The first step in hiring someone to write a children’s book for you is to learn a little about the profession that could do it perfectly well. Ghostwriters are people you hire to write texts but they are not credited for it, as the text will be published under the name of the person who hired them, in this case, you. The work is present, but they are not credited making their contribution invisible, and that is why they are called ghostwriters.
Ghostwriters are hired to write any type of text, from blog posts and white papers to movie scripts, public speeches, and even children’s books. They basically negotiate their credit rights for profit and that’s usually good for both parties. You get high-quality texts, and the ghostwriter gets paid, but there’s a lot more to this relationship than just a basic exchange of words for money.
Steps to Hire a Ghostwriter to Write a Children’s Book
1. Know your Purpose
A ghostwriter is not a crutch for someone who has no message and no idea what they want to say. It is a collaborator who works with that author to help him or her elaborate and complete his or her text. It is a solution for an author who has a message but needs help in the writing process. The copywriter will help you turn your idea into a successful children’s book. All these contents will be part of your public image or professional profile. In short, it is an ally to strengthen your reputation.
Ghostwriting is not a solution to prevent the author from researching for themselves or taking the time to define what they want to say. However, there are services like the one we offer at Dina Soul Writing that with just a main idea and the relevant guidelines can fully materialize the idea.
2. Identify your Needs
Before looking for potential ghostwriters, assess your needs and expectations. This way, you will be able to find suitable candidates who can meet your requirements. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you want to hire a ghostwriter for one project or several texts?
- What type of text are you looking for: a book or a short story?
- How many pages or words do you want the text to be?
- What is the deadline?
- What writing style are you looking for – formal, casual, or educational?
- What is your budget?
- How much experience should the ghostwriter have?
3. Search for Freelance Professional Sites
Compare people offering ghostwriting services on sites like Toptal, Odesk, vWorker, Problogger, Job Board, Workana, Upwork, and Fiverr. Consider creating a job posting on one of these sites. Include information such as your needs, requirements, and budget. Use a friendly tone to attract potential candidates.
Searching for a ghostwriter on different sites will allow you to find qualified professionals that fit your need.
4. State your Expectations
Once you have chosen a candidate, schedule an in-person meeting. Talk about your vision for the development of the children’s book, your timeline, and your payment. Discuss text rights and confidentiality expectations. This way, you’ll ensure that they agree with your expectations and won’t be surprised when they receive the final contract.
5. Ask What Their Expectations Are
Talk to the ghostwriter about his or her expectations. Be mindful and respectful, when appropriate, of his requests and needs. For example, they may want a retainer to get the project started so they can work for you and be solvent. By having everything clear, you’ll both be on the same page and minimize the risk of misunderstandings during the writing process.
6. Draw Up a Contract
Once you’ve agreed on the details of the project, draw up a contract. Include things like payment and expectations for both of you. Address issues such as deadlines, disclosures, plagiarism, and privacy. Show them the draft contract and negotiate any points on which you disagree. This will ensure that the contract is fair to both of you.
Try to make the contract as detailed as possible so that you can quickly deal with potential problems, gray areas, or misunderstandings.
7. Provide a Clear Structure of What you Want
Someone with experience in writing will have their own work method and it will be very easy to follow the process.
Each type of story or children’s book requires different processes that adapt to what you want to achieve.
On the other hand, you should make a previous structure in which you can see how you are going to organize the story (or the information) in the best possible way. It is also important that you know how to justify why you are going to do it this way. It is essential to make good planning with all the details where you can check that the program fits with what you want to tell.
8. Set your Own Requirements
One of the things that will help you make your children’s book the way you want it to be is that you set your own requirements and the ghostwriter sticks to them in order to meet your expectations.