Top Digital Publishing Myths of 2013 - Myth Two

This article is in series. In the last article, 'everyone can write' was identified as the top myth. Whereas it is true, everyone has a story, writing is a skill and not everyone has the skill to write.

As self publishing has grown increasing its income potential for ordinary folk, so has the incidence of fraud and hype. The second myth of the digital publishing era therefore proclaims that millions can be made and will be made by all and sundry — all they need to do is get their book into a digital format.

Myth Two — if it is in a book format, even a PDF, you WILL sell and make millions
Of the most dangerous half-truths of self-publishing (sub-truths) is the one saying ‘you can make money/millions’ from writing your own book. The primary omission of that truth is this; writing is one process, marketing and selling is a horribly different process. The two can never, shall never, will never merge to become the same thing.

The most obvious indicator of this fact is we have ‘best sellers’, I am yet to encounter ‘best written’ as a path to millions. We have holders of the millionaire status who are ‘best selling’ authors, none that are ‘best writing’ authors. The money is in the sales, not in the publishing.

If you wish to self publish a book, think long and hard over the marketing process, before you put one word on the page. It will save you months of agony.

This myth ignores and fails to inform new authors about an important strategy that is part of all successful media houses. Before the first word of a book is put on paper, the author must think long and hard where they money will come from. What this means is there are millions of great books that will never make a dime for their authors, because they did not come with a marketing strategy.

Before you write, think long and hard about your marketing plan. HOW will the book be sold, to whom, at how much, in what formats? Then your book is headed for ultimate author success. 

How can I contact you to write my Project?  Contact Paula here.

I still have unanswered questions on my project, send email here.

Paula will help you plan your marketing strategy through AMS Kenya, a small publishing concern helping authors to gain the most from their writing. Contact Paula here for rates.

“The link will open on a secure third party page. Kindly fill in the details and send the form to me. I will reply from my personal email. I look forward to working with you on your book Project.”

Top Self Publishing Myths in 2013 and Beyond

This article is in series. To read the next myth, click on the link and the end of the article. 

Self-publishing is one of the most fantastic door-openers of our time. From the dreamer, to the struggling writer to the veteran, everyone now has a voice in … wait for it … the information age. We are all voices of authority in the information age. Sometimes, I am not certain if the deluge of information is a good or bad thing. The only thing I am sure of is that it is fun to be alive in this season of human development.

Picture it that at the click of a button, and after typing a few choice words on a search engine such as Google, you can find information on any topic that catches your fancy. The loudest seller of website development and internet marketing tools spins their sales pitch on the angle that you can write on anything that you know and love, and make a fortune doing it riding on this modern-day search engine miracle.

Write Your Own Story: What to Expect From a Biography Writer

One of the best ways to find professional help to write your own story is to elicit the services of a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter who can write a biography will give that indication in their author bio sections. Not all writers and not all ghostwriters can help you write your autobiography. There are many who landed in the writing industry because of the huge need for content online, but many are not professional writers.

A professional biography writer may offer their service as a ghost writer or specifically as a biography writer. Either way, you need to be certain that you are working with a

Help on Writing a Book — the Secret to Overcoming the Biggest Block to Writing Your Story

Is there a quick way to get help on writing a book? Absolutely!

There are tons of very good stories that are left untold everyday! There are innumerable important bits of information that float away with the demise of the souls and hearts that had opportunity to share them. They become value-less because the people that had them, that could have shared them have moved on to another realm, while their lifeless bodies remain on the earth and return to the soil where they make no meaning.

The only way to make meaning of your story is to write a book while you still have breath and blood flowing through your earthly form.

Reviews Writers
Whereas this is sound logic, thousands will not get their stories on paper ever. You should not be on that list! Some on that list are afraid to start, some may feel they do not know how to write, while others simply do not have the time to write. The largest number on that list are those that allow the tedious work of writing get in the way. It is the single largest block to getting your book published. Majority do not ask for help to write their book. Their books will never see the light of day. That does not have to be your story!


