GWA #6 - Ghostwriting 101 Part 5

Ghostwriters Anonymous

In today’s episode of our Ghostwriting 101 series we will be talking about the writing process. Now obviously, a topic like this can’t be covered in one podcast so I will start with a discussion on what every ghostwriter needs before beginning a book project: a blueprint.
A blueprint is basically a collection of the information you’ll need in order to work on the project. Of course the information you need will depend on how involved your client is going to be during the writing process and the genre of the book. If your client is going to stay involved, you can be much more flexible when putting together the blueprint and writing the book. However, if your client plans on having you write the rough draft completely on your own, it is essential that you gather as much information as you can.
I have three sections in my blueprints. First, I talk to my clients about the purpose of their book. Why are they are writing it? What do they want the reader to walk away knowing or understanding?
Secondly, I talk to them about their target audience. Knowing who the audience is will help you write. For example, if you are writing a nonfiction book intended for industry professionals, you should feel free to use the jargon or terminology that is used in that industry. Likewise, you can get right into the nitty-gritty of the subject without having to worry too much about introducing the ideas. However, if that non fiction book is meant for the general public, you’ll have to dumb it down a bit. Explain each idea carefully before you get into too much theory or detail. Likewise, don’t use too much jargon without explanation. The general public may not know what those industry terms mean.
For a work of fiction, I am more interested in gender and age. A story written for a twenty year old woman would be very different than a story written for a fifty year old man. Generational and gender differences will play a role in how you put the story together.
The third section has to do with the body of the text. I always put together an outline with my clients for every book project. If the client intends to stay involved during the writing process, you can be more flexible and allow for changes as you write, but if your client wants you to write the rough draft on your own you should create as detailed of an outline as you can. For a nonfiction book, start with the main points that must be covered. Then, go back and flesh those out. Add sub-points and notes wherever you can. When putting together the outline, always remember to look back to the purpose of the book. Make sure the main points come together to tell the audience what the author wants to convey.
For a work of fiction, this part of the blueprint will be different. Before you get to the outline, you must begin with putting together character sketches. This means that you should sit down with your client and talk about each main character. Discuss things like their age, gender, where they are from, their marital status, family history, what they do for a living, hobbies they have, things they enjoy, and the role the play in the story. Is this character the hero? The villain? A supportive character? An innocent bystander? Knowing these things will help you as you write.
Moreover, you need to know what these characters look like. If you can draw, feel free to add a little illustration next to your description. But even if you can’t, describe with words the character’s hair color, skin color, eye color, height, body shape, style of clothing, even how they walk and facial expressions. Being able to picture each character in your mind as you write is crucial.
After that, begin putting together the outline. Instead of talking about the main points or ideas that you’ll be writing about, for a fictional story you will need to have your client walk you through the major events that take place. What happens? Who is involved? Why does this happen? What are the consequences, both positive and negative? Get as detailed as you can. When I ghostwrite fiction, I always demand that the client stay involved during the writing process because it would just be too difficult to write a fictional story without the person who had the idea in the first place. One paragraph, heck even one sentence, can completely change the direction of the story, so I recommend that you get a detailed outline, but make sure the client continually reviews your work or even writes with you.
When working on a biography (whether the book is about your client or a third party), you basically need to combine everything together. You of course need to know the purpose of the book and the target audience. However, when it comes to the outline you’ll need both an overview of the main points that should be discussed AND an outline of the major events that take place. Basically, biographies are a combination of fiction and nonfiction. You often discuss ideas, but there is also a story involved. So, make sure to get character sketches of all the main players in the book. Have your client bring pictures if possible. You’ll need to dissect the personalities of everyone involved just as you would fictional characters.
Feel free to add to your blueprint. The purpose, audience, and outline are just the basics that every blueprint needs. What you need to do is sit down and think about the information you would want to have before you begin to write. Every project can be different. Just make sure you have your blueprint complete before you dive in and start writing. While it takes some work, I guarantee that putting together a blueprint will pay off in the long run.
Feel free to contact me with your questions or comments at any time. I will answer your questions on air if I think the audience will benefit from hearing about the subject of your e-mail. You can reach me at [e-mail]. That link will be included in the show notes at the official page for the Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast, http://www.ghostwriters-anonymous.com/. Click on the tab that says “Ghostwriters Anonymous podcast.” Along with the links, I also include a transcript of every episode, so take the time to check that out. Thank you for listening and make sure to tune in next week for the sixth episode of the Ghostwriting101 series where I will discuss how to conduct interviews, how to start writing, and the most important thing every ghostwriter must learn – how to take on the author’s voice.