In the same way that people employ others to write speeches, letters and reports for them, there are a great many people who will pay handsomely to have someone else write a book for them, maybe a novel or an autobiography.
As a ghostwriter your name will rarely appear on the finished product, making it an unlikely occupation for writers whose main ambition is to see their names on the booksellers' shelves.
For other writers, this is a popular route to relatively high earnings. One such writer is Andrew Crofts who, in 'How to Make Money from Freelance Writing' explains the many reasons why ghostwriting is a major interest for him, primarily:
'Whether you are writing articles for businessmen to send to their trade papers, or autobiographies for Hollywood film stars, it is nearly always better paid than creating the same material in your own name would be'.
Businessmen wanting to have their articles published in trade magazines are after publicity, not usually writing fees. But not all business men and women find writing easy and so, just as accountants, lawyers and advertising specialists are employed to handle other aspects of the business, a ghostwriter is simply another professional to whom the businessman's more tedious jobs can be delegated.
In the case of the rich and famous - film stars, politicians, athletes - again, not all want to write their life stories, not all have the appropriate skills. Nevertheless, these are the people publishers are desperate to promote and to whom much larger advances and royalties will be paid. Chat shows, newspaper serialisations, autograph sessions all add to the potential profits for publishers. Bear in mind that the star is likely to command far higher fees than you might receive and it's obvious that this is a business with lots of eager clients.
That said, it isn't just business people or household names you might work with. Many ordinary people will pay you to write their life stories or to reproduce the family tree into book form. Others, including famous names, might want you to write novels based on a rough germ of an idea provided by them.
Having established that a very large market exists, next comes the task of deciding who to write for and whether your writing skills are adequate. For some projects, including novels, academic subjects, historical accounts, some degree of knowledge, experience and interest is essential and it's in your best interests to avoid any project you don't feel comfortable with, regardless of earnings.
Ghostwriters work with all kinds of clients and all kinds of publishers, from ordinary people wanting to have their books produced in the local high street to richer clients with an international big-name publisher in tow. Sometimes the ghostwriter is hired by the author, frequently without the publisher's knowledge. At other times it's the publisher who approaches the writer direct.
Other benefits of this business include not having to research the book yourself, increasing your own knowledge for future projects, allowing you to produce more books under other people's names than the market could possibly bear under your own name, and usually little or no marketing involved for big-name clients.
Most importantly, remember that really high rewards usually come from publishers approaching you on a regular basis. It's up to you to let them know you exist. This you accomplish in much the same way as approaching an editor with articles or publishers with book proposals. Letters should list your previous titles and specialist areas. Look in 'Writers' and Artists' Yearbook' and 'Writer's Handbook' for appropriate contacts.
Advertising in the trade press can also work wonders. In a recent issue of a leading writers' magazine one of Britain's leading ghostwriters suggests advertising in 'Stage' and 'Variety' (the Hollywood equivalent), Britain's 'Bookseller' and Publishing News, and 'Publishers Weekly' in the United States.