Should You Only Ever Hire A Local Ghostwriter

You may be wondering if you should hire a ghostwriter who lives nearby. It is a valid question. There is no pat answer, but it would be a rare situation that would make hiring local mandatory.
None of my clients are local. They live all over the US. We correspond via email and talk regularly on the phone. Sometimes we Skype. It is rare that I meet a client face to face and it has never been an issue for me.
There are internet articles that warn people that you should always hire someone local. I’m not sure why the authors suggest this, but some people hold onto that idea religiously. I’ve had people refuse to talk to me because I wasn’t in their area.
I think this concept of only hiring someone near you severely limits your choices. This could easily hinder a project.
Here are qualities I would suggest you focus on when hiring a ghostwriter:
– Great writing ability (writes books that others want to read)
– Excellent communication skills (make sure that YOU can be comfortable talking with him or her)
– Professional (there are many ways to spot this attribute)
– Reliable (make sure they keep their appointments with you and answer your emails promptly)
Finding the right ghostwriter might take time. It’s a very personal choice. Remember that you’ll be with your writer for months, so make sure that you really like him or her.
If you feel you need to meet them in person (and Skype will not do), you can always fly out to them or fly them to you. It will cost extra, but it is a possibility.
If you feel they need to walk through the towns or buildings, know that it usually isn’t necessary. Locations can always be researched. Photographs and descriptions work well.
If trust is an issue, there are other ways to spot a con man or woman. If they have a published book, a website and a strong internet presence, they are likely on the up and up. However it doesn’t hurt to ask to talk to the writer’s prior clients. Look over their resume as well and of course check out their writing samples.
Another trick is that you can always type any name into a search engine with the word “scam” or “complaint” and find out if there is a problem. Of course there might be numerous people by that name, but it is pretty easy to spot if your prospective writer is the person in question. Their location and occupation are good hints. I used this technique with a potential publisher before going into business with him. It saved me a heap of trouble!