Using a Ghost Writer? Yes? No? Maybe?

[Hermit]

Here's my dilemma:

I hate my writing style but I want this story written.

I've had this story idea knocking around for several years. I got serious about it and started writing. I'm at about 20,000 words right now with some future parts written as well (I write the pre-planned parts I'm in the mood to write rather than chapter 1, chapter 2, etc in order - although at the moment the 20,000 words are in order from the beginning). Based on this start, I think I'm going to end up with about 50,000 words from beginning to end. I know this can be a 100,000 word novel at least, which is reasonable for a beginner. And I know I'm going to write the whole 50,000 myself so I have a complete story even though it's horribly written.

Several parts I have written and re-written many times. I leave about 5 months before going back to reading it and re-writing it to give me time to forget about it and see the changes. There has been no changes! My writing style seems so immature that it's ambarassing!

I'm thinking of going the route of a ghost writer to get this project done (once I've done the story from beginning to end in my own writing). But here's the kicker.......they cost big bucks and I just happen to have the money to pay for it. I received a small inheritance (15 grand) from my father. I'm sure he would have wished that I invest this money for my future (I'm 41 and already retired but that's beside the point). Would paying a ghost writer to write my novel be an "investment" or a waste of money?

I love my story and I feel it has real potential. I want the story told but I don't want a $15,000 manuscript sitting on my shelf collecting dust either! But if it does end up on the shelf, it didn't hurt my bank account - I just wasted my inheritance. I could have invested in a business (like a restaurant or something) and lost the money that way too.

Any ideas? Advice? Thoughts?

[James D. Macdonald]

Hiring a ghostwriter to write your novel for you would be a very bad idea.

[Ivonia]

Well, you could use one, but then they may not tell the story the way you wanted it told. I still believe that it's best if you write it yourself, so that way, when it's done, you can be proud that you wrote something worthwhile.

At least, that's how I feel about it when I'm writing my story. No one else could tell the story the way I want it told, so I might as well do it myself. Sure, it sucks, and it's hard and takes a long time, but hey, it's also worth the trouble :)

I would follow Uncle Jim's advice on this, he knows what he's talking about.

[scribbler1382]

For 15 large you could have a lot of fun taking seminars, retreats and courses that would allow you to develop the tools and skills which would enable you to tell the story the way you want to tell it. Not that I'm saying you need to do that to write a novel, but if you're going to spend the cash anyways, might as well get some memories out of it.

[Lenora Rose]

I've had this story idea knocking around for several years. I got serious about it and started writing. I'm at about 20,000 words right now with some future parts written as well (I write the pre-planned parts I'm in the mood to write rather than chapter 1, chapter 2, etc in order - although at the moment the 20,000 words are in order from the beginning).

...

Several parts I have written and re-written many times. I leave about 5 months before going back to reading it and re-writing it to give me time to forget about it and see the changes. There has been no changes! My writing style seems so immature that it's ambarassing!

Hiring a ghost writer -- NO.

Let's see - you've written 20k words, taking long breaks and going back and rewriting instead of continuing the story.

I'd advise you to buckle down and write to the end. I don't mean write every scene in order, necessarily - if it works better for you to do a few out of order then go back and make the linking scenes, do it. I do mean that you should finish this draft. Don't go back and rewrite anything until you've finished the last word.

You are now looking at a first draft of a first novel.

A first draft of a first novel is a pure and unadulterated piece of crud.

Always. Guaranteed.

However. By the time you've finished a roughly 50k novel draft, you will have written in total 2 1/2 times what you have written now. Your experience will have almost tripled. Maybe, by the time you get to the end, it *will* have tripled, because you found out how to add in some of those bits you were missing early on.

By the time you've finished, assuming you're trying to get better as you go, you will have learned three times as much as you know now. Right now you know how to do a beginning, and to write individual scenes. You don't know how to write the build-up to an ending, or climaxes, or denouement. You don't know the tricks about how to link opening scenes and ending ones. If you write through to the end, you'll know at least the rudiments of all of these. You'll also have chances to practice more dialogue, and how to introduce a new setting, and more about how to reveal character.

