- Ghostwriting -
by
Leo Hunter
© Copyright 2010 Leo Hunter
published by
Able Limited Editions
Ghostwriters are actually hired guns and they're employed (commissioned) by publishers or entrepreneurs or public bodies to write whatever on their behalf. They may even be employed by other writers or authors, or by you Jo Soap.
In that last context, you may have a story you need told in a written form. But you simply don't know how to go about writing with the view of having it published (told) legally (see Writing Rules by Leo Hunter in particular).
Since they're employed, they obviously must be paid. And the going rate in the UK for freelance ghostwriters is around £250 per thousand words (at the time of writing this piece). But that may be substantially reduced if the piece commissioned to write is to be written as a seventy-thousand word novel (fiction) for example.
What the commissioning employers get for their money obviously depends on the contract. But generally speaking ghostwriters ought to ensure there is at least adequate, admissible, and reliable evidence to corroborate what they write. And that requires research materials obtained by them legally. In other words, they're not merely copywriters. They must investigate the evidence produced by their commissioners (employers), plus obtain their own materials if necessary. Copywriters merely type the stories. And that's essentially why it costs so much besides the thorny issues of copyrights, consent, and who in fact is to be named as the author. Any ghostwriter who agrees to write for less is a fool.
Those issues of copyright and consent are well outside the commissioned remit of this piece. But it's quite normal for the said employer to be named as the author. And that's simply because they are the employer. But on the other hand, it's also normal for employers to actually distance themselves from public scrutiny for whatever reason. So whatever else you do, check the contract thoroughly on that identification issue, and particularly in the context of copyrights. If it's actually silent on that issue, you can safely bet the employer will be so named as the author owning copyrights as implied by intellectual property law and employment law.
Nasty stuff that, implied law; compounded by the insidious fact that no law whatsoever protects your ideas contained with intellectual property. So be extremely careful if you're tempted to become a ghostwriter. Know the relevant law inside out before you do is the best advice l can give. Or seek reliable legal advice on the contract backed up by a second opinion before you accept it.
So there you have it in the proverbial nutshell. Ghostwriters are employed beasts, commissioned to investigate and research the matter at hand then write (report) their findings on the behalf of their employers. Be it on your own conscience if you as the ghostwriter conclude as directed though.
Able Limited Editions offer a ghostwriting service. But any such commissioned work undertaken will only be written from an apolitical perspective.
Leo Hunter
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Writing Rules
- Writing Rules -
by
Leo Hunter
© Copyright 2010 Leo Hunter
Published by
Able Limited Editions
It seems only fair to me (Leo Hunter) to warn you as aspiring writers that besides the rules of submission, there are also rules of writing anything so that publishers will actually consider publishing your work. But most said publishers will not tell you what those writing rules are before you submit your work. Rightly or wrongly they assume you already know them. And universally applied law indicates that it's your sole responsibility to make sure you know those rules before you submit your work, or even write it.
Now it's in that last context l outline those rules here. And l start by clearly indicating the first and overriding rule to be aware of in my book, as far as UK law is concerned, is the fact that if you are found to be in possession of anything you intend to publish, or have published on your behalf, and it may be considered in law to be in any way illegal, you are committing a criminal offence. And from that insidious point all the other rules follow.
Secondly, publishing anything doesn't actually mean only by writing and passing that writing on to friends etc, whether or not free of any cost. It also means by broadcasting it in any way whatsoever, including your silent conduct, or distributing it in any way whatsoever. And in those contexts, the criminal offences of defamation, slander, and copyright infringements come into play, to name a few. And there are only two sure ways of being found not guilty. And they are to prove what you published is true, or you have consent from the accuser to so publish it. - Which brings me to the point of this paragraph. Rule number two is ensure you have corroborated evidence to prove your facts, or at least have written consent to write what you write from the individual concerned before you submit it for possible publication, or even tell your friends your story by any means whatsoever.
