We are approached all the time by authors who either have a fantastic idea for a story or have had an amazing life story which they want to relate.

In both cases, we are typically told, 'I'm not a writer, so can you find me somone to put my idea down on paper?'

The answer, we're sorry to say, is almost always 'no'. But there are some exceptions, and as usual we're here to answer your questions.

This Quick Guide will give you most of the answers. If you still need more once you've read it, then just contact us.

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How much does ghostwriting cost?

Typically, a ghost writer will charge between £10,000 and £15,000 to write a book. Some ghosts will charge a whole lot more. More complex assignments will require a larger fee.

Don't think that a ghost will be prepared to discount their fee for a slice of the profits. Profits in writing are terribly small - and most books don't even get published. If you do choose to hire a ghost yourself, you need to be aware that the book may never see the light of day.

But what if I've got a great idea for a story?

We don't believe you. You might have the start of a good idea, but working out how to develop an initial thought into a complete work of fiction is a vastly complex & difficult business. That's where at least 99% of the work comes in - and 99% of the talent too. If you've got a great idea for a story, then you've got two choices: (1) Write it yourself, or (2) forget about it. Sorry to be blunt, but that's the truth.

What about my life story? There has to be a tale in that.

Maybe. The first thing is to remember that your story is very important to you. You need to be very hard-headed when assessing how far it may be of interest to others.

Perhaps you're an Iraq veteran. You shot at people, maybe killed them. Witnessed raids. Were shot at. Saw comrades die. From a human point of view, your experience is extraordinary. Life-altering. Worth recording & preserving for sure.

But from a publisher's point of view all this means nothing. There are too many Iraq books out there already. The only things that'll sell now are those that tell an utterly remarkable story even by the standards of an extraordinary war. So when the first "bomb disposal expert in Iraq" book came out, it sold very well. If you brought along another bomb disposal book now, you might not sell it at all.

Or, to give another yet more serious example, perhaps you were abused as a child. There is a large market for the so-called 'misery memoir'. (Sorry for the crass term - but that's what the industry calls such books). But because the market is so crowded, publishers are looking for stories that are exceptional. Your own story will not be judged according to whether it would help others, whether the story was of great importance to you, or anything else. Publishers will ask "Can we make money?" That's all. Few true-life stories make the grade. If you have a sensitive tale to tell, you may not want to have anything to do with the publishing trade. For more info on these issues, please check this page.

OK. I know that my story is amazing and I want a book deal. What next?

If you've got a truly awesome story and you want us to advise on whether a publisher might be interested in working with you, then send us a 2-3 page / 800 word account of your story.

You don't need to be a great writer, but you must set down the bare bones of your story is a concise, clear, articulate way. Email that story to us together with any (very brief!) background info. We'll let you know our verdict. Where a story looks exceptionally strong, we may be able to hook you up with an agent, who may be able to find a publisher to foot the ghost-writing bill. Your story must be amazing, however.

I've heard all that you say, but I want to go ahead at my own risk. Can you help?

Yes. We have a couple of excellent ghost-writers on our books, and will be more than happy to set up an initial meeting, hear your story, and advise you on whether or not we think it could form the basis for a marketable book. We would also be able to provide you with a quote for undertaking the work. Please note though (i) that we do charge £250 + VAT for this initial meeting, and (ii) there can never be any guarantee whatsoever that a book written by one of our ghostwriters will make it through to commercial publication. Life just ain't that easy.

Finally, who's that shadowy person in the room behind you?

Person? There's no one here in the room besides us. No one at all. Wooo .... wooo wooo!

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The Writers’ Workshop Run by ghosts for ghosts