Beyond Copyright: Overcoming the Biggest Occupational Hazard of a Ghostwriter

Graceful Detachment: Surviving Rejection as a Ghostwriter

I once introduced myself as a Ghostwriter to a colleague, and she burst out laughing. It baffled me that every time she heard the word mentioned, she would laugh to no end. Therefore, when a top-notch CEO in the city, a highly spiritual individual, begged me to drop that word “Ghost”, I had to pause and listen.

I have had an incredible life “Ghost-writing” for people over the years. I get to hear their stories and learn new things. To say that it has been a rewarding vocation would be an understatement.

World-Wide Phenomenon

Renowned authors such as Myles Munroe and John C Maxwell give a lot of credit to their “writers”. Certainly, they do have a lot of input in their work, but rely a lot on their ‘writers.’ A decade ago, when I heard Myles Munroe say that while he was preaching a series on Marriage and Divorce, a certain “writer” was trailing him and encouraging him to put that information in a book, I got encouraged. Myles didn’t have any books to his name at the time. He, in fact, said that he didn’t have the time to write. Rightfully so.

This unnamed writer told Myles to give him the go-ahead to write, and that’s how his best seller, Single, Married, Separated, and Life After Divorce, came out. The rest, as they say, is history!

Why Ghost-Writing?

Every time I meet with someone who wants their book done, I always tell them that everyone has a story to tell, and that the owner of the message or the story becomes the author. However, not all authors are writers! Writers are people with the technical gift and skill to transform a story or message into words that resonate with the targeted audience. Thus, the copyright is not the writer’s but the author’s.

Ghost-Writing 101

Before we can talk about the occupational hazard of being a “Ghost-Writer”, let me give you some tips that you need to put in practice before you start.

1. Know The Author’s voice

Ghost writing requires you to bring out the essence of the author, and not the nuances of the writer. To do that, you need to know the full “voice” of your author before you can understand their message. If your author is wordy, that should come through in the book with some of their favourite phrases picked up. If your author is funny, that humour needs to ooze out of the book.

Therefore, know the author before you know the message.

2. Know The Author’s values

Values are the clearest and easiest way to know your author. In fact, if you can find out what they are passionate about before they share their message with you, then you will get a lot of freedom writing for them in their “voice.”

Some authors cannot put in clear words what their values are. You therefore need to observe, listen and pick cues that inform you of their values.

3. Know The Author’s nuances

This is subtle but very key in bringing out the style and aura of your author. You do not ask for this, but observe. There are some authors whose language is littered with euphemisms and metaphors. You should be doing cartwheels when they speak and include them in their work. If you can do the above, chances are that it will be the author’s voice when their book is published, and not yours.

Overcoming the Ownership

I attended a meeting where Eseza Mulyagonja talked about one of her editing processes. She said that this is the process of “dismembering and disfiguring” the manuscript constructively. This process is, at times, considered a nightmare to the author.

For the Ghostwriter, the nightmare is when you “own” the story more than the author does. Honestly, I don’t know how else you would be effective in your work without ownership! That, though, comes with one major problem. The author might outright reject the juicy portions of the work that you sweated to bring forth. Those portions could have been the anchor of the book, or a section of it.  Believe me, you could experience heartbreak and end up rejecting the author and their work.

At every level, it is not just about the writing; at times, it is also about the layout and cover designs. Some authors can insist on some lackadaisical output because their friends have insisted on it. Other authors have onboarded advice from everyone, especially those without the technical know-how.

What do you do?

1. Remember Whose Name is on the Cover

The copyright isn’t yours. It is the author’s. The author dictates all that should be put in their work, of course with your consultation. At times, we try to open their eyes through reason, but at times, we are just too invested in the project. Remember the first rule;

You are not the author.

2. Detach Without Disengaging

I wrote about detachment a long time ago and did a few podcast episodes on the subject. It is a powerful thing to do. Nonchalance! Detachment is not coldness; it is professional grace. You hold the story close enough to make it live and loose enough to let it go. Know this beforehand.

3. Reframe the Rejection—Call it Refinement

As I said, when you are heavily invested in the story, it is easy for some of your essence to filter in. I learnt this from my coaching work. That you need to draw information from the coach to the place where they own it and speak it themselves, not you “motivational speaking” over them.

When an author rejects a portion, it is probably because you poured much of yourself into it, and they cannot identify themselves in that portion. Accept the ‘rejection’ as refinement. Accept with grace.

4. Keep a Graveyard of Greatness

One day, I had come up with a book title that I thought was powerful. The author rejected it. I was livid! How could they not see what I was seeing? A few days down the line, they came up with a one-word title that floored me. It was better than what I had suggested by far.

However, I selected to keep that title and use it elsewhere and it worked. This is one of the most potent ways of overcoming the rejection.

3. Choose Collaboration over Competition

You are not the mother. You are the midwife. It is easy to get drawn into the argument that you are the professional and that you understand the ‘professional’ work better. Don’t. Do not overstep your mandate. Refer to Rules 1 and 2.

4. Keep the larger vision in mind

This is an act of service; it is not that every sentence, every last word should not be touched. It’s not the Bible that should not be altered. It is a thought process you are midwifing with your author. In any case, the author might see your point when the readers give feedback, or you might see that they were right too.