Ghostwriting? Sounds Spooky.

I've always been curious about ghostwriting! Figuring there wasn't any better way to learn about it; I sat down with Juan Carlos Gómez and got the inside scoop on what it's like to be a ghostwriter!

Good morning Juan!! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Juan: I'm an author and ghostwriter, born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1967. An attorney, I began as a professional writer in 2010, after more than 20 years in the corporate world, including experience in areas like marketing & sales, as well as finances & franchising. My written work is mainly focused on the composition of content for blogs, books and speeches for different clients, including the biography of René Farrait (Member of the “Menudo” Group; to be published in 2018) and “The Pharaoh’s Dream” by Isaac Btesh, both produced under the ghostwriting format. As an author, I have penned two books as well as four theater plays, including one musical. With the understanding that ghostwriting demands the mastery of highly-personal techniques and connections,

Well, it's wonderful that you took the time out of your day to sit down and answer some questions for me! So, a lot of people don't really understand what a ghostwriter is. Can you kind of provide a little detail as to what their responsibilities are?

Juan: Yes. Ghostwriting is somewhat of an "unknown" and "obscure" form of writing to many, but nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, a Ghostwriter is one of two parts of a creative venture. On one hand, you have someone who has a story, an event to tell or an idea to develop but in spite of this, is not a writer. On the other hand, you have a ghostwriter, who has the technique, the time and the skills to convert that idea or story into a readable format, into something that can be read, or eventually bought. So, the duties involve confidentiality, research and top of all, avoiding the temptation of making the book "yours" because it isn't. it's your author's. There are, in my opinion, two types of Ghostwriting. The closed one, in which the writer's name is not shown, and then you have your open ghostwriting, in which the author acknowledges the work done by the writer. Now, most people know about the closed one, but reality is that open ghostwriting is growing fast

I'm not sure I would be able to handle that!! How did you get into ghostwriting? Were there applications involved? Contracts?

Juan: I was asked to write a small Wikipedia for a client. After that came another, and then another until someone referred me to a retired celebrity that wanted to write his Bio as a FPW (First person writer) and I took the chance. After that, it was mainly advertising on freelancing pages like Upwork or others and clients keep on coming after you've made some works

WOW! You're kind of a big deal, haha! So basically, you get more jobs through word of mouth?

Juan: Naaah, I rarely get clients from advertising, although you get your occasional people asking and then walking away when they learn about the effort and the cost

Well, what do they expect?! You're doing the work haha!

Juan: yep, but some people really have a wrong idea about this, so it's ok to educate them on what this is about

Aside from ghostwriting, do you also have your own pieces published?

Juan: yes, I have published 2 books on my name, and I'm currently working on two screenplays for TV series. I also wrote around 10 small theater pieces so some of the screenwriting goes to convert those stories into TV formats if possible, but the funny thing is that I found more money in Ghostwriting than being an author. Once you kill the ego, you're good to go in this business

Ah... the dreaded ego

Juan: Indeed, we writers, we suck when it comes to that! lol. We need to kill the ego

So true! Do you prefer being a ghostwriter over your own ideas?

Juan: Aha, you hit the bullseye! Nope, I do the following

1) First I choose if I want to tell this story, i.e. the story is not appealing to me or my ethical views

2) The involvement with the author allows for the development of mutual ideas and views, so at the end is both our work involved, but the voice you hear when you read the book is his or her voice, not mine

I work behind it all. If you hear my voice, the book will fail. Actually, I even write some parts of the text in what I call "a dirty writing" because my author is NOT a writer, so he must write well but we need to feel his lack of expertise

I've always wondered that. It must be difficult to try and write in someone else's tone. How long did it take you to master that skill?

Juan: oh you have NO idea! Well, I had really rude awakenings. When I wrote my first play, the director ripped it to shreds. Explained to me that my vision was mine, but not necessarily had to be presented like that. Lesson 1

Then, on my first ghostwriting book (The Pharaoh's Dream) I presented my client with what I consider a gorgeously written paragraph to open his book. It was a looooong sentence of around 30 words and in my view, it was beautiful. My client said, "I like it. Could you please chop the whole thing into 6 or 7 short sentences? I don't speak like that" ...Ouch! Ego KO'd. It was then when I understood the book was not mine, it was "his". So, acquiring your author's voice is extremely important

That's a tough pill to swallow!!! Especially when you become that attached to something you wrote. It's like painting an amazing canvas and having the buyer say "okay, but can you tone it down to about half of that?"

Juan: Yep, but then, at that moment, is when you see that it's your ego trying to call the shots and not the writer, as it should be

Do you tend to create strong relationships with your authors when you're ghostwriting?

Juan: It's extremely intimate. Actually, I always sign NDA's with them that protect all the info received, tapes, files, letters, etc. And at the end I return all researched material and keep a great friendship most of the times

It sounds like the ghostwriter has all of the hard work and not a whole lot of the perks. What are the benefits of being a ghostwriter?

Juan: Well, a lot! First, you get paid a fee, not royalties (Perk Number 1). Secondly, I get to do a lot of fun research, meet extremely interesting people, travel a lot (sometimes paid by my clients); and third and most important for me, you develop a craft that doesn't necessarily have to do with "fame" or "notoriety", which I quite frankly dread.

Wow, I love your view on that. I guess a lot of the times, writers want to become writers to get their name in the big city lights and their face plastered on a magazine or late night television show. Did you EVER have the want for the fame or fortune?

Juan: Oh yeah, when I was younger, that's all I wanted. Recognition, praise and all that stuff; but I know famous writers (Amazon top sellers) that barely make a 100 on their sales but are very well known! lol....naaah, me? I'd rather stay behind and anonymous, drawing very little attention and being a regular Joe that goes to the bakery shop on Bermuda shorts and no one knows who I am. And collecting fees for my work, of course.

Well of course, you have to be able to put food on the table! Is it just as easy to get writer's block with someone else's work?

Juan: It is impossible to get writer's block, since you have laid out all your ideas and you have taped your author's when discussing the topic. What I found once was an ethical issue, and after many dealings and conversations with myself, I realized again, it was my ego tampering with the process. deadlines and the sense of duty will keep you from being blocked. Writer's block comes from our own doubts about our work, but once a client trusts you, you must assume the position and get into character. Your author's voice, I mean

Wonderfully said! Writer's block can usually rip a new writer to pieces and keep them from pushing forward. We are coming to the end of our questions here, but one of the final questions is; what advice would you give to someone who wants to become a ghostwriter?

Juan: Well; I'd encourage any writer - new or experienced - to study about ghostwriting. The exercise and the benefits are wonderful but you must work as a small company, be methodical, develop a technique, present your quotes well defined (I usually charge 25% upfront and then the rest in a middle draft and then a final draft), offer NDA's to create trust, and finally, start looking in freelancing sites, as there are many small ghostwriting gigs that pay 15 bucks for a 1000 word article (I charge $50 nowadays), and. Last words of advice come from "Games of Thrones": "Kill the ego Jon Snow, Kill the ego and let the writer be born"

You can find Juan on Instagram, Twitter, and on his website.