The 3 Biggest Reasons Doctors Hire Ghostwriters

It’s not about the money.

After all, as a doctor, you make a comfortable living, (even if you’re not as rich as your patients and neighbors and non-medical friends think you are)…

No, the first problem is, you work long hours – longer than most people probably realize. And it’s hard work. There’s a lot to keep on top of, every single day. Different patients, different diseases, different tests, different diagnoses.

And it’s stressful. After all, you’ve often got someone’s life in your hands, and you have to make the kinds of decisions other people shy away from. Not to mention the threat of malpractice suits hanging over your head… And all the paperwork and red tape and regulations you have to deal with.

Still, the Number One reason doctors hire ghostwriters is that they’re like any other budding author – they’ve got a story they want to share with the world.

And they hire a ghostwriter because one of the biggest problems doctor/authors have with actually sitting down at their desks and writing their books… is being able to find the time every single day to work on it. (We’re talking about hundreds of pages – and hundreds of thousands of words.)

Not to mention all the background research and fact checking and sourcing that has to be done…

Plus writing the book in an easy-to-understand format that engages the reader and makes them want to read the book enough that they pull out their wallets and buy it. (And then love it enough to recommend it to everyone they know!)

That’s a lot of pressure, especially if it’s your first book.

Here’s another barrier doctor-authors often run into… And it’s also the Second Reason doctors hire ghostwriters:

Among some agents and editors, doctor-authors have gotten a bad rep. And if you’re a first-time writer, having that MD behind your name doesn’t always mean your manuscript will be welcomed with open arms.

In fact, it might even stand in your way – unless it’s known you’re working with a ghostwriter. (Because ghostwriters are professional writers who understand the writing process, and who know what it takes to create an entire book – not just two or three sample chapters. They know how to take your idea and polish it, and turn it into a book that your target audience wants to read…) Which may actually give you an edge.

And here’s the third reason doctors hire ghostwriters…

Doctors hire ghostwriters because they discover writing a book isn’t like learning how to play chess or improving your golf game. You can’t just read a few “how to write a book” books, look over some publisher’s guidelines, whip up two or three sample chapters and assume you’ll end up with a 300 page masterpiece that will have agents and publishers lining up around the block to represent you.

In fact, for many doctor/writers who got far enough along in the process to actually write those couple of chapters and maybe a book proposal and sent it to a publishing house… Getting that first rejection letter came as a pretty rude awakening. (Of course, many doctors don’t even get that far… for the reasons we’ve already talked about above.)

However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves – because before you can submit a manuscript to an agent or a publishing house, you have to actually write the book.

And sitting down and writing an entire book from start to finish is hard work too.

But the truth is, it’s damn hard to get published. Studies have shown that more than 75% of all manuscripts are rejected. (And that’s not even looking at what’s going on in the publishing industry right now because of the economy, the fact that more people are reading more and more books online, or the rising tide of authors who self-publish their books.)

In fact, when they finally came to me, some of my past clients were understandably angry and frustrated by the whole traditional publishing route where you have to have an agent to get your book published, but many agents won’t take you on as a client unless you’re a published author… More than one doctor felt like he was in the middle of a big conspiracy, that that it must not be what you know, but ‘who’ that counts.

And another client in particular, a well-known doctor who advocates for simple lifestyle changes to reduce stress and the risk of many diseases, felt like she was fighting against the “good old boys” club all over again to get her book published and out to the people she was trying to reach.

The point is, if you’re a doctor who wants to become a published author, because of who you are and what you do, you might be up against several road blocks to keep you from achieving your goal.

But the good news is, none of the barriers have to stop you from some day seeing your name in print, and having your photo on the back cover of your very own book.

You can do it. You can become a published author. And hiring a ghostwriter might be ‘just what the doctor ordered’, to make the whole procedure practically painless.

How to Outine Your Book Idea

When you’re putting together the information your ghostwriter is going to need, one of the most important pieces of the project is your book outline. Your ghostwriter will use your outline to make sure your book comes together the way you picture it – but an outline has many other uses as well.  Think of the outline as the roadmap of your book.

The outline can help you see the “big picture” and it can organize the smaller details into a cohesive unit as well.

Is there a “right way” to do a book outline?

