National Ghostwriting Associations

I cannot tell a lie (even when I’m providing a ghostwriting service under someone else’s byline). The truth is I only recently joined one and one-half ghostwriting associations and have limited insight to share.

I’ve ghostwritten a couple of eBooks and numerous articles that received both awesome feedback and pay, so joining a ghostwriting association seemed like a dandy move. I was hoping it could help advance my career to a new level, nab juicy job leads that aren’t underbid by Elancers willing to work for 0.02 cents per word, and become part of a community of more experienced ghostwriters who could offer guidance and mentorship.

Thus I signed up for the International Association of Professional Ghostwriters and the Association of Ghostwriters.

The International Association of Professional Ghostwriters

This is the association where I am one-half of a member. I attempted to “Join Now!” only to keep getting kicked to the “Member Benefits” page. I found a way to set up an account, but trying to access anything kicks me back to “Join Now!” which then kicks me back to the “Member Benefits” page.

The Association of Ghostwriters

This is the association where I am a full-fledged member. I paid the $99 for the one-year subscription to the association of 65 members, signed onto the email list to receive the free report entitled “7 Surprising Sources of Ghostwriting Income,” and am digging the promised benefits:

• Job leads delivered to email inbox
• Entry in site directory
• Monthly teleseminars
• Monthly e-newsletters
• Access to social network of fellow members
• The BONUS! “As a bonus of membership, you’ll also receive a great 80-minute audio interview with a book publisher who regularly hires ghostwriters. This can help you learn how to land that book deal you’ve always wanted!”

The bonus grabbed me the firmest, although it was because I initially misunderstood and thought I would get a personal 80-minute phone interview with a publisher who hires ghostwriters.

To be fair, I’ve yet to take full advantage of all, or even really any, of the benefits. What I’ve done so far:

• Checked my inbox for job leads (none)
• Added a profile pic
• Followed the “add content” link hoping I could add work samples but saw the site wanted blog entries
• Checked my inbox for job leads (still none)
• Took a quick gander at the special report (a 24-page, downloadable PDF)
• Took a quick gander in the forums, where I was surprised by low number of entries

The low number of entries is actually a plus, since it provides more intimacy and a greater chance of getting to know fellow writers, no?

That is, of course, if I actually take the time to participate.

Here’s where I typically fall part with any type of association. The things don’t do any good unless people actually participate. But every hour spent in a forum or listening to a recording is time I could have been making money by writing and more writing. So I end up writing and ignoring the membership until it expires. Then I ignore it some more.

Does anyone else share this dilemma? Any tips for breaking out of it?