The Benefits of Freelance Fiction Ghostwriting vs. a 9–5 Job
Are you stuck in a dead-end job with minimal prospects? Do you watch the clock all day, waiting for the slog to end? Maybe you spend your day filling out spreadsheets? Or perhaps your head is full of adventure, romance, espionage, or fantasy worlds you dream of bringing to life on the page?
While there’s a perceived stability and the guarantee of some work/life balance, working 9-to-5 isn’t for everyone. Sure, you know when you’re working and what time is your own, but very few jobs these days demand nothing more than the standard eight hours.
This article stacks the benefits of freelance ghostwriting against the potential traps of having a more traditional job. We’ll explore what makes freelance fiction writing such an exciting profession and examine whether the benefits of freelance fiction ghostwriting could be the new career for you.
Ready? Let’s get started.
What is freelance ghostwriting?
Let’s break that down a little.
A ghostwriting role requires you to write content, such as fiction/non-fiction/website/social media copy/business content, for somebody else and in someone else’s name. You write as if you’re them, typically handing over the rights of the work you produce to the person paying you, although the terms can vary, of course.
A freelancer generally works on short-term project contracts, producing a book or content for a client. And once the contract is over, you look for work with another client.
Freelance fiction ghostwriting
A freelance fiction ghostwriter writes novels under someone else’s name. Many well-known book series are advertised as the work of one author, but they’re often written by a collection of ghostwriters, penning each volume with a consistent writing voice.
Examples of ghostwritten series include:
- The Jason Bourne collection by Robert Ludlum (some co-written by Eric Van Lustbader)
- The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
- The Nancy Drew Collection by Carolyn Keene
While some of the novels these writers produce are co-credited, a typical ghostwriter goes uncredited. And while that might seem like you’re doing all that work without the glory of acknowledgment, it also comes with benefits.
The benefits of being an uncredited ghostwriter
Authors typically spend years creating a catalog of work, and for many authors, success might come by the third or fourth novel (if at all). So, while your name is on the front cover, you might be slogging away for years before anyone sees your book’s cover in a bookstore.
Ghostwriters have the satisfaction of knowing that their work is in the hands of the reader. They’re often employed to write under an existing pseudonym that already has a following, which means their work is going to be enjoyed straight away.
A ghostwriter gets paid!
While it’s true that fiction ghostwriters spend their lives in the shadow of somebody else, they’re the ones getting paid. Meanwhile, many authors spend years attempting to recoup their expenses publishing their books before turning a profit.
What are the benefits of freelance fiction ghostwriting?
As with everything in life, there are pros and cons. And while not everyone is cut out for regular hours in the office, not everyone will find the freedom offered by a freelance existence attractive.
However, there are some specific advantages to living the life of a freelance fiction ghostwriter.
You’ll save money on travel
One of the significant drawbacks of working in an office or away from home is the cost of traveling to and from work. Add to that the travel time, and you’ll find your hourly rate diminishing below the minimum pay.
As a freelancer, there’s no commute. You get up in the morning and can start working straight away if you want to. There’s no travel, no expensive lunches, and you’ll find that your daily costs are lower when you work from home.
Freedom to schedule
You’ll still have meetings and deadlines as a freelancer, but you’re more likely to be able to schedule them around the demands of your life rather than dictate your lifestyle around your job.
Working 9-to-5 can be restricting as far as lifestyle is concerned. Not everyone is an early bird, after all. Some people enjoy staying up late, watching Netflix till they drop off on the sofa (it’s research for a writer, don’t you know!), so early mornings aren’t particularly attractive for some.
When you freelance as a fiction writer, you choose your hours, working when it suits you and you are at your most creative, rather than forcing yourself to write around a schedule.
It’s not all fun and games
I don’t want to give the impression that freelance fiction writing is all fun and games. While it’s a great, fun job, it’s a lot of work, and you must hit deadlines. Consistently.
But you determine when to work and when to rest or play. And it’s easier to schedule that dental appointment when your work life works around you!
Freelance fiction writing is creative
Every freelance fiction job is different. Some require you to stick precisely to guidelines, while others offer varying degrees of creative freedom as you write.
Whichever approach you need to follow, ghostwriting for a client helps negate one of the most significant drawbacks experienced by most professional writers: the solitude of the author.