The truth is, there is no “ONE” right way.  One of the most important tips I give my clients if they haven’t already outlined their book, is to do it in a way that makes them feel comfortable and helps them stay  organized, and that makes sense to them.

Here are some of the most common ways to outline your book:

1. One way is to use the method you were probably taught in high-school English… Grab a bunch of index cards, write one topic (chapter or idea) on each card.  Once you’ve written everything down you think you want to include, lay the cards out on your dining room table, and start moving them around until you get them in the order you like best – and then transer that to an outline form on a word document.

2. Use a legal pad and create a list of topics or chapters. After you’ve got your list made, go through them and number the in the order you think the chapters make the most sense. (Use a pencil for this part, so you can erase as you need to.) Again, when you’re happy with it, create a list in a word document.

3. Use a mind map. Mind maps are usually software programs – and they range in price from being very expensive to being free. Some also have more of a learning curve than others, but once you’ve learned how to use them – if you like the way they work, you’ll never want to use another method.

My personal favorite is the mind map.  And I like a free version called “free mind” – for a few reasons.  First of all, it’s free.  Secondly, the learnng curve is almost nonexistent.  Most people can figure out the basics in about 20 minutes.  And thirdly, it works on both PCs and Macs, so no matter which type of computer my clients have, we can use it.

The process for creating your outline

• Start with an overview.  This isn’t part of the outline itself, per say. Think of it as the ‘big picture’.  Give a brief description of what your book is about and who the target audience is.

• Then create a list of broad topics or sections.  For example, if you were writing a book about diet and exercise, you might want to think about things like: Diet, Healthy eating habits, Recipes, Exercise, Diseases, What to talk to your doctor about, etc.

• Next, create a short list of narrower topics that could go under each section.  So for example, under exercise you might want to include: cardio, stretching, walking, water aerobics, etc.
• Once your outline is fleshed out, you can start adding in ideas for graphics, charts, tips, lists of symptoms, or whatever else will make your book more interesting and useful to the reader.

A finished outline is the first big step in turning your idea for a book into reality.  And as you can see, it’s not that difficult to do if you understand the process.

But if you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment section and I’ll be happy to answer them for you!

Books I Wish Doctors Would Write

Maybe you’re ready to write a book, but you’re not sure exactly what topic you want to write about? Here is a short list of books I wish doctors would write… These are topics that have a high potential for success. Some of the subjects are more evergreen than others, but even the ones that focus on what’s going on now are commercially viable simply because “inquiring minds want to know…”

Maybe you want to reach people who are struggling with a particular health problem – such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, etc. – what if you could share the stories of people who were struggling – just like the readers might be – and let them see that there were people like them who had the courage and the determination to make it through the problems… Books like these give people hope and can even help motivate them…

Or perhaps you want to share your practical expertise – so you could reach people who are living lives of quiet desperation as they struggle with diseases that could be prevented, or at least have their current symptoms diminished, by following your advice about lifestyle changes… These kind of books not only help build your reputation as an expert in your field, they also give people a road map to help them create a better, healthier lifestyle…

If your practice is related to babies, the birthing process, the challenges and joys of raising children, childhood diseases and illnesses – chances are you’ll find a hungry audience of parents and grandparents… Books like this are a prescription to prevent sleepless nights, walking the floor in worry and ease the stress felt thanks to your guidance…

And what better time than now to write about the state of health-care in general, and the things people can do to take responsibility for their overall health and well-being… plus help them understand what they need to know to get the best medical care possible… A timely book on this topic could catapult you to the top of media lists as an expert analyst. And think of the people who will learn how to get access to the best health care available…

Do you treat baby boomers? Again, there is a hungry audience just waiting to hang on your every word, in areas such as longevity, quality of life, general healthcare, and even alternative medicine and treatments – and what to watch out for… People are living longer, so why shouldn’t they live better? Doctor authors of these types of books can become celebrities in their own rights – with the potential for syndicated radio shows or newspaper columns… Not to mention make the rounds of the talk show circuit, public speaking engagements, etc.

Welcome to Ghostwriter for Doctors

Welcome to Ghostwriter for Doctors! I’ve created this site for you to answer your questions about writing your own book, and what you need to know about finding, hiring and working with a ghostwriter.