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wikiHow to Produce a Book Using a Ghostwriter

If you are using a ghostwriter or an editor to help you to create a book, here are some tips to assist you with the process from start to finish.

Steps

  1. 1
    Get yourself organized. You and your ghostwriter/editor will need to determine together what kind of book you want. You must decide on the size and the approximate length and sketch out a basic outline.
  2. 2
    Use the outline as a subject guide. Compile more information following the outline, including any articles, brochures or other marketing pieces you can find that cover the topics you want included in the book. Use a file folder for each topic or chapter. Send these ideas to your ghostwriter/editor. This can also work if you decide to find other professionals to contribute chapters to your book.
  3. 3
    Have the ghostwriter/editor perform extensive research to see what other people have to say about your subject. This search is vital because it will provide you with an idea that publication of the book is worthwhile; it shows that you're not just a person with a wild idea. Get references from peers in the field that you are writing in. Two things are important here:
    • The references must be recent;
    • They must be sources your target market will respect.
  4. 4
    Search for possible publishers. The internet or the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature at the library both afford you access to hundreds of credible journals and publications.
  5. 5
    Have the ghostwriter/editor compile a chapter outline with rough copy ideas sketched in for you. He or she will ask you some questions along the way and send you some page layout ideas and layout ideas for the cover.
  6. 6
    Go through the chapter outline and give your ghostwriter/editor your thoughts. Drawing from the information, research and outline, your ghostwriter/editor produces a rough draft of your book. Typically, that is done in sections. (This is also a good time to submit articles to magazines your target market reads and/or respects.)
  7. 7
    Go through the rough draft(s) and mark your corrections. Your ghostwriter/editor will include your corrections and deliver a final draft to you.
  8. 8
    Approve the final draft, page design and cover design. The ghostwriter/editor transfers the final version into the desktop publishing program for the printer. It's important that you understand this step. The printer will not print your book from a word processing program like WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. All book printers work with publishing programs like Quark XPress and Aldus PageMaker.
  9. 9
    Obtain price estimates for publication. Once your ghostwriter/editor knows what the cover will look like and exactly how many pages you're going to have, get print estimates and determine which printer to use. (This is probably a good time to start sending news releases to local media, like newspapers, radio and TV stations).
  10. 10
    Send the final book package to the printer with the check. The printer sends your ghostwriter/editor the "blue lines" for approval. "Blue lines" show exactly what the type will look like. Both of you should approve them. The printer lets your ghostwriter/editor know what the final charges are. That's determined by the exact number of copies printed and if there were any unanticipated print production charges.
  11. 11
    Pay the printer's final invoice and the printer ships the books to you.

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    Tips

    • Remain hard at work the whole time, it will pay off later.
    • Additional contributors to a book can help underwrite its costs.

    Article Info

    Categories: Publishing

    In other languages:

    Español: producir un libro contratando a un escritor fantasma, Italiano: Produrre un Libro Usando uno Scrittore Ombra, Português: Produzir um Livro através de um Ghostwriter, Русский: издать книгу при помощи тайного автора

    Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 25,684 times.

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