The Best Help for Writing a Book
The truth about the world of writing is that very few people with their incredible stories in book form actually penned the book. They use the services of a ghostwriter.

Specifics of Billing and Ghostwriting Costs for Ebooks and Books

One of the most exciting things that the internet has bequeathed people looking for the services of a ghost writer is options. Never did we have such variety in pricing for ghost writing as we can get online today. In your search to get a ghost writer to write your story and help you develop your book or ebook, you can find a ghostwriter from what we generally call the developed world and nations that are now internet-famous as outsourcing hubs.

From looking through community forums on the internet, I think there are important misconceptions from business people seeking ghostwriting services online.

The one school of thought appears to have a mentality that says, if a ghost writer is so-silly-as-to-charge-so-little, we shall continue to fleece them and feel guiltless. Another terribly misguided school of thought appears to believe, if I get a ghostwriter in my neighborhood, then it will be quality work. 
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
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Ghostwriter Work Quality, Fees, and Billing Structure

When hiring a ghost writer, one of the important factors to take into account is to understand what informs their billing. The most obvious though subtle one is the ghost writer's perceived value of their work. A newbie ghostwriter will be shy about stating their fees at market value just as a high profile ghost writer will not be shy about naming a fee way above the market value.

What is a high profile ghost writer? If for instance a ghost writer's credit is on a bestseller their fees will be much higher. Whether their credit on a best-seller is an indication of the ghostwriter's ability or the book marketer's ability is a matter for very worthy debate.

For your purpose though, which is to get your ebook or book written, what you need to be certain about is whether or not you agree with the skill of the ghost writer. You can only determine that, as you determine the authenticity of their claims as a ghostwriter, by looking at their independent work. Note that 'independent work'. The final product of a superior book or ebook is a pure reflection of the author, not of the ghostwriter. To judge a ghost writer by a finished book or ebook they have ghost-written, is in reality judging the author and not the ghostwriter unless you are judging its accuracy in representing the author.

Their independent work however tells you who the individual really is. If they have a blog, this is excellent. Remember for a book or ebook you and your ghost writer must have a relationship (hopefully a friendly one) if you are to get your person correctly represented. On a one on one interview you can pick their vibe in a meeting. Online, however, a blog is the closest you can get. 
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
•    Specifics of billing and online ghostwriting costs for ebooks and books
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
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Some Home Truths About Writing Your Own Book and Self Publishing

Writing your own book as an opportunity to make millions overnight can be seen as either a glass half full or glass half empty scenario in this days of the internet (pardon the cliché). You see, when I was a much younger writer, we held names like Charles Dickens, and fiction writers of the caliber of Sidney Sheldon in pretty high esteem. I think in a small way, everyone who ever sat in a writing class held the hidden fantasy that one day, some day, they too would rise to the echelons of famous writers.

But then alas, along came the internet, and I am sometimes not sure if that fantasy was shattered or made that much closer to a reality. You see, there are tons of people, and you may well be one of them, who woke up with the dream of writing your own book, and that dream is so achievable. What once was a feat only for the very courageous, is now only a ghostwriter away, software away, or just simply, some quiet, pen, and paper away.

Though more an encourager than a 'discourager', I would like to share a few home truths about the journey to writing your own book.


1.    Self Publishing is over-rated.
I recall days when we used to call writing your own book or self-publishing in all its versions, vanity publishing and that was like the lowest anyone could go ever.

Write My Story - Six Steps to Find and Hire a Ghost Writer for Your Book

It is a jungle out there on the internet, or maybe I should write 'in here' on the internet, and the important focus of getting your story written is to successfully hire the best you can find for the best price you can get.

Success in this process is about finding a ghostwriter who will deliver your results with the least hassle. Whereas there are things in life we cannot perfectly predict (such as who will bow out of a project mid-stream), there are primary considerations we can make with a view to getting the best from our search efforts.

1.    Identify the ghostwriter; what can they do? This, I think, is the simplest stage of successfully hiring a ghostwriter. It is comparable to the good old portfolio that artists use; it either pleases you or it doesn't. If it does not exist, then how can you even tell what you are getting into?

