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Ghostwriting (Writing Handbooks) Paperback – March 31, 2004

by Andrew Crofts (Author)

4.2 29 ratings

Part of: Writing Handbooks (9 books)

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Ghostwriting is a thriving, secretive industry. As a ghostwriter you can create best-selling books for film stars, footballers, pop singers, presidents, business tycoons, gangsters, gurus, spies, mercenaries, courtesans, four-star generals, royals and anyone else with an interesting story to tell. This book reveals all the essential secrets of how to turn ghostwriting into a successful and lucrative career.

Andrew Crofts has ghosted more than forty books, many of them international bestsellers, including Sold by Zana Muhsen (nearly 4 million copies sold), The Kid by Kevin Lewis, Heroine of the Desert by Donya Al-Nahi, Kathy and Me by Gillian Taylforth and Crocodile Shoes by Jimmy Nail.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Crofts is Britain's leading ghostwriter. He has published over fifty books, several of which have become international best sellers.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Methuen Drama (March 31, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0713667869
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0713667868
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.42 x 0.49 x 8.53 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,280,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,771 in Authorship Reference
- #33,155 in Writing Reference

Customer Reviews:
4.2 29 ratings

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Andrew Crofts

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Andrew Crofts is a ghostwriter and author who has published more than eighty books, a dozen of which were Sunday Times number one bestsellers. He has also guided a number of international clients successfully through the minefield of independent publishing.

Andrew’s name first became known amongst publishers for the stories he brought them by the otherwise disenfranchised. Travelling all over the world he worked with victims of enforced marriages in North Africa and the Middle East, sex workers in the Far East, orphans in war-torn areas like Croatia and dictatorships like Romania, victims of crimes and abused children everywhere. He also worked with members of the criminal fraternity.

The enormous success of these books brought many very different people to his door; first came the celebrities from the worlds of film, music, television and sport, and then the real elite in the form of world leaders and the mysterious, powerful people who finance them, arm them and, in some cases, control them.

As well as using traditional publishers to reach readers he has also experimented with e-books, publishing, “Secrets of the Italian Gardener”, a novella which draws on his experience amongst the powerful and wealthy, and “The Fabulous Dreams of Maggie de Beer”,(a prequel to his traditionally published “The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride”, now filmed and appearing in episodes on YouTube’s This is Drama channel).

His books on writing include “Ghostwriting”, (A&C Black) and “The Freelance Writer’s Handbook”, (Piatkus), which has been reprinted eight times over twenty years.

Throughout his bestseller, “The Ghost”, Robert Harris quotes Andrew’s seminal book, “Ghostwriting”. Harris’s book went on to become a major movie by the same name, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Ewan McGregor as the eponymous ghost. The opening lines in Robert Harris’s book sum up Andrew’s philosophy:

“Of all the advantages ghosting offers, one of the greatest must be the opportunity that you get to meet people of interest”.

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4.2 out of 5

29 global ratings

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Diana Mara Henry

Candid and informative.

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2022

Verified Purchase

Pretty much all you need to know to launch writing for fun and profit. Common-sense advice, written with reassuring simplicity. The author doesn't hold back any useful information, he offers collegial truths and level-headed encouragement. And there are plenty of glimpses and anecdotes of his best-selling and star-studded career. Enjoy!

Helpful

G.W. Mozley

Serious about Ghosting

Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2012

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What intrigued me about this book was 'Writing Handbooks'. I've always been interested in improving my craft, taking on a challenge; Ghosting is a humbling challenge. You experience someone else's life events or thoughts and experiences through your prose, remaining anonymous (in most cases) but gaining satisfaction; the luxury of hiding, if you will, in doing so is the unexplainable experience. This book is written in a conversational style, which is enjoyable in that it relates on a personal level, provoking thought, related to your craft. I have just started going through it with the hope of gaining more perspective from yet another professional on Ghostwriting. I believe this book can and will present value to anyone entertaining or doing any sort of ghostwriting. It [is] written by the man who claims to be king of ghostwriting - Andrew Crofts.

One person found this helpful

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Nicholas D Roesler

Indispensable

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2011

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Crofts' GHOSTWRITING ranks alongside Stephen King's ON WRITING and Jennie Erdal's GHOSTING: A Double Life as absolutely indispensable volumes for a working writer.

I think it's an ideal volume for those anyone who has ever given thought to making a career as a freelancer or ghostwriter.

