I got a phone call, out of the blue, from a friend of a friend wondering if I'd be interested in ghost writing his book. It's a business book but he wants it written as a novel, so it's more interesting to read.
I've never done any ghost writing, but I imagine that every ghost writer has to take that first job--the one where enter the unknown and aren't sure if they've got the chops for it. (Or am I the only one who thinks she doesn't have the chops for it?)
I've talked with several people who have ghost written books before, gotten some advice, and have spent the last two days wondering if my anxiety is because this is way out of my league and I should say "no thank you," or if it's due to having to step out of my comfort zone.
I really, really like my comfort zone. It's so . . . comfortable. And there are on-line games here. And peanut M&M's. Why would I want to leave?
After talking to my friend tonight, I feel like I'm ready to take the next step, which would be sitting down and asking more detailed questions. Like, "do you have ideas for chapters, characters, a plot arc? Is there a beginning, middle and end?" Because if I have to pull a whole book out of someone based on a couple ideas, I might be in over my head.
Of course if I do decide to do it, I have no idea how to negotiate a contract. I don't know what to ask for money wise, or where to insist my name appear? (By the way, did you know that "Seven Habits" was ghost written, along with almost every other business book? Crazy!)
So, that's what's going on this week.
