Nick Pavlidis, a legal eagle who soared into the realm of ghostwriting, now serves as a mentor at Ghostwriter School. Here, he’ll show you the ropes of earning a six-figure salary, even on a part-time schedule, even if you’re a writing rookie. Will you need any special software or tools? Nope. As long as you’ve got a decent laptop, an internet connection, and access to Google Docs, which is free, please fasten your seatbelt and put your tray table in its full upright position—you’re cleared for takeoff.
Nick’s no stranger to your skepticism. You’re probably thinking, “This sounds too good to be true. Will anyone even give me the time of day? Can a clueless ghostwriter like me seriously bank those fat paychecks?” In due time, yes. But you have to start where you’re at. Be honest with potential clients. Tell them you’re new, you’re just getting your ghostwriting business going, and that’s why your fee is only $5,000, instead of $50,000. (Or whatever it is.) Offer them some sort of satisfaction guarantee.
Repeat after Nick: I do not have to work for free in the beginning. I can charge for my services from day one. We’re not running charities here. You deserve to be paid for your time and skill. The more experience you have, the more you can charge. How long till you get your first client though, right? Nick doesn’t have a crystal ball (or even a Magic 8 Ball), so he can’t tell you that. But he’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to find that first client. It’s easier than you imagine.
“You probably already know them,” Nick says. “Either that, or you’re a few degrees of separation from them. It’s all about positioning yourself, looking at your network differently, and getting comfortable having conversations about ghostwriting that fit your personality. No selling, just conversations. I’ll even give you email and social media post templates you can use to reach out to your own network to find that person whose book is just waiting to be written—but needs your help.”
Okay, Hot Shot, what if they want the book written in their own voice? Then what? Keep calm and breathe easy. No one can do that flawlessly, not even advanced writers. The trick, Nick explains, is grasping your writing style and making minor adjustments to channel your client’s voice. Remember, too, you’re not always starting with a blank page. Often, you’ll repurpose their existing content, converting it into books or articles. Easy as tying your shoes, right? Main thing is to establish clear expectations from the get-to.
Let your clients know they’ll be involved, acting as editors to ensure content accuracy and a personalized touch. It’s all about aligning expectations, right? So far, finding the right voice has been a non-issue for Nick and his students. And that brings us to the pitch. Join Ghostwriting School and learn the skills you need to become a highly paid ghostwriter. Cost is $1,245 or six payments of $249. If you don’t love it, you’ve got 30 days to ask for your money back. Great offer, but let’s not ignore the massive issue that’s looming in the shadows.
With AI advancing at a breakneck pace, it begs the question: why would someone shell out, let’s say, $50,000 for a ghostwriter to pen their novel when they could sit down with a free tool like ChatGPT and knock it out in a day? Sure, maybe the tool isn’t quite there yet, but it could be soon. And I get it. People are lazy. They can’t be bothered to go learn about prompts, right? But for $50 racks? They might find the motivation. Then again, you could probably make the same argument for just about anything. Oh, look, all this talk about change has me hyperventilating and starting to cry a little!
