Project Management Skills Are Crucial For Ghostwriters

I worked for many years as a project manager in information technology. I began my career as a computer programmer. I ended my career delivering complex software solutions. Managing projects is a wonderful life skill. It's important to know this skill for business and life. It helps you manage simple and complex events. And this skill is one of the foundations of my success as a ghostwriter.

Many of the clients I work with want to write a book about a topic or event that is important to them. We start discussions to determine if we are a fit. I talk about past projects, my writing skills, my networks, and my love of writing. I tell them that I believe that my experience in managing projects is vital for their success. To me, the most important project management skills are organization, planning, time management, communication, and adaptability. 

Organization and planning is the most critical project management competency. Project milestones all lead up to the key milestone, project delivery. Writing a book involves several key steps. To be successful, you should develop an outline, organize your thoughts, write a draft, and set deadlines. To deliver a publication-ready manuscript, we must complete many tasks. It takes organization and planning skills to ensure delivery.

Time Management is another crucial skill for success in project management and ghostwriting. Meeting milestone dates and deadlines is essential. Managing the interdependencies along the way is vital. An example is the second draft generally includes interviews, if any. Schedule them to assure there is enough time to meet your second draft deadline. 

Effective Communication is the critical conduit between the different stakeholders of a project. I always created a communication plan for my software development projects. Communicating with my clients while ghostwriting their books is also essential. To understand my clients, I need to understand their communication styles and expectations.

Adaptability is an essential soft skill to embrace for delivering any project. In my experience, projects don't usually follow the initial plans as expected. As a ghostwriter, I can adapt and be flexible to deliver content in projects despite obstacles. Being prepared for the unforeseen and unknown is beneficial.

Project managers develop organizational, time management, and communication skills. Adaptability is a life skill that improves with time and experience. For ghostwriting, delivering a successful manuscript requires all these essential skills.