At times dry, perhaps, Crofts' GHOSTWRITING is exactly what it purports to be: a valuable textbook. Most definitely worth having as a reference volume, as it covers the profession of ghosting and provides a fair amount of insight into a segment of the writing profession that most rarely think about.

Certainly worth the read and purchase price. You will not be disappointed.

One person found this helpful

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Mr Fussy

A useful primer, but ...

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2012

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One cannot doubt the credentials of a man with more than 50 books to his credit. As a fledgling ghost-writer full of uncertainty, some of my fears were eased by this brief how-to guide. But I could have done with more information about the researching and especially about the actual writing process. These elements are dealt with hurriedly towards the end. Whereas I had assumed ghost-writing was largely about cleaning up faithful transcriptions, Andrew indicates that he takes on the author's voice and writes largely from memory. I wish he had gone into more detail, as they seem like impossible tasks. Being a former journalist, I live by facts and accuracy. Evidently ghost-written books are closer to historical fiction.

2 people found this helpful

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Laura L. Padgett

Helpful and honest

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2015

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This book is both funny and informative. I am inspired to try my hand at ghostwriting now. But I so appreciate the information given here so I have a better idea of what ghostwriting is about.

Laura L. Padgett, Author
"Dolores, Like the River"
2013 Westbow Press

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Mary Anne Benedetto

Comprehensive Ghostwriting Guide

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2010

Verified Purchase

As a Certified Lifewriting Instructor, I am occasionally hired to capture the memoirs of clients who want their stories preserved but are unable or unwilling to write them. Ghostwriting by Andrew Crofts was the most comprehensive guide that I have been able to locate, and I especially appreciated Chapter 6-Contracts--Do You Need Them? This book is a MUST for serious, career ghostwriters.

7 people found this helpful

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Rosalie Pakenham

Not as useful as I expected...

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2013

Verified Purchase

Crofts is an entertaining writer. However, I thought there would be more nuts and bolts about contractual matters between subject and ghost writer. Perhaps that was expecting too much. British law is different from U.S law (particularly with regard to libel), so it would be hard for him to generalize for an American audience. But I enjoyed his tales of how he produced the books he ghosted.

One person found this helpful

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2baddogs

Not worth the paper it's printed on

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013

Verified Purchase

I found better advice on the internet for free where I actually found a website of a ghostwriter who knew what she was talking about. Don't waste your money.

One person found this helpful

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Sélim NIEDERHOFFER

Devenir ghostwriter : la bible écrite par le ghostwriter le plus connu

Reviewed in France on October 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

Le roi des ghosts, Andrew Crofts. Il a prêté sa plume à des récits incroyables, dont certains ont été vendus à des millions d'exemplaires.
Il a lui-même écrit des romans très bien reçus, mais Ghostwriting reste à mon avis un de ses chefs-d'oeuvre.
Si vous démarrez dans le business du ghostwriting, vous tomberez probablement sur le bouquin de Nicholas Cole. Plus technique, plus adapté au ghostwriting Linkedin.
Ici, Andrew Crofts nous parle de l'épreuve-reine du ghostwriting : écrire un livre avec / pour quelqu'un d'autre.
Je recommande !
En plus, Andrew Crofts est très sympa et m'a fait le plaisir d'une interview sur la chaîne YT Les Mots Magiques !

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Ginny Carter

Everything you need to know about ghostwriting books

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a readable and incredibly useful guide to setting yourself up as a ghostwriter. I learned about contracts, how to approach new clients, how to manage the relationships with said clients, and most importantly felt inspired about pursuing this as a career. A great read.

One person found this helpful

JaneDyer

Surprise book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

I have to say I bought this book while vaguely searching the net for someone to boost my confidence and tell me I was going about the ghostwriting of my first book in the right way. I never expected to find such help. As an experienced journalist I approached my ghostwriting project in much the same way I would approach a single story. I have battled with researching it because five people are authoring it. I was getting a little lost trying to bring the strands together and, while I am 3/4 of the way towards completion of first draft I have to say I had hit a bit of a panic. Croft's book is great. I dipped into it expecting to read stuff that wasn't relevant to me but it was exactly what I needed and written in such a matter of fact, clear way that I reached the end and am now going back to read it more closely. Everything he said resonated with me and I am now remotivated and committed to completion. I'd highly recommend it for those with and without experience.

4 people found this helpful

Alec Price

Written by the master of ghosting. It tells you ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2014

Verified Purchase

Written by the master of ghosting. It tells you all you need to know if you are considering a career in Ghostwriting. As well as being informative, I found it to be inspiring.