Thirdly if written consent can't be obtained from the individual concerned; but you still want to identify them in your work, meticulously carry out as much research as is legally possible to obtain corroborative evidence from at least two reliable independent sources. And get written consent from them regarding the targeted individual concerned. But don't pay for their consent.
Fourthly, secure all your evidence and consent forms preferably away from home or office. But keep copies relatively handy; yet still secure. You'll need them to then prove your case to the publisher, if not courts.
And fifth, try to leave blank spaces where you identify any person in non-fiction work when you submit it for possible publication. And indicate in a cover letter you have corroborated evidence to establish those facts. Any truthfully honest publisher will get back to you eagerly to sign a contract to publish; if your story actually reflects their editorial policy. But beware. There are many deceitful publishers who will not, who will instead employ your brilliant ideas therein your work as their own, legally.
That's right. No law in this world actually protects ideas or any established facts; except in the suppressive context of the Official Secrets Act, or if a judge declares there's to be no publicity of supposition or facts in any case before them. So again, beware; if covering any true story. Research facts.
And just to ice the writing rules cake, fiction is to be treated the same as non-fiction by law; if anyone can identify themselves in legal terms in it. So do be careful. And good luck. To have your work published as any said best seller is like winning the lottery; if not contrived. - Literally.
www.ablelimitededitions.co.uk
by
Leo Hunter
© Copyright 2010 Leo Hunter
Published by
Able Limited Editions
It seems only fair to me (Leo Hunter) to warn you as aspiring writers that besides the rules of submission, there are also rules of writing anything so that publishers will actually consider publishing your work. But most said publishers will not tell you what those writing rules are before you submit your work. Rightly or wrongly they assume you already know them. And universally applied law indicates that it's your sole responsibility to make sure you know those rules before you submit your work, or even write it.
Now it's in that last context l outline those rules here. And l start by clearly indicating the first and overriding rule to be aware of in my book, as far as UK law is concerned, is the fact that if you are found to be in possession of anything you intend to publish, or have published on your behalf, and it may be considered in law to be in any way illegal, you are committing a criminal offence. And from that insidious point all the other rules follow.
Secondly, publishing anything doesn't actually mean only by writing and passing that writing on to friends etc, whether or not free of any cost. It also means by broadcasting it in any way whatsoever, including your silent conduct, or distributing it in any way whatsoever. And in those contexts, the criminal offences of defamation, slander, and copyright infringements come into play, to name a few. And there are only two sure ways of being found not guilty. And they are to prove what you published is true, or you have consent from the accuser to so publish it. - Which brings me to the point of this paragraph. Rule number two is ensure you have corroborated evidence to prove your facts, or at least have written consent to write what you write from the individual concerned before you submit it for possible publication, or even tell your friends your story by any means whatsoever.
Thirdly if written consent can't be obtained from the individual concerned; but you still want to identify them in your work, meticulously carry out as much research as is legally possible to obtain corroborative evidence from at least two reliable independent sources. And get written consent from them regarding the targeted individual concerned. But don't pay for their consent.
Fourthly, secure all your evidence and consent forms preferably away from home or office. But keep copies relatively handy; yet still secure. You'll need them to then prove your case to the publisher, if not courts.
And fifth, try to leave blank spaces where you identify any person in non-fiction work when you submit it for possible publication. And indicate in a cover letter you have corroborated evidence to establish those facts. Any truthfully honest publisher will get back to you eagerly to sign a contract to publish; if your story actually reflects their editorial policy. But beware. There are many deceitful publishers who will not, who will instead employ your brilliant ideas therein your work as their own, legally.
That's right. No law in this world actually protects ideas or any established facts; except in the suppressive context of the Official Secrets Act, or if a judge declares there's to be no publicity of supposition or facts in any case before them. So again, beware; if covering any true story. Research facts.
And just to ice the writing rules cake, fiction is to be treated the same as non-fiction by law; if anyone can identify themselves in legal terms in it. So do be careful. And good luck. To have your work published as any said best seller is like winning the lottery; if not contrived. - Literally.
www.ablelimitededitions.co.uk
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