The way to a good collaboration is through the specifics of the contract, says Dunleavy. Friendship between the two of you is a bonus. To break in, Dunleavy advises picking a celebrity who fascinates you. Before she wrote The Happy Hooker, Dunleavy had done a five-page treatment for a nonfiction book on prostitution. No standard contract exists for a ghostwriter or collaborator.
Negotiation is left to the writer, agent, and publisher.
Ghosts generally get paid less than collaborators, but it depends on the writer's track record, reputation, and the specific assignment. Most ghostwriters agree, however, that it's best to get a percentage of the royalty-that makes you care more about the book. The Way to Natural Beauty. Celebrities can be temperamental and their schedules are often complicated. And, says Lindner, they may have no sense of a writer's skill.