Why Ex-Reporters Make Great Ghostwriters
Posted on | May 6, 2010 | No Comments
By Ellen Neuborne
Special to Displaced Journalists
5.6.2010
I used to be a reporter. Now I’m a ghostwriter.
I get a lot of raised eyebrows when I say that. Usually, it’s followed by comments such as “Really? For anybody famous?” Or “Can you make a living at that?”
No, nobody famous. Yes, you can make a living. I’ve been doing it since 2004. I’ve ghosted 13 books and scads of other texts from opinion pieces to Power Points to blog posts. I tap into my journalism background (I was a business reporter and editor) and I specialize in what the industry calls “thought leadership” books for business professionals. Every CEO wants a book. Few have the time (or the writing chops) to produce one. That’s where I come in. Ghostwriters with backgrounds in health, science and sports are also in demand.
Ex-reporters make great ghostwriters for a number of reasons. My top 10:
1. We’re used to telling someone else’s story.
2. We’re adept at putting our own voices on hold, for off-hours projects.
3. We know how to interview and draw out a subject.
4. We think writer’s block is for sissies.
5. We make deadline.
6. We thrive on variety.
7. We like to meet interesting people and tell their stories.
8. We know nobody really reads bylines anyway.
9. We are used to high volume production.
10. We never get tired of writing for a living.
A lot of journalists are curious about ghostwriting. I know, because I get asked out to lunch about once a week by a journo who wants to “pick my brain” about breaking into the industry. I got smart about a year ago and created an online class in ghostwriting (next six-week session starts May 17th, if anyone’s interested.) But whether you sign up with me or investigate it on your own, ghostwriting is a good second act for a smart reporter.
Ellen Neuborne is a ghostwriter living in New York City. Email her at eneuborne@aol.com or visit her http://ghostwritingrevealed.blogspot.com/
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