Many fiction ghostwriting roles require you to work with an editor, especially if you’re contributing to an established book series. This is a valuable professional relationship, ensuring your content slots into the existing lexicon and helping you create work you’ll be proud of.
Working with an editor
One of the most challenging aspects of creative writing arises from the fact that you typically work alone. You can spend hours crafting your masterpiece at your desk, but it’s difficult to know whether it’s good or not.
Working with an editor is like having a second set of eyes on your work, which is something a solitary writer can always benefit from. You get rapid feedback that helps ensure your words are as precise and readable as possible, and that’s often worth its weight in gold.
So, developing a great relationship with your editor is key to your success as a fiction ghostwriter. And while you’ll be expected to write in a particular style, using an established voice, you’ll have plenty of creative freedom to bring a given story to life.
A fiction ghostwriter gets to do the fun bit!
People often say that an artist is only as good as their last piece of work. And while that’s not strictly true (or fair), one of the big challenges of working as an artist is the need to dream up new ideas continually.
However, one of the best parts of working as a freelance fiction ghostwriter is that the idea has been developed for you. So, you get to do the fun part: the writing.
Many fiction ghostwriters are given a detailed plot, structure, and beat sheet, giving them the freedom to bring it to life on the page. And that’s the part that really sparks the creative juices.
So, as a freelance fiction writer, you still get to be super creative. And it’s better than watching the clock all day, dreaming the day away.
You’re not bound to a geographic location
Once you’ve got your new project commission, it’s entirely up to you where you write it. Of course, most of us have our desks at home, away from the distractions of the rest of the house. But nothing is tying you to your desk.
You’ve got a commission — that’s worth celebrating. So, you’ll write as good a piece from the beach in a quiet beach hamlet in the Mediterranean as you will from your desk at home. Being freelance gives you the freedom to choose.
The cons of being a freelance fiction ghostwriter
Of course, it’s not all plain sailing. There are downsides to the life of a freelancer.
The main drawback of being freelance versus working a 9-to-5 is that you work on a contract basis. This means several things:
You don’t get sick pay
While freelancing as a fiction ghostwriter gives you lots of freedom, one of the main things you live and die by as a freelancer is your ability to hit deadlines.
So, if you’re ill, you:
- Don’t get paid to lay on the sofa watching Netflix. There’s no sick pay for freelancers.
- Still need to hit the deadline.
Of course, life happens, and occasionally, you might not hit a deadline. But you should always endeavor to make this a rare occurrence. You need to remain reliable as a freelancer.
You’re not always working
As a freelancer, you’ll occasionally experience a dry spell where there’s no work.
This is normal — it happens. The trick is to try not to panic.
If you have sufficient savings to sit out those quiet times, great. It could be an excellent time to start a personal project that could later lead to new work. Either way, reach out to your network to let them know you have openings in your calendar.
You may find yourself bidding on projects and seeking out new clients. For freelance fiction ghostwriters, not writing doesn’t mean you’re not working.
You’re not writing your own book
When you’re a fiction ghostwriter, you’re writing someone else’s book under somebody else’s name. So, you’re working, but you’re not building your individual brand.
Then again, you’re not the one taking the risk on a new project. Somebody is paying you to write the book. They’re the ones taking the financial risk on the project’s success.
Of course, you want your ghostwritten book to do well, but once you’ve written it, you don’t need to worry about it again. If the book doesn’t make reasonable royalties, it’s the client who takes the hit, not you.
Ghostwriting helps you learn the ropes
If you’re new to novelistic writing, ghostwriting offers an excellent path to building the confidence and the skill set to eventually write your own book.
Paula Hawkins is the best selling writer of The Girl On The Train, which was later adapted into a screenplay. Hawkins credits her commissioned work as a ghostwriter, writing under the name Amy Silver, as valuable experience in developing her craft as a fiction writer.
She explains that ghostwriting was an excellent learning experience that paid dividends when she wrote her own book. She understood how to structure her ideas and pace the action, and that all came from her experience as a ghostwriter and working with an editor.
Relay Publishing is looking for YOU!
We’re always on the lookout for new creative writers. So, if the freedom of the freelance fiction ghostwriter appeals to you, get in touch.
We’ll pair you up with an experienced editor who will provide support every step of the way, varying the amount of support depending on your needs.
So, there’s no time like the present. Check out our portfolio of best-selling novels, explore our writer vacancies, and get in touch!
We can’t wait to hear from you.
