Ghostwriting is a highly rewarding career that allows writers to bring someone else’s story to life. We’ve already discussed why you should become a ghostwriter in this episode of The Book People. And this time, we’ve put together a list of negotiation points that you need to discuss with your client before diving into a project, covering everything from the scope of work, to your payment and rights!
- Scope:
Content, focus, and tone: The first thing you need to discuss with your client is the type of content that they want. For example, if the project is a blog post, you need to know the topic, target audience, and any specific points the client wants to be included. Additionally, discussing the tone helps ensure that you grasp the client’s authentic voice and that your writing style aligns with the client’s expectations.
Length: You don’t want to write a 700 page novel only to find out that your client needed a 200 page book! Agreeing on the expected word count or page count beforehand can help you and your client manage your time and resources effectively. It can also ensure that the final piece meets your client’s requirements.
Timeline and milestones: How are you going to divide your time on the project and when do you need check-ins and feedback? Establishing a timeline with specific milestones can help you keep the project on track, especially when it comes to longer projects, such as books.
Contacts for queries and approvals:
Determining a main point of contact will help give you clarity on who you can approach for questions and approvals. This can ensure efficient communication throughout the project. It can be helpful to make sure that the contact is someone who can be readily available to provide feedback and answer any queries you might have.
Responsibilities:
Research and/or editing: What is the extent of research that is expected from you, and what is the level of editing that you’ll be required to do? Clarifying your responsibilities beforehand can help you factor in the time and resources you’ll need, enabling you to deliver the project on time and according to the client’s expectations.
- Payment:
Amount and time of payment: Discussing the payment structure upfront helps avoid any misunderstandings. Depending on your payment structure, whether it is in advance, at the project’s end or on a per-milestone basis, it can help you and your client to discuss rates ahead of time. This will also include a breakdown of your payment structure, for eg, a flat fee, or a per-word basis.
- Rights:
Non-Disclosure Agreement:<span=> An NDA protects the client’s privacy and intellectual property by preventing the ghostwriter from sharing any information about the project or using it for personal gain. However, you as a ghostwriter, can also negotiate NDAs to receive assurance that your work will not be shared or attributed to anyone else without consent. This is important if you want to maintain your anonymity or protect your intellectual property.
Credit to you: Some clients might provide credits to the ghostwriter for their work, while others may prefer to keep the ghostwriter’s involvement confidential. It is crucial to discuss this upfront to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts later on in the project.
Listing the final piece in your portfolio: For a ghostwriter, having previous projects on your portfolio can act as a sample that you can use to acquire future projects. However, this depends on the previous point of whether you receive credit or if the client has restrictions regarding the same. That’s why it can help to discuss portfolios and testimonials before the project begins.
Conclusion:
These are some of the basic terms that need to be negotiated upfront, which can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure a successful collaboration between you and your clients. Let us know any other questions you might have about being a ghostwriter!
Get in touch with us here to join our pool of experienced ghostwriters!
