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5 Common Mistakes When Ghostwriting

  • February 15 2014
  • Comments Off on 5 Common Mistakes When Ghostwriting
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When people first start out writing, there are some common mistakes that almost everyone makes. The more research you do before you begin writing, the better off your writing will be from the start, and the more your writing will likely engage your readers. If you have been considering doing any type of ghostwriting, make sure to keep these common mistakes in mind. Knowing what to look for is half the battle when learning to avoid these blunders.

1. Being Repetitive and Redundant

Yes, that title was meant to point out the first common mistake. Using the same words over and over again or explaining the same idea from multiple viewpoints can cause readers to basically roll their eyes and go elsewhere. If you do not have the type of vocabulary you think would be beneficial to a career (or side-job) in ghostwriting, you may want to invest in a good thesaurus. Using different words can help keep the point on focus, plus it keeps readers from getting bored.

2. Forgetting to Proofread

Going over your work after you write it is important. The last thing you want to do is tell your readers to take something, when you mean make something. If you leave typos in your work, readers are not going to be engaged, and your writing can suffer. It only takes a few moments to look over your work after you’ve written it, and it can make all the difference in the world when you do it.

3. Not Citing Your Sources

Plagiarism is a common mistake for new writers, but whether it is a mistake or not, it can have costly consequences. When you take information from another source, you need to do both of these two things. First, you need to cite where you got the information from so that the original author gets credit for his or her work. Second, you need to make the information your own by rewriting it or you need to quote it exactly. No matter which method you choose, you need to still cite where it came from. If you do not cite where your information came from, there can be consequences, including financial consequences and legal action, if the original author comes after you for stealing their content. Simply pleading that you did not know will not change the consequences you could face, so make sure you avoid this ahead of time.

4. Forgetting Who You Speak For

As a ghostwriter, you have to keep in mind that you are writing for someone else. You represent them in the words you type out. You need to make sure that you do not make claims that are untrue or do anything that could ruin their reputation, as that will quickly take your reputation to a low level and keep you from earning any repeat business. Speak the truth and make sure you keep their reputation in mind.

5. Charging Too Much

When it comes to ghostwriting, you have to keep price in mind. People come to you wanting your services, but if they cost too much, they will look elsewhere. Even stupendous quality will find times where the price is just not worth what the client gets in return. Keeping your prices reasonable and your quality top notch will earn you both accolades and repeat business, keeping your ghostwriting one job that can keep you happy.

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Cameron Mackey

Cameron is the Content Manager for the Vorongo Blog. He has spent three years in various content marketing roles. When he is not working with Vorongo he enjoys photography and hiking.

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