LIFE AS A GHOST WRITER – VOL. 5
Interview Hint.
This interview centres around being a ghost writer.
Ogidiolu Elijah Jaybee who is into the business of ghost writing for clients responds to our questions on the subject.
Below are the questions asked and the responses obtained from the interview.
Please feel free to comment at the end of this post.
Now, here’s the interview in detail.
MMM Interviewer
Who is Ogidiolu Elijah Jaybee?
Ogidiolu Elijah
I’m a Certified Ghost Writer, a Blogger, a Writepreneur, and Web Consultant. I’m the founder of BlogOxygen, which is a budding content management firm in Lagos, Nigeria. With my content management skill, I help website owners and bloggers develop and manage the content on their site. I also help design Websites and Blogs.
I run an active blog – Mature Minds Talk, where I dump excess thoughts that are about to change states “from thoughts to gas” (I quickly change them to texts, and deposit them on the blog). I’m in my late 20’s, the fourth of five, from Edo State, and a graduate of Architecture from Joseph Ayo Babalola University.
I’m not really the interview-ish type, so i’ll keep this as short as possible. Plus, I’m kind of hungry and got to run.
MMM Interviewer
Tell us about your blog?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Mature Minds Talk started in September 2014. Before then I used to write anywhere, and I also drew comics. Later, I began keeping and writing in my “Variety Book” (I’m sure most writers kept that journal at some point. Not that silly “Slum Book”). I got more exposed to the internet and I saw that blogging was one of the ways to make money online.
Are these info marketers serious? I love writing and I’ll make a good blogger. I set up a blog but couldn’t choose a niche. I wanted something about everything. Short of a name, Albert Einstein appeared to me in a dream and gave me “Mature Minds Talk”. Eureka! So that’s it. It’s a blog where I say a little something about everything. So MMT is 3 years plus? Time does fly.
MMM Interviewer
What’s life like as a Ghost Writer?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Life as a Ghost Writer can be weird. From people looking at you like you’re into some weird, probably dark stuff, to people talking full credit for your work; to being a knowledge junkie (knowing something about almost everything). I once wrote 20 articles about the Vagina, for a client who ran a health blog. It’s almost the same as any typical writer’s life, with a few crazy twists.
MMM Interviewer
What writing styles are easy for you to pull off?
Ogidiolu Elijah
I’ve evolved over the years, and that question has become tricky to answer with my kind of writing. Any writing style comes easy as it is. It’s more a question of when does my ink flow more fluently.
MMM Interviewer
What makes for a good Ghost writer?
Ogidiolu Elijah
There are a couple of things required to make a good ghost writer. Examples are – Ability to step into the shoes of a client and think like them, being a knowledge junkie, ability to keep your mouth shut (you don’t want to start shouting over the hills, who your clients are), ability to research well, and so on.
MMM Interviewer
What Kind of books are you often approached to write?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Various, but of a higher percentage, Fiction. More precisely, lovey dovey books. I’m not sure what part of me makes prospective clients think I’m the guy for that kinda job. Lol!
MMM Interviewer
How do you make sure the book/piece you write sounds like the author?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Simple – Communication! You have to communicate fantastically well with your client by any means available and know what they’ll say, how they’ll say it, and their reasons for saying it. I personally believe ghost writing is a gift, as I’ve seen some fantastic writers who’ll make really poor ghost writers.
MMM Interviewer
How do you stay motivated?
Ogidiolu Elijah
I observe and absorb. I follow a number of foreign writers’ works and challenge myself that if they can do it, so can I. Music also helps when I’m on a project, and by association, I’ve developed an ability to learn something from everything.
MMM Interviewer
How do you juggle blogging and ghost writing?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Ghost writing is work, blogging is relaxation. So I write for work, according to deadlines, and write for leisure according to life lines (whatever that means. Don’t blame me. I’m hungry). All is writing, I just do one when I’m free.
MMM Interviewer
What inspired your first work?
Ogidiolu Elijah
I can’t say it’s just one thing. I think it’s a couple of things; top of which is the fact that I’ve known for a very long time, that the pen is sharper than the sword.
MMM Interviewer
What notable work has brought you recognition?
Ogidiolu Elijah
“Recognition” doesn’t really apply to ghost writers, asides the fact that sometimes when I search for things on Google, the search results take me to content I wrote myself. Also, there was something I wrote about domestic violence that got featured on Lagos Talks FM. Then my currently much loved article “My Surprise Lagos Wedding”.
MMM Interviewer
What would be your advise to writers who want to venture into ghost writing or blogging or both?
Ogidiolu Elijah
Sleep well. No, I’m serious, sleep helps the brain function better. Also, understand that writing is similar to drawing. Express yourself without restrictions, and write in your peak state or your content can rat you out. The golden rule: Always write with your reader in mind. Also, Ghost writing is not for every writer. Understand your personality before journeying on that path.
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