A ghostwriter, who is serious about selling their services online, ought to have an online presence. That is their 'portfolio'. Quick test: when you Google their name, can you get samples of their work to read? The topic of their personal writing is not important; what you are checking them out for is grammar, spelling, presentation of ideas, and command of the language.

If you are looking at work from a ghostwriter who claims they are a regular writer of their own work, but has a blog last updated in 2007, you could be looking at trouble. It is possible that they have moved on and you may be taking them back to a business they are no longer interested in. Therefore, tread carefully with them. 

2.    Initiate a conversation; if their portfolio is there and you like what you see, talk with them. To initiate such a conversation with me for example is only a click away.
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Discuss Your Book Requirements with Ghostwriter Paula

If you would like to discuss your book Project with me, please write a direct email to Ghostwriter Paula here


Note: the message link will take you to a secure third party page to protect my email from spammers. I will respond from my direct email and we can thereafter communicate directly.

PSS: This is NOT a subscription. I will not use your email for any other purpose other than to communicate directly with you. You are not subscribing to a newsletter or a regular bulletin. 

Write My Story - How Much Can I Expect To Pay For Ghostwriting Services?

Ghost writers are professionals and therefore their services can be pricey. However, that should not intimidate you. The best way to approach a ghostwriting project is as a relationship with the professional; consider them your own intellectual property Personal Assistant (PA). Other than the fact that being in communication with your ghostwriter enables the ghost writer to tap into your 'spirit' and dominant language style, it also opens up points of negotiation that you can comfortably initiate and pricing is one of them.

Technically and as an unspoken industry standard, no ghost writer gets their pay in full at the start of a project. This standard makes ghost writing services affordable because you pay for the services in installments with milestones to boot. The other hidden advantage there is that you have time to cut your losses early in the game if things do not go well.

At its simplest, the billing for ghost writing services spreads over the entire work period in three installments or milestone targets.
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Working With a Ghostwriter

There are many good ghostwriters that you will find on the internet and you have a choice of two; a local ghostwriter, or an offshore ghost writer. There are advantages and disadvantages of working with either one.

One advantage of working with a ghostwriter within your country is the possibility of creating meetings where you can speak one on one and face to face. Another is that a ghostwriter in your country understands the culture and the nuances of local concepts that may be lost on a foreigner. This is valuable if one's book is in some genres, but certainly not an important one in most cases.

If you desire that your book or ebook appeals to a larger audience, then colloquialism is not to your advantage. 

Another advantage of a local ghostwriter is a similarity in work ethic and culture of honesty. It is also easier to step into a time tempo in the course of your work because you are in the same time zone. However, both of those are logistical considerations. There are honest and dishonest people everywhere and if you know what to look for in a ghostwriter, this need not cloud your choice. Time zone is a purely logistical issue and the two of you can work out a plan that suits you best. 

In my years of working with authors, the most inefficient part of getting the book written is the very thing that many authors consider an advantage – ability to have a one on one meeting with the ghostwriter. That is a little paradoxical; it is actually a perceived advantage in the eyes of the author, but is a serious disadvantage if what you wish to accomplish is your unique book complete within a specific time frame.
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    What documents will I need to give my ghostwriter?
•    Can I afford ghost writing services to write my book or ebook?
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Why Accomplished Authors Work With a Ghost Writer

There are many reasons why you'd choose to work with a ghost writer. Whereas you have the idea or the story, you may not have the writing skills. A ghost writer will take your ideas and turn them into a book or an ebook with minimal effort because that is what they are trained to do.

Another reason to call in a ghostwriter is that most people, who have a story to tell, are rarely in the writing world. They are people engaged in varied fields of life, and therefore do not have the time or the skill to invest in developing a book.

That there are more books than there are publishers is the agonizing realization that almost all people who have a good idea or a good story eventually have to come to terms with. Looking for a publisher is most often draining and frustrating because publishers, being first and foremost a business, consider many factors before taking up a title and thus leave out many potentially fantastic books. 

