Who would ever have imagined we’d all become familiar with terms like coronavirus and its acronym: COVID?

And who would ever have guessed that a GOOD acronym could come from it:

How do I grab a dream?

Many people dream of writing, especially in these days of hours alone and stay-at-home orders. Though there are thousands of variations in writing—newspapers, magazines, blogs, books, fiction, nonfiction—one stands out from the rest.

The writing career that offers unique challenges and highly paid success is ghostwriting—writing in someone else’s name. 

Understanding the challenges

As Claudia Suzanne—The Ghostwriting Expert—points out, “Ghostwriting requires a very specific set of editorial skills that very few writers know anymore. Learning those skills and becoming a Certified Ghostwriter is a rollicking, challenging ride.”

“This is not about writing and rewriting. Any decent freelance writer can do that,” she says. “It’s about creating or transforming an idea or first-draft manuscript into a marketable literary property.”

Claudia has been a ghostwriter for more than 30 years and has written over 200 books. Some have become bestsellers, some have sold internationally, and some have been picked up for films. She created and teaches the only ghostwriting certification course in the world—the Ghostwriting Professional Designation Program (GPDP).

And she often reminds students that authors have many goals for their book: personal satisfaction, financial return, a marketing tool, or public acclaim.

The skilled ghostwriter listens to their client and enjoys helping them reach their particular goal. When the project is finished, Certified Ghostwriters enjoy their client’s happiness or success, but stay behind the scenes and never put their name on the book.  

How do I know where to start?

Getting started isn’t complicated. The key is understanding what to look for in a ghostwriting class. Here are the top three questions you need to ask, with insights on how Certified Ghostwriter training differs:

First, who’s recommending the teacher?

Are you just surfing the Net and essentially poking a pin into it? “Oh, she’s got a cute site.” “Oh, I didn’t know anyone could make $75/hour!”

Of course you’ll find a bunch of online ghostwriters. But…who provides CERTIFIED ghostwriting training?

THAT’S a different kettle of fish.

Claudia and her teaching team are true ghostwriting professionals, but that’s not all. Unlike any other training, their in-depth Ghostwriting Professional Designation Program (GPDP) course awards a ghostwriting certification from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). To achieve that certification, you’ll learn book industry formatting, manuscript analysis, musical line editing, book proposals, business development, book promotion, and much more.

Second, how in-depth is it?

Let’s face it. Tons of 1-hour classes are exploding into your mailboxes and online every day.

That’s not what you get from the Intro to Ghostwriting class. This pre-requisite to the full GPDP program is six weekly meetings full of book industry history, current publishing standards, entertaining stories, skill development, and mind shifts.

For example, Claudia tells everyone to let go of previous writing and/or editing mindsets—like journalism or teaching—and embrace the unique perspectives a Certified Ghostwriter needs. Bring your good writing skills, just be ready to use them differently.

For example: Think you know Word, thanks to writing articles or case studies? Think again. The Microsoft Word for Writers segment gives you a powerful understanding of how to set up Word templates and format manuscripts according to today’s publishing requirements.

Third, what’s included in the classes and what kind of support do I get?

When we say the Intro to Ghostwriting is a FULL class, we mean it!

Before each session, you get a video to review, homework and a test. Each online class is 90 minutes, including Q&As. If you’re having challenges, you can get personalized instruction.

So how do I start?

First, take the 6-week Intro to Ghostwriting class then apply for the full GPDP course.

GPDP is a 13-month course, folks. That’s THIR-TEEN MONTHS of solid training, personalized support, and mind-bending skill development which, at its end, makes you part of the exclusive Certified Ghostwriters group.

Just a few things you’ll learn:

• Understanding how and why to lose your voice and take on the author’s.
• Learning the history of book publishers and how they’ve evolved to today’s book industry standards.
• Knowing what marketing options your author might need.

And these are just tidbits.

Claudia emphasizes that Certified Ghostwriters make a minimum of $35,000 per project. That’s right—thirty-five thou for each book, not per year. Certified Ghostwriters also offer professional writing mentoring, manuscript analysis, stand-alone book proposals, and customized marketing strategies.

It’s an online, creative, nearly recession-proof profession. So…do you see how this kind of time and dedication can lead to a more positive COVID? If you do, and you’re seeking to explore new pathways, you’re welcomed on board!