Charis Buckingham, "What Ghostwriting Taught Me"

After graduating Leicester University with my MA in Creative Writing, it took me two years to actively pursue a career in writing. While lockdown did a number on us all, the time and space it enforced helped me articulate my dissatisfaction with my career. Finding a way forward wasn’t easy, but I transitioned from teacher to ghostwriter and it was without question the best decision I’ve ever made. Not only does it allow me to spend all day every day doing what I love, it’s also taught me a lot about writing and how to manage a consistent creative schedule.

Perhaps the first thing I learnt to do was re-evaluate my perception of productivity. There once was a time when I considered writing 2000 words a day impressive. I was proud of myself for completing NaNoWriMo during my MA. Now, I’m not detracting from that achievement, but when I’m being paid for the words I produce not the time I put in, it shifts the goalposts somewhat. I’m currently producing over 30,000 words a week. To help manage this, I work on at least two projects per day and adhere to a strict timetable. Writing consistently is more about willpower than divine intervention’s fickle hand. It’s about getting up and punching those words out, whether you’re on fire for your novel or you’re ready to toss it into the fire. Determination counts for more than creativity.

The writing world is loosely divided into ‘pantzers’ and ‘planners.’ The pantzers write into the void. We thrive off inspiration. We discover the unfolding of our novels as we write them, with many twists and turns coming as a surprise. We wrestle with stubborn and wilful characters, and often allow the protagonists to carve their own path through the world we’ve created. It’s a spontaneous process, and one I recommend for the sheer fun of not knowing what’s going to happen next. 

Planners, however, do as you’d expect: they plan. They take a germinating idea and flesh it out long before they put figurative pencil to paper. They create an outline, character plans. Instead of forgetting the colour of a character’s eyes, they note this important detail in advance. I’m naturally a pantzer, and previously wrote all my novels with only a vague idea of their conclusion and perhaps a few major events on the way (these novels all later required substantial rewriting). As a ghostwriter, though, whose detailed outlines need to be created in advance for approval, I was forced to adhere to the planner’s way of life. And it changed everything. No longer do I wait for inspiration to light the darkened path before me: I bring my own torches. The exciting feeling of discovery is traded for the sensation of knowing where I’m going, and it’s perhaps my biggest piece of advice for those struggling to get through a full-length novel.

The final lesson took the longest to learn. In fact, it took years of steadfast denial for me to confess that writer’s block doesn’t exist. I used to swear by it. By invoking writer’s block, I could absolve responsibility because it wasn’t my fault. It was the perfect excuse. 

The problem is, ghostwriting doesn’t let you get away with excuses. Deadlines don’t go away because you’re having a bad day, or because the stars aren’t aligned, or because you’re stuck on a particular phrase. The blank page can’t stay blank for long; if you don’t write, you don’t get paid. And let me tell you, there’s no better motivator than financial necessity.

(NB: Writer’s block is not the same as a burn-out, which can happen in any profession. My writing schedule gives me plenty of breaks, and I always take time off after finishing a particular project. Part of managing my productivity includes ensuring I’m never working past my limit.)

In short, ghostwriting has, conversely, taught me to write. I could ramble forever about the more technical things ghostwriting has taught me about my craft, but these would not have come if I hadn’t learnt to discard my ideas of writer’s block and embrace discipline. To be a good writer, first we must be a writer. I’ve mastered the first; now I’m working on the second.

About the author

Charis is a Creative Writing graduate turned full-time ghostwriter. She mostly specialises in romance and fantasy, though she's editing a thriller novel and would one day love to write a cosy mystery. When she's not singing or reading, she's walking and gaming - though not at the same time! She lives in Leicestershire with her partner and dog, and dreams of life in the country.

Work Experience, Copywriting and Journalism

By India Wentworth

It all goes back to A-Levels. I knew I wanted to go into journalism but also wanted the option to teach at some point in the future too. English was always my favourite subject, and kept things broad, so it seemed like the best option as my undergrad. 

Now that I’ve graduated, I’m about to complete my journalism diploma with the National Council of Training Journalists (NCTJ). This is an accredited qualification that allows me to eventually secure a trainee journalist position (fingers crossed). I decided to do this as a distance learning course, and gain work experience by taking advantage of the flexibility this route offers. I was advised on Linkedin that the NCTJ accreditation with lots of work experience was what employers would want. As a side note, I’d definitely recommend using LinkedIn as a way to ask questions, because although a lot of people will never reply, some will, and as a result you gain valuable advice around the industry you’re interested in.

My experience with DeltaNet International came up with an email from the university careers team that went out to all students. They were looking for a copywriter, and I figured that any experience in writing was worth having. The role wasn’t limited to writing for the website; I was working on a large-scale digital PR project, as well as getting involved with other ad-hoc marketing duties, such as creating a marketing hand-out for exhibitions and conferences. 

I was in charge of creating databases to work out what questions people were asking on Google around the topics DeltaNet dealt with as a company. From these databases I then went on to write the articles – they were like an extended FAQs section to the website. These pieces explained things that might seem quite dry and confusing (like cyber security) and turned them into an approachable, easy-to-understand articles for people to read. The result of these articles have been an increase in business for DeltaNet because more people are coming to the website, and consequently their numbers of customers have shot up too.

