Gold2

Golden Rule No. 2

Ghosting into print

I have earned much of my daily bread over the past 40 years by ghosting books and articles for famous people. First of all I approach the celebrity with my book idea for him/her. Then, having got their interest, I make my approach to a publisher.

The publishers would be lukewarm to receive a book idea by Norman Giller, but when they see that it is by a famous person (as told to Norman Giller) they sit up and take notice and, invariably, reach for the chequebook (or checkbook if you are selling to an American publisher).

Let us suppose you are somebody who has expert knowledge of trains, and you know that a well-known celebrity has been a keen train spotter. You need to contact the celebrity or his/her representative with a brief, polite letter asking whether the celebrity would be willing to lend his/her name to the project.

Impress the celebrity with your knowledge and a brief outline of the idea. Don't be long-winded. Alternatively, you can go direct to a publisher with your idea and let them make the approach to the celebrity, which they will be only too willing to do provided you can convince them that 1) the idea is strong enough; 2) you can write it in a professional and skilful manner; 3) that it makes commercial sense.

Yes, ghosting can be looked on as a secondhand way of becoming published. But it is better this way than not being published at all.

Let me give you an example to prove that it works.

I am a walking record book on track and field Olympics, a love of mine from schoolboy days. I had an idea for a book: Olympic Heroes, a who's who of every great track and field athlete who has won a gold medal. If I had gone to publishers with the idea "Olympic Heroes by Norman Giller" they would have shrugged and said the equivalent of "don't call us, we'll call you." So first of all I approached British athletics hero and Olympic medallist Brendan Foster with the idea.

He, I knew, would be far too busy with his broadcasting and business commitments to write the book himself. Brendan liked my outline and gave the go-ahead. I approached publishers Harrap with a synopsis for a book called "Brendan Foster's Olympic Heroes". We got a very nice advance which I split 60/40 with Brendan, in his favour. Forty per cent of something is better than 100 per cent of nothing.

It does not necessarily have to be a celebrity that you ghost, although a 'name' on the book increases your chances of a commission. You may know a neighbour or a colleague who has a fascinating life story to tell but who has no idea of how to get it down on paper.

You might have a friend, a neighbour or relative who miraculously survived a plane crash, or know somebody who escaped from Colditz during the War and has kept a lot of mementos and correspondence. They have got a real story to tell, and you could help them get it into shape for possible publication.

Or you can be right up to date and make an approach to somebody hitting today's headlines, perhaps as a political hostage or somebody who has been released from prison after serving a sentence for a major crime. Everybody has a story to tell, some with better stories than others. A good ghostwriter will sniff out the person with that saleable story, and then convince a publisher that there is a winning book to be written.

My ghosting fees have see-sawed between £4,000 and £40,000 per book, and an average of around £10,000. But remember that I have been working in harness with top sporting celebrities who can command big fees. My usual split is 60/40 or 70/30 in their favour. That lovely man Jim Watt gave me virtually the entire advance when I ghosted his book Watt's My Name after he had won the world lightweight title. He was just happy to have his story in book form.

When you are ghosting a book you become something of a Rory Bremner or Rich Little of literature. You must hear your subject's voice in your head as you write. If you were ghosting a book for comedian Mike Reid you would not have him talking on the page like William Hague. When I ghost for Jimmy Greaves I adopt a different style to when I am ghosting for Sir Roger Bannister. If you were ghosting for Hillary Clinton you would not have her talking like Joan Rivers. Everybody has a different rhythm and vocabulary when they are talking. Listen to your subject and then try to capture his/her voice on the page.

Ghosting can be a satisfying way of writing a book, and if you prove yourself capable it can make it easier to sell a book idea of your own. Ghosting? It will take an inspirational synopsis to clinch a contract. You can get an exact reproduction of a professional synopsis by going HERE.

Golden Rule No 3 will help you with the all-important submission of your proposed book. Whether you are on your own or ghosting for a partner you MUST get that part right.

Golden Rule No 2 is to make sure you link your idea with the right celebrity. Only approach somebody you know shares your love and knowledge of your subject. Alternatively , seek out an ordinary person with an extraordinary story to tell.