vanity thing, or whatever that's called today.
I'm curious about the best way to approach these folks. I have some in mind already, and I have good credentials, but absent a personal introduction we're basically talking cold-calling, and (ironically) I'm struggling with the wording. I definitely don't want to seem like one more sketchy stranger looking for money, which I'm sure they get a lot.
Or should I just be putting all my effort into tracking down personal connections?
Family businesses (I used to work for a family business consulting firm) often have need for copy about their families for publications, such as magazine articles or website copy. So I'd start with that approach. Can you write a decent family history for their company website? Point out that it's missing? Once you're able to discuss family history with a representative, you could then conceivably work yourself into a conversation about creating a monograph about the family for publication.
posted by xingcat at 12:15 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by xingcat at 12:15 PM on August 25, 2015
You're starting from the wrong end. Compile a serious resume as a professional writer first (standard approach is to start for free with high visibility publications, and hemorrhage care into every word, and work up the ladder). Then do the networking.
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:22 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:22 PM on August 25, 2015
Sorry. Didn't understand you've already done that.
Most of these gigs are jobber gigs; you don't approach the subject; you are brought on by an agent or an editor to do the work. There is a small group of people who get all that work, and it's possible to break in, but it's 100% politics. I'd suggest you start out by claiming an area of speciality for yourself (even though you seem to write widely). That way there's a chance one of those people might say "I've got a project that's a good match!". The world, alas, works via specialty/category, so you won't get far by insisting on marketing yourself as versatile.
Also, the affable "people skills" that will ingratiate you with editors/agents are the same skills those guys will be looking for in you to do this job. Above all, you need to get along well with subjects and put them at ease. So in every moment of interaction with these guys, you must have those skills on display. No chinks in the affability armor, ever.
It is possible to do an end run against this network, and convince people not yet embroiled in the publishing machine to write something. That's a much more active, entrepreneurial approach; a whole other thing.
Are you someone who likes to insinuate himself into existing networks, make friends, and work up ladders? If so, cultivate editor/agent connections. Are you more of a salesman/hustler? Then try to get access to people with interesting tales (or at least interesting bank accounts) and make a smart pitch for a vanity project (and have lots of convincing euphemisms on hand for that phrase).
You can do both, of course, but they're so different in approach that you'd likely only be good at one.
If you go entrepreneurial, you need to be constantly vetting new prospects (i.e. when a job ends, it's up to you to find another....so you must be constantly prowling).
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:32 PM on August 25, 2015
Most of these gigs are jobber gigs; you don't approach the subject; you are brought on by an agent or an editor to do the work. There is a small group of people who get all that work, and it's possible to break in, but it's 100% politics. I'd suggest you start out by claiming an area of speciality for yourself (even though you seem to write widely). That way there's a chance one of those people might say "I've got a project that's a good match!". The world, alas, works via specialty/category, so you won't get far by insisting on marketing yourself as versatile.
Also, the affable "people skills" that will ingratiate you with editors/agents are the same skills those guys will be looking for in you to do this job. Above all, you need to get along well with subjects and put them at ease. So in every moment of interaction with these guys, you must have those skills on display. No chinks in the affability armor, ever.
It is possible to do an end run against this network, and convince people not yet embroiled in the publishing machine to write something. That's a much more active, entrepreneurial approach; a whole other thing.
Are you someone who likes to insinuate himself into existing networks, make friends, and work up ladders? If so, cultivate editor/agent connections. Are you more of a salesman/hustler? Then try to get access to people with interesting tales (or at least interesting bank accounts) and make a smart pitch for a vanity project (and have lots of convincing euphemisms on hand for that phrase).
You can do both, of course, but they're so different in approach that you'd likely only be good at one.
If you go entrepreneurial, you need to be constantly vetting new prospects (i.e. when a job ends, it's up to you to find another....so you must be constantly prowling).
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:32 PM on August 25, 2015
There are businesses that do company and corporate histories and archives. You might consider working with one of them for a bit. Calling up titans of industry isn't going to work the way you hope. When Sheryl Sandberg was looking for a co-writer, she auditioned many people before she found her co-writer.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:05 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by Ideefixe at 1:05 PM on August 25, 2015
I highly suggest you follow the above advice. My former classmate who is a ghostwriter does a whole range of writing and also produces a food festival. He ghosts one or two books each year but had done all kinds of other writing at the same time to cover costs.
posted by parmanparman at 2:37 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by parmanparman at 2:37 PM on August 25, 2015
Do you know about FreelanceSuccess.com? It's an amazingly supportive forum of professional writers (of all sorts), including some ghostwriters. This is exactly the kind of question worth asking there. It's not free. It's about 100 smackers a year and worth it for pros, IMHO. Best of luck in finding the clients you want!
posted by Bella Donna at 7:08 PM on August 25, 2015
posted by Bella Donna at 7:08 PM on August 25, 2015
If you're a good writer you should be able to write a good pitch.
You have a couple of options, if you have the funds and are serious about this endeavor, you could think about an ad in a publication like "The Robb Report", you could also see if there might be some opportunity within Ancestory.com. Another idea is to use a service the Post Office has called "Every Door Direct Mail". It lets you concisely target areas; using this tool you could send a card or flyer to neighborhood of wealthy residents who have the extra cash to fund a project like this.
There is also one other option you could explore and I think this one might be the most lucrative for you... I would approach directors of aging facilities and ask if you could give a short presentation on how residents could chronicle their lives. During this pitch, you could offer to do it for them. I think you would find people in this setting compelled to get their story out before it is too late and more importantly- have something to do and work on. Plus, I think you will find it somewhat rewarding- in some instances, you might really be up against a hard deadline.
That said, how much do you plan on charging for this service? What information will you need to get from the client and how do they need to give it to you? Lastly, what does your payment schedule look like?
I was pitched an idea like this back in 2006 before the ass fell out of the economy. I thought the idea had merit but there were some pitfalls to address.
posted by bkeene12 at 6:27 AM on August 26, 2015
You have a couple of options, if you have the funds and are serious about this endeavor, you could think about an ad in a publication like "The Robb Report", you could also see if there might be some opportunity within Ancestory.com. Another idea is to use a service the Post Office has called "Every Door Direct Mail". It lets you concisely target areas; using this tool you could send a card or flyer to neighborhood of wealthy residents who have the extra cash to fund a project like this.
There is also one other option you could explore and I think this one might be the most lucrative for you... I would approach directors of aging facilities and ask if you could give a short presentation on how residents could chronicle their lives. During this pitch, you could offer to do it for them. I think you would find people in this setting compelled to get their story out before it is too late and more importantly- have something to do and work on. Plus, I think you will find it somewhat rewarding- in some instances, you might really be up against a hard deadline.
That said, how much do you plan on charging for this service? What information will you need to get from the client and how do they need to give it to you? Lastly, what does your payment schedule look like?
I was pitched an idea like this back in 2006 before the ass fell out of the economy. I thought the idea had merit but there were some pitfalls to address.
posted by bkeene12 at 6:27 AM on August 26, 2015
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posted by artemisia at 11:30 AM on August 25, 2015 [1 favorite]