I may not be aiming for a career in Marketing, but the skills I gained from my two summers with DeltaNet have enriched my CV massively, as well as getting my work read by hundreds of people - some of the articles have more than a thousand views! 

Experience is everything nowadays. The extra things you can get on your CV, in addition to your degree, will make you stand out, especially in the creative industries. 

About the author

India Wentworth has recently graduated from the University of Leicester in English. Her aims are to go into broadcast journalism after completing the NCTJ diploma over the next year. As a northern girl from York, she is looking to take advantage of the ever-growing media in the northern cities such as Leeds and Manchester. 

Is an Internship for You?

By Lisa Smalley

A degree may be proof of your academic ability, but vocational experience is a completely different matter. Unfortunately for most creatives, this is the balance they must achieve when trying to enter into their chosen career. Of course there are graduate placements, but these are extremely competitive in the creative industry, and often the best course of action is to take on an internship to get that all-important experience to support your C.V.

Show me the goods
Trying to gain experience in my chosen career in copywriting has been like trying to squeeze into my pre-Christmas jeans: a feat that even the most talented of professionals would find impossible. Most companies want to see published work, and this is the area where I have struggled most. So when the opportunity to intern with a creative agency was offered on the Creative Writing at Leicester University Facebook page, I leapt on it with both feet and sickening enthusiasm. 

Show me the money!
My internship was unpaid, and I weighed this option against the experience I would be gaining in an active agency. Experience, as it turned out, was my main priority. Working in the office with other creatives, including photographers and graphic designers, was an inspiring experience. I have never been so motivated in my writing - being in an environment charged with that much creative energy rubbed off on me and I learnt a lot from my colleagues there. 

What did you gain?
I have come away with regular paid work, which has padded my portfolio nicely. The only downside is that trying to publish under my own name has proved challenging. Many companies want 'white ticket' writing, where their own names will appear as the author. The agency tried to help with this, publishing a couple of my blogs on their own website, and even endorsing my skills and providing a recommendation on Linkedin. They gave me training in digital marketing and offered access to courses for social media marketing. 

This has been a step in the right direction and one that I can build on. Based on this, here are my best bits of advice for anyone considering an internship: 

• Be clear on your timeline.  How much time can you realistically afford to dedicate to the company?
• Be clear with your expectations.  For the work you provide, what experience will the company give in return and is it worth your time?  Will it translate onto your CV?
• Think about your portfolio.  Look at jobs in your field of interest and note down what kind of experience they're asking for.  Can you achieve some of these points in the internship?

I wish you the best of luck, and I look forward to seeing more creatives out there in the future.


About the author
Lisa Smalley is an MA English student, and an aspiring copywriter. 

My Work Experience at Shoestring Press

By Sonia Tailor

Whilst studying my MA in Creative Writing at University of Leicester, I had gained an interest in the book publishing industry. In order to work in that field, I knew I needed to gain some experience first. I was faced with the daunting task of applying for internships. One afternoon, whilst I was filling out a long application form, I received an email advertising an intern role at Shoestring Press.

I researched the independent publishing house and saw that it specialises in publishing poetry sequences and collections. This sounded appealing to me and I sent a letter to John Lucas, the publisher. Around a week later, I received call from him and we arranged a meeting. John kindly guided me through the different processes and encouraged me to get involved as much as possible.

I was provided with the opportunity to build brilliant work relationships with a variety of people, including writers. I had frequent meetings with one writer in particular, Alan Brownjohn. We would meet in coffee shops in London and discuss different ways to promote his novel, Enjoyment. This included having it reviewed by newspapers and magazines. John provided me with the contact details of the editors. I wrote a persuasive press release and began phoning and emailing them. It was an exhilarating feeling when I saw the first review published on London Grip. Although not everyone was interested, the experience gave me an insight into how the marketing side of publishing works.

I also had a number of admin tasks to do. For example, John asked me to arrange the location of Miriam Neiger-Fleischmann’s book launch. I learnt how to contact venues and deal with a variety of people. This helped strengthen my communicational skills. When I was at the launch, I was happy with the large turnout. It made me feel proud knowing that I helped with the arrangement of the event.

John also opened me up to the sales side of publishing. I was asked to assist with Shoestring Press’s stall at States of Independence, a book fair held in the East Midlands. I sold a number of books and pamphlets. It enabled me to meet more people who had a genuine passion for books. Furthermore, I was responsible for introducing two key speakers who had their poetry collections published by Shoestring Press. It was extremely exciting.

The experience was helpful and rewarding. It developed my transferable skills and gave me a true insight into how a successful publishing house is run. Plus, there was every book lover’s dream: free books!


About the author
Sonia Tailor studied an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester. She is a peace activist who enjoys writing short stories and monologues. She has organised vigils and demonstrations, and in 2007, she travelled to Jordan to make a documentary about Iraqi refugee children. She currently runs a book blog on Instagram: @soniareads.