You can then go back and apply that knowledge to the *next* draft.

By then, with the kind of knowledge you can *only* get by finishing an ending, you'll be able to make the rewrites that you can't seem to manage now.

I won't lie. There's a good chance your second draft won't be publishable either. But you'll be able to see how much better it is in a way you can't if you freeze here, rewriting before you even know how to finish the story.

I know none of this is about ghostwriting. There's a reason for this. It's your story. Someone else could tell the same plot, but they couldn't tell it your way.

Before you say again you hate your style, consider, you haven't actually had practice enough at this time to have a style.

First draft of first novel is not style. It's the first music practice after you bought the violin. Learn to make music first. Style comes later.

[sunandshadow]

I've done ghostwriting - it's usually intended for a manuscript that has been translated from another language and needs a native speaker's touch to polish it up, or for a non-fiction manuscript or lectures by someone who is an expert in the field but doesn't have good writing skills or the time to work on a manuscript.

The thing about ghostwriting is, it can only change the surface of the piece, not the underlying plot and character designs, which are if anything more likely to be flawed in a beginner's work than the writing style. Paying a ghostwriter to prettify a manuscript which may have deeper technical problems is unlikely to be a good investment. But, I'd take the job because I could use the money. ;)

Really, the question is do you enjoy writing? Also, since you love your story will you really be happy with seeing someone else's handprint on it? If I were you and had the $, I would hire a mentor (make sure it's someone whose writing style you love, who writes the same genre as your story, and who has experience teaching writing) to guide you through the process of developing the manuscript. I think this option is a bit better than Scribbler's suggestion of seminars since your goal is to complete a particular manuscript that you already have half-developed rather than polish your writing skills in general.

[MacAllister]

Hermit--I've seen some of your fiction. You're actually a pretty good writer. Don't sell yourself short.

We ALL see the weaknesses in our own writing. As for myself, the ones I can't see, I'm certainly quick to imagine. :)

That's what allows us to improve.

[aruna]

Really, the question is do you enjoy writing? Also, since you love your story will you really be happy with seeing someone else's handprint on it? If I were you and had the $, I would hire a mentor (make sure it's someone whose writing style you love, who writes the same genre as your story, and who has experience teaching writing) to guide you through the process of developing the manuscript. I think this option is a bit better than Scribbler's suggestion of seminars since your goal is to complete a particular manuscript that you already have half-developed rather than polish your writing skills in general.

I agree with this. That way you will fimish your project the way YOU envision it - and learn a huge amount about writing inthe meantime. If writing is what you love, then that's a great investment for the money.

[Garpy]

I'll buck the trend on this one....if you really detest your own style, even after rewriting a piece, then maybe you're bashing your head unneccessarily. It might just be that your forte is coming up with cool stories, not writing them out. You could consider partnering with another writer? I'd suggest that rather than paying....so that you have an equal peer-to-peer working relationship that will allow you to bat ideas too and fro. I believe Arthur C Clarke has that kind of relationship with Baxter...he comes up with the core ideas and science, Baxter fleshes it out with characters and emotional subplots.

Anyway....I think if you continue to detest your writing voice after several rewrites, then either you're a perfectionist, or you need to change your voice.

[Jamesaritchie]

I have ghosted a couple of novels, but not for ordinary writers who just didn't think they could do the job. I was hired by a publisher.

Look at it this way, any ghostwriter who has the talent and skill to write a pubishable novel needs to receive extremely big bucks to do so. Otherwise, the ghostwriter will simply write a novel of his own and sell it to the publisher.

And, really, why would a publisher want a novel that's been ghosted for you? It's different when you're ghosting for a celebrity or a politician, but ghosted novels from ordinary people just aren't worth much to publsihers.

I can't see any way you could conceivably consider a ghosted novel an investment.

Story ideas in and of themselves just aren't worth much, anyway.

