Excellent writing and organizational skills and a working knowledge of the publishing industry are fundamental. Beyond that, certain genres require specific strengths. Cookbooks require experience with writing and testing recipes. Memoirs require intuitive listening and the ability to see a bigger meaning in the story. Fiction needs strong plotting and world building. A book is a huge project that requires months of collaboration, so it's also important to hire a person you want to spend a lot of time with.

There are hundreds of people online offering ghostwriting services, but quality of work varies widely. Your best bet is a literary or talent agency.

Timeframes vary widely depending on the scope of the work and the extent of author participation. A "crash" schedule may be as little as three months. A book that requires extensive research may take a year. The average for most ghostwriters is six months.

Fees vary widely based on the scope of project and the caliber of the ghostwriter. Experienced ghostwriters routinely get six figures for a full length book. Inexperienced ghostwriters are less expensive. In general, it's similar to purchasing a vehicle; the price you pay is directly related to the resulting experience. A $50,000 Ford Taurus might get you where you need to go, but it's not the same as rolling up in a $200,000 Bentley.

Most ghostwriters are happy to work with authors who want to do some or all of the heavy lifting. The important thing is for the author to remain in the creative driver's seat. The ghostwriter can be chauffeur or navigator. It's your call.

The short answer is yes, but most ghostwriters do receive credit. Their name may be on the front cover or title page (by [Author] with [Ghostwriter]), and they are usually thanked in acknowledgments. Ghostwriters know what they're signing up for and in some cases prefer to remain anonymous. Cover credit and acknowledgment should be negotiated and specified in the collaboration agreement.