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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
•    Advantages and disadvantages of working with a ghostwriter 
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    Of ghostwriting quality, fees and billing
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Write My Story - Why Authors Do Not Reveal They Worked With A Ghostwriter

When you start to ask around, you will learn that majority of the people who have a selling title on the shelves will not mention that their book was written by a ghostwriter. There are two major reasons for that; financial considerations and expediency – with the two firmly joined at the hip.

If you wish to write your book or ebook to reach as large an audience as possible, then you also understand that the larger your readership the more money you are likely to get into your bank account. That there presents the great divide between the fraternity of authors and writers, and the world of readers.

Except a reader, such as yourself, who has had reason to think through the implications of their own pen putting the words of their ebook or book on paper, to most readers the book and the ideas are synonymous with the pen that wrote it. Readers assume, and in fact it is right that they should not be bothered with this minor detail, that the name on the cover held the pen that wrote the ideas. 
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
•    Advantages and disadvantages of working with a ghostwriter 
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What Documents Will I Give my Ghostwriter for Optimum Results?

Alright! You have searched for a ghostwriter and have selected the one you wish to work with, what documents should you give your ghostwriter to start the clock on your work ticking? 

If you have razor sharp clarity about the content of your book or ebook, then it will move into form a lot faster. Though you may be clear, you will need to give your thoughts to the ghostwriter in a tangible form to help them create your book or ebook.

While clarity of vision for your ebook or book is important, it should not appear as though you have to have a pseudo-finished product to give to your ghostwriter. You can have clarity in numerous pieces of information scattered in various forms that the ghostwriter needs to sift through and create into a readable book or ebook.

The list below is not air-tight. There may be other ways that you have stored your information other than the ones listed here. Whenever you send materials for your work to your ghostwriter, always record the documents you send and remember to include the dates you send them for your ease of reference.
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    Components of the written agreement with your ghostwriter 
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Components of the Written Agreement with Your Ghostwriter

Your ghost writer is among your more intimate service providers on the one hand. This is a person to whom you are committing your innermost thoughts and feelings and allowing them to take you and your ideas and expose you on paper.

On the other hand, it is a professional partnership that requires legal protection for both you and the service provider. A typical author/ghostwriter agreement for books and ebooks will include six paramount clauses: 

1.    Preamble: as you negotiate on various aspects of the writing project, you will need to discuss the scope of the book including presentation, pagination, the size of the manuscript in pages and/or words, technical pages, the purpose of the material they are to prepare, and such details. These should be in writing on the preamble section of the agreement. 

2.    Manuscript rights: a ghostwriter does not own the ideas in a manuscript. Unlike writing for a newspaper or a magazine where the writer has a byline, a ghost writer gets no credit for the work done. They are your pen writing in your voice and giving your ideas form. That means they cannot publish that work anywhere else ever!
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
•    Why people are shy to publicize they worked with a ghostwriter
•    Ten tips to a successfully completed ghostwriter project
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Write my Book - Ten Tips On How To Achieve Your Successfully Completed Ghostwriter Project

My best case scenario for this tip's article was to make it two tips; tip one and tip two. The success of all and every project you will undertake with a ghostwriter for any work beyond an article be it an academic or professional report, an ebook or a book, rests on these two factors only; relationship and communication.

Well, we cannot always have the summary edition and I have therefore broken them down to the ten that I perceive as being most essential: 

1.    Develop a relationship of mutual respect with the writer and guard that relationship dearly. Whereas some people see the ghostwriter task as thankless and would wish to impute that attitude on the author, it is a dangerous perspective. You are handing over your intellectual property to someone else and anticipating that they will produce it to represent you in the best possible light. Work with them with that honor in mind and never take the ghostwriter for granted.

2.    Keep the communication lines open. The person who should be able to get you 24/7, (within reasonable parameters) for the life the project to develop your book or ebook is your ghost writer. Asking them to talk to your secretary when they have a question is just not going to work in your favor.
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More information: answers to frequent author questions
•    Six steps to find and hire a ghostwriter for your book or ebook
•    The most efficient way to author your own book
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