Ghostwriting is an activity seen with contempt by many in the writing community. If someone says ghostwriting among a group of young writers, their reaction would be the same as if someone had put vinegar in their drinks. For a young, idealistic writer full of talent, at least in their eyes, and eager to earn a reputation ghostwriting is the antithesis of everything they are trying to achieve. The very idea is obscene to them.

Part of the fear and disdain that many writers have against ghostwriting is that they are terrified that someone will steal their ideas, killing their chance to become the next bestselling author or price winning article. The reality is that, although idea theft can happen, very few start writing and immediately create an amazing piece of prose. The most likely result of their initial efforts is that their work will not be very good, and that is not a good way to earn reputation. Talent is irrelevant if the writer does not have the skill to make it shine.

So why would any writer sell their creativity, and their skill, their most precious possessions, without receiving any recognition whatsoever? The most common answer is that those writers do it for the money, pure and simple, and to a certain point, it is true. Ghostwriting can be a very profitable business. However, there is another reason for doing ghost writing that very few young writers consider, and that is improving their writing skill. The job can be an incredible learning experience.

When you are a writer, especially a young one, it can be hard to get feedback on your work, even more, if you are starting, and as such is hard to know if your skill is improving. Social media and the internet offer many sites where you can join writing groups and provide mutual support, but the response time and quality of the feedback are not always the best. Many of these groups are mostly composed of other young writers seeking guidance, and although many of them are eager to help they may not know how to provide good feedback.

Then there’s always the option of paid feedback of course, but not everyone has the cash for that sort of service. The truth is that it can get very expensive, at least if you want quality, and that is without taking into account if the source of the service is a reliable one. It is crucial to do research when looking for this option.

Ghostwriting clients can offer excellent feedback, and it is not hard to see why they are paying the writer, and as such, they will look at the writer’s work with a critical eye. They will comb their work over and over till it is precisely how they want it, and that includes checking that important factors like grammar, structure, and readability, are adequately covered in the text. They are three of the most important basic writing skills that a writer needs to master.

Even more, if the client likes their work, it can become a long-term relationship which in turn can blossom into a mentorship, not different that any training program, or even working with an editor. The main difference is that the writer is earning money at the same time they are learning about writing.

As such, the best advice I can give is that if someone is going to spend hours of their life writing then, for the sake of efficiency, the should at least spend that time in an activity that will help them improve and diversify their skill. Also, as a very welcome plus, it will also help them earn a living. The creativity will go nowhere, new ideas will eventually come, and all that time and effort spent ghostwriting will assist the writer in starting their new writing career in a much stronger position.

In conclusion, Ghostwriting provides many advantages compared to other writing jobs. Ghostwriting jobs are abundant and cover all levels of expertise, as such, they are the first jobs the writer is going to find. Also, it is an excellent way to earn cash and skill at the same time, and for new writers, those are the things you are going to need the most, especially when it comes to skill. Last but not least, clients will provide extensive feedback since they are paying. Writing is a very competitive market, and very few employers have the patience to take someone with no experience, it is never too soon to start, and ghostwriting offers an excellent way to do it.