# Hello & looking for a ghostwriter/collaborator



## 99nails (Sep 20, 2008)

I don't really see a place to put the post I intended to make here, so I'm including it in my introduction.

My background in writing is limited mostly to what was required for college. I've written some poems and short stories but tend to be very critical of my own work so haven't really pursued that interest, although I'm told my work is not bad. It does tend to be very stiff and "tight"; fiction-writing is not something I seem to very competent in. 

I did work for a few years writing correspondence professionally for a very large corporation.

My issue now is that I have a true story I desperately want to translate into a book; not necessarily for great financial gain- I just feel driven to share it. I do feel that ultimately if it were written properly it would sell very well and that a market does exist for it.

I have been trying off and on for about a year and a half to write it and get my writing to stop sounding like an essay and start sounding more like a book, but it is not working. I would very much like to work with a ghostwriter at this point that would be willing to work essentially as a team with me for a shared profit (I hope this is not looking like an advertisement and that this post will be okay to put here).

Does anyone know how to find such a person? A ghostwriter that would be willing to take on the story with the belief that it ultimately would sell and they would get paid that way? I honestly don't know if there is anyone that works this way.

If you want to know what the material is, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks!


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## SparkyLT (Sep 20, 2008)

Welcome, 99nails... I would actually be interested in doing this with you, it would be a new experience for me, but I doubt I would be good at it 

So, hi and welcome again, and good luck.


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## Tiamat (Sep 20, 2008)

Hey there and welcome to the forum!  I don't know much about ghostwriting and how it works, so I don't think I can be of much help to you there.


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## Linton Robinson (Sep 20, 2008)

Here's what I suggest (in fact require) from anybody talking to me about ghostwriting of "collaborate on my story"...based on years of foolishness:   

write the story down.   Doesn't matter if it sounds stupid or style is uneven of whatever.  But write down the whole story.   This gives the writer something to work with.   It also indicates a level or committment or head-togetherness not always found: many people just want somebody else to reach in the brain and grab the story and do the work.

Once you have that  (and a solid one-page synopsis) you're in a position to talk to writers.

And you just might find along the way that you actually do know how to do it.

Either way, you can't lose.  

Good luck


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## 99nails (Sep 20, 2008)

Argh...let me get used to this forum here.  (Messed up).


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## 99nails (Sep 20, 2008)

SparkyLT said:


> Welcome, 99nails... I would actually be interested in doing this with you, it would be a new experience for me, but I doubt I would be good at it
> 
> So, hi and welcome again, and good luck.



I bet you would be better at it than I am right now!

Thanks for the welcome.


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## 99nails (Sep 20, 2008)

Tiamat10 said:


> Hey there and welcome to the forum!  I don't know much about ghostwriting and how it works, so I don't think I can be of much help to you there.



Thanks!


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## 99nails (Sep 20, 2008)

lin said:


> Here's what I suggest (in fact require) from anybody talking to me about ghostwriting of "collaborate on my story"...based on years of foolishness:
> 
> write the story down.   Doesn't matter if it sounds stupid or style is uneven of whatever.  But write down the whole story.   This gives the writer something to work with.   It also indicates a level or committment or head-togetherness not always found: many people just want somebody else to reach in the brain and grab the story and do the work.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the advice! This is exactly what a family member suggested, so I am currently working on writing out the entire story as I would tell it, no matter how bad. This way the other party would see what I am talking about and also get a feel for how I want it told.

My main problem at this point is that I am relating a very detailed experience that took place over a few years in a very brief, punctuated style, and I am not sure how to move away from it. I don't think I am actually capable of it; not sure yet.

Thanks again!


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## Nickie (Sep 21, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, 99nails!


Nickie


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## 99nails (Sep 21, 2008)

Nickie said:


> Welcome to the forum, 99nails!
> 
> 
> Nickie



Thanks!


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## wacker (Sep 22, 2008)

Welcome to the forum 99nails. As you can already see people are ready willing and able to give you advice (take Lin for instance) which will put you on the right track.

Wacker


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## 99nails (Sep 22, 2008)

wacker said:


> Welcome to the forum 99nails. As you can already see people are ready willing and able to give you advice (take Lin for instance) which will put you on the right track.
> 
> Wacker



Thanks! People have been very helpful here.


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## Shinn (Sep 22, 2008)

Hi there and welcome


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## 99nails (Sep 22, 2008)

Shinn said:


> Hi there and welcome



Hi and thanks!


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