If you don;t like your style, then change your style. But having your novel ghosted is just a bad idea ll around. But for the kind of money you're talking about, I'm sure you can find people who will do it. But it will be someone who can't make 15K by writing his own novel. Is this really someone you want writing for you?

[scribbler1382]

I think this option is a bit better than Scribbler's suggestion of seminars since your goal is to complete a particular manuscript that you already have half-developed rather than polish your writing skills in general.

Actually, my suggestion was to have some fun with the money in the process. Having a mentor sounds about as much fun as working on a chaingang.:whip:

[Nateskate]

I understand where you are coming from. But let me encourage you. If you have good ideas, and you are smart enough to realize it's not coming out on the page like you want, with practice, you'll improve your prose and style.

When I first wrote the WIP, I rushed through. I wasn't even thinking of publishing, and was entertaining some friends with an ongoing story. They encouraged me to publish.

Well, when I went back and re-read what I wrote, I knew my story line was good, and I had good characters, but I wanted to gag when I saw my prose, and some of the awkward clunkiness. It was metaphorically like dropping me into land fill with a shovel, and being told to clean up.

It was a real test. And you can only look at it one paragraph at a time. Or was it a "...real test, and you can...."

And I realized that I couldn't... or was it better, "I realized I couldn't..."

I became a "That" slayer.

Then there was the "using the same word too many times in the same paragraph"- When you use "sliced" in one sentence, it shouldn't be in the next, or it looks redundant.

Well, you get the picture...slice and dice, and discipline, and eventually you become a better writer, and you will actually smile when you see you took a terribly written page and made it work.

[maestrowork]

Give me your money and I will write you the novel and guarantee that it will sell a million copies and make you a big star, and at least 3 movies will be made of it starring superstars like Tom Cruise.

I accept paypal.

[icerose]

I would suggest you find a co-writer rather than a ghost writer. Because a co-writer gets paid when you do and that way you aren't out anything and such and you can work hand in hand on the project and still get credit and everything for it. Also I would suggest getting some critiques, you might just be too hard on yourself and just need some polish that another author can help you with.
Just a suggestion.
Sara


Here's my dilemma:

I hate my writing style but I want this story written.

I've had this story idea knocking around for several years. I got serious about it and started writing. I'm at about 20,000 words right now with some future parts written as well (I write the pre-planned parts I'm in the mood to write rather than chapter 1, chapter 2, etc in order - although at the moment the 20,000 words are in order from the beginning). Based on this start, I think I'm going to end up with about 50,000 words from beginning to end. I know this can be a 100,000 word novel at least, which is reasonable for a beginner. And I know I'm going to write the whole 50,000 myself so I have a complete story even though it's horribly written.

Several parts I have written and re-written many times. I leave about 5 months before going back to reading it and re-writing it to give me time to forget about it and see the changes. There has been no changes! My writing style seems so immature that it's ambarassing!

I'm thinking of going the route of a ghost writer to get this project done (once I've done the story from beginning to end in my own writing). But here's the kicker.......they cost big bucks and I just happen to have the money to pay for it. I received a small inheritance (15 grand) from my father. I'm sure he would have wished that I invest this money for my future (I'm 41 and already retired but that's beside the point). Would paying a ghost writer to write my novel be an "investment" or a waste of money?

I love my story and I feel it has real potential. I want the story told but I don't want a $15,000 manuscript sitting on my shelf collecting dust either! But if it does end up on the shelf, it didn't hurt my bank account - I just wasted my inheritance. I could have invested in a business (like a restaurant or something) and lost the money that way too.

Any ideas? Advice? Thoughts?

[sunandshadow]

Actually, my suggestion was to have some fun with the money in the process. Having a mentor sounds about as much fun as working on a chaingang.:whip:

Why's that? How is a mentor any different from a seminar teacher? The only difference is that they are working one-on-one with you and tailor their lessons to what you want to accomplish. So if taking a course would be fun, working with a mentor should also be fun. And a mentor is like a personal trainer - since you are paying them, they try to make learning fun for you.