What is a "Ghostwriter Certification Course?"

That depends on who you are.

If you’re a ghostwriter or editor, it is a proven path to success as an independent professional.

If you’re an aspiring author, it’s the knowledge, skill, and experience you fervently hope your ghostwriter or editor has.

If you’re asking me, it’s the class I wish I knew about before taking on my first client.

Granted, before enrolling in Claudia Suzanne’s class, I had been diligent in my career. Before the course began, 

• was a full-time ghostwriter
• had ghostwritten or edited five books      
• sold my sixth and seventh 
• charged five figures for the professional services I 
• had no idea how little I knew!

I can’t discuss everything I learned (under pain of death, as Claudia made very clear), but I’ll say this: somehow, Claudia bottled everything she learned from twenty years of ghostwriting 100+ books, distilled it, and spoon-fed us for fifteen weeks.

I can tell you about the results.

GCT paid for itself before I finished the course.

Armed with the knowledge and confidence from being mentored by Claudia, I successfully sold an A&R (analysis and recommendation) to a small-house publisher. Within two weeks, he asked me to do one for another author of his. From just those A&R’s, I made my money back, in addition to forging a new relationship with the house.

GCT is the best investment I’ve made in my business and education.

I spent six years in higher education earning a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree; for two-and-a-half years, I’ve run my own business. Hands down, GCT provided more practical information and training than any other class, course, seminar, etc. I’ve taken.

Claudia doesn’t do it for the money.

The course took three hours each week for fifteen weeks, not counting the time outside class for emailing, reviewing, preparation, and helping the course participants out. Do the math: it would be a far better use of her time to take on another client project or just do one book proposal. Claudia does it because she wants to “launch careers.”

I don’t need to be “certified.”

I took the course because I wanted to know what a twenty-year, 100+-books-to-her-invisible-credits veteran knew—not so I could end an email with “Derek Lewis, M.A., Certified Ghostwriter.” The knowledge, experience, and confidence I received are the reasons I signed up. Believe me, I was not disappointed.

I proudly proclaim I am “certified.”

I could sign my emails “Derek Lewis, M.A., Microsoft SharePoint Designer Certified.” In another life, I earned that distinction by attending a weeklong course in Minneapolis. When they handed me the certificate, I felt like a fraud—I knew little more on Friday than I did on Monday.

GCT, on the other hand, challenged me as much—or more—than some of my graduate classes. Some private companies do hand out Cracker Jack certifications, such as the one in Minneapolis. All they required was the payment and my presence (and I might have gotten away with skipping class). Not so with GCT—Claudia is serious about the certification and holds your feet to the fire. I worked my tail off and am very proud of my designation.

I found out I’m in the publishing industry.

It seems laughable now, but before this class I thought I was in the writing business.

Wrong—oh, so wrong!

Yes, a ghostwriter has one foot in the land of literary enchantment, but the other foot is firmly planted in the land of stark reality.

Or as someone once said, “Writing is an art, but publishing is a business.”

I now understand what it takes to create something of value—something the trade market wants to buy, something agents and publishers want to represent. GCT opened up the publishing industry to me. I’m not just a freelance writer-for-hire; I’m a professional ghostwriter capable of preparing my clients’ material to market standards.

I couldn’t afford not to take the class.

GCT is truly one of those opportunities I couldn’t afford to pass up. If I had taken GCT at the beginning of my freelance career, I would not have struggled financially nearly as much as I did. I underpriced myself, had no idea how to fairly estimate projects, and generally winged-it. In business terms, I was an order taker: tell me what you want and I’ll deliver it—whatever “it” was—for cheap.

I think of my ghostwriting career as pre-GCT and post-GCT—and I think my bank account reflects that timeline, too.

Confidence is the best lesson I learned.

If nothing else, Claudia taught me confidence—the confidence to pursue this vocation, the confidence to value my services, the confidence to provide valuable advice to my clients, and the confidence to wade into the publishing industry.

P.S. Claudia did not ask me to write this. If it sounds as if I’m gushing…well, I am. It was an incredible course, and it would be worth my time and money to take it again. Fortunately, she’s creating some additional courses for GCT graduates. Guess who’ll be the first to sign up?