I suppose the first thing to consider before you choose a ghost writer is whether this absolutely is the option that you want to pursue. Once you have assured yourself of this, then you can get down to the serious business of finding one!

Well, there are thousands to choose from which may make the task seem daunting. However, you can limit your search by having some criteria that need to be met. Choosing a ghost writer is no different to choosing a car, a house or any other commodity. After all, you are about to trust this person with your story which, of course, is very personal to you. Some of the main outcomes that you should be looking for in your partnership with a ghost writer are effective skill writing, quality, professionalism, geography, personality and of course, cost!

Before you start to look for a ghost writer, it is important that you are clear about what your project is! This may seem obvious; however, if you are not clear about the project, you will be unable to convey this to a potential ghost writer. This could lead to you choosing the wrong ghost writer for you and delaying your project. The more clearly your project is defined, the easier it will be to find the right ghost writer for you.

There are a couple of points to consider when defining your project:

· Do you have clearly defined timescales?

· Are the deadlines reasonable?

· Is the topic clearly defined?

· Do you have a word count in mind?

Let's look at the points we mentioned earlier in more detail.

Effective skill writing

It is recommended that you spend some time researching the skill of your prospective ghost writer. But how do you know who that is? Something you can look for is experience and a 'proven track record'. So, there are some ways you can establish experience. You should be looking for a ghost writer who has undertaken projects similar to yours in the past. You can ask for samples of their writing, but bear in mind that there are confidentiality issues associated with this. You could ask for references from other customers. Check out their website; this will give you an idea of their style. Any prospective ghost writer should be happy to provide you with examples and references. A skillful ghost writer will be able to adapt to the style you want as long as you are clear about what this is!

Quality

You can check out the quality of your potential ghost writer by reading samples of their work. This doesn't have to be samples of other ghost writing, it can be any style of writing. Again, you can look out for quality on their website.

Professionalism

It is important that the person you choose is professional. You can establish their level of professionalism in your interactions with them either by phone, face to face or via e-mail. You should also be able to get a sense of their professionalism from their website.

Geography

Geography may play some part in your final decision about which ghost writer you choose. However, in this day and age the many different methods of communication mean that there are several ways to interact with your ghost writer. Initially the most effective way to start a ghost writing project is face-to-face. It is recommended that you have at least one meeting in person. This is as much for your prospective ghost writer as for you. They will want to get a sense of you, your personality, your style and your voice. Some other ways of meeting are by telephone, Skype calls, video-conferencing and e-mail. Whichever option you choose, bear in mind the cost!

Personality

You are about to bare your soul, so to speak, by allowing someone else to take your story, albeit with your input, and transform it into that book you have always dreamed about. Therefore, you should not underestimate the value and importance of getting on with, and having a good relationship with your ghost writer. You need to trust your ghost writer and like them if your project is going to be successful. As before, you can get some understanding of their personality by reading through some of their work and perhaps by their profile on their website.

Cost

For many, this may be the deciding or limiting factor to moving forward with your ghost writing project. Ghost writing can be expensive, but it is important to remember what the benefits of this undertaking can be. It may be that without a ghost writer, you may never have the time, discipline or skill to get your project off the ground, let alone realize the finished product. It is important to do a price comparison, but also to be absolutely clear about what you get for your money. This way you can be sure you are getting value for money and quality.

Most important of all is that you choose a ghost writer who will help you realize your dream, meet your requirements and help you deliver a high quality end product.