About that ghostwriting job.....

Recently, someone sent an e-mail, asking if I'd be interested in helping him ghostwrite a book, explaining that someone else had referred him to me. My first reaction was yes! I'll do it! When would you like to get started?

But I held off for a day just to think about it. While the potential client submitted an attachment of the details of a fascinating true-life story that he had so far, I could see that there was some merit in the project. I needed to know more, such as what kind of book he really wanted to write, novel or nonfiction, and how much work he had completed so far. Also, did he want any query letters and book proposals written? And just as important, an idea of how much he budgeted for the project.

Of course, a few other matters had to be worked out, but all of that would happen later on.

If I sound cynical, it is with good reason. In one ghostwriting project for a doctor, the book's chapters needed editing and query letters had been written. And I did get some money, roughly about 4 hundred dollars for the query letters and outline. But somewhere between those query letters and book chapters, the project died on the vine. I assumed that the good doctor lost interest, since he had not communicated with me in a while. So I let that go.

In another project, the client was a female professor who was working to get tenure. In order to improve her chances, she decided to write a book for two different audiences, one audience consisted of administrators and the other consisted of teachers. So immediately, there was a problem because she had to decide which audience was best suited for the book, and she did, eventually. Then she wanted query letters written and mailed and paid me a few hundred dollars for those. And she was successful. One of the publishers we contacted expressed an interest in the book and was ready to offer a contract if ...... The professor told me that she did not have time to write those chapters and I agreed to write the first two. Unfortunately, I did not insist on an upfront fee and wound up with almost no money at all.

But I'm wiser now, letting that potential client know that I would be happy to help and would provide him with a list of services and fees. His response will clue me in as to how serious he is in getting the project started and completed in a timely manner. If he balks, well, I'll apologize, but insist on some money upfront. After all, he willingly pays his accountant, lawyer, doctor, dentist and other experts for their professional services. I'm an experienced professional too, and my time is worth money. We'll see.