How I Made $5,000 in One Week From Ghostwriting.

After years of writing in my journal and my notes app, I finally decided to take my writing seriously. I had done a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, but always knew I wanted to do something creative. A master’s in film didn’t help me as much, I was feeling discouraged so I set out to do some research.

How can I make enough money to avoid my parents being disappointed in my choice to not pursue engineering as a career? Is there a way to make writing more lucrative? There were quite a few options that came up, one of which was ghostwriting.

Ghostwriting can be incredibly hard to get into. I am a self-published author of two books, but even with that, it’s hard to get into the industry without a certain level of experience. That is until I came across a site called Upwork.

Many of you might have heard of it, and if you haven’t and are looking for a place to make money from ghostwriting books, this is a good place to start. At first, I was a bit skeptical, as there were quite a few “too good to be true” jobs, but you can choose which ones are verified by the site which makes things a lot easier.

I spent a few hours searching for jobs I knew I could write. At this point, I had absolutely no ghostwriting experience. I paid around $3 to buy “connects,” which are like coins for applying for jobs. I applied for some jobs, the applications took me on average five minutes to complete, and hoped for the best.

Here are some tips for applying:

1. Read ALL of the Job Details

This will allow you to tailor your application to the job and dramatically increase your chances. Some clients add words like Banana 123, just to make sure the applicants have read through the job details. Make sure to address every single one of their requirements.

2. Make Sure the First Line of Your Application Is Very Eye-Catching

When an advertiser receives your application, they are only able to see the first few lines. They receive many applications, especially if the job is for $5,000 and above. They might decide to open your application but only if you write something in the first line that’s impossible to ignore. It could be something silly, a joke, but the first line must grab their attention.

3. Be Polite

After adding in eye-catching first lines, make sure the next lines are polite. Tell them why you enjoy this kind of writing and why you’d be a better candidate than any of the other applicants.

Please, thank you, and have a good day really does go a long way. Even if you don’t have any experience, showing enthusiasm for the subject and being very willing to take directions can make a big difference.

The advertiser would find it easier to communicate with someone polite, than someone rude and abrupt. Sometimes they prefer inexperienced writers as these writers are adaptable, and can follow directions easily.

4. Don’t Overcharge

While it might be easy to ask for $20,000 for a 20,000-word book, it’s usually better to meet in the middle. The job advertiser will have a budget specified for the job. If it’s $5,000- $7,000, I’d recommend going for $6,000, although $5,000 with a very good proposal would further increase your chances.

I did all of the above for all my applications, and about seven hours later I heard back from a job advertiser! I had been using Upwork for less than 48 hours! It was for a self-help book and the advertisement was $5,000-$7,000. I went for the lower end of the scale.