Celebrity ghostwriting is a lucrative, yet competitive field. For writers who want to collaborate with celebrities on penning their memoirs, it can be an exciting opportunity to tap into a new market. However, there are a few things you should know before you get started.
First, it helps to have a portfolio of clips that are related to the celebrity you’ll be working with or the industry they’re in. For example, if you want to be the ghostwriter behind a politician’s memoir, make sure you’ve written substantially about politics. Or, if you’re going to ghostwrite a book about a big name in the music industry, having a few clips from the likes of Rolling Stone would be ideal.
In addition, starting with a smaller project might be the better avenue for the new ghostwriter, says literary agent Madeleine Morel:
You probably should go to the smaller independent houses, like Adams Media and Sourcebooks, who use a lot of ghostwriters but barely pay a living wage. They’ll probably pay you $5,000 to write a 100,000-word book, but it’s a way of getting your foot in the door.
For more tips on how to start your celebrity ghostwriting career, read: How to Land a Celebrity Ghostwriting Gig.
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