9 hot businesses you can start now

• Searches by would-be customers: 2,432 in 2012, up from 852
• Entrepreneurs listed: 114 in 2012, up from 37
• Typical pay: $40 an hour

If you have a talent for writing and don't mind if the world doesn't find out about it, you can make money ghost writing.

Rachel Brownlow ghosts for entrepreneurs, small businesses, busy executives and others. Her company is called Your Written Word.

Brownlow worked as a freelance ghostwriter while an English major in college. "I did it because of the potential to make good money," she said. "I started ghostwriting because I found it to be a fulfilling occupation, I love writing, and I appreciate the independence of being self-employed."

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Brownlow parlayed her parttime gig into a full-fledged startup.

Working with contractors, Brownlow said her Austin-based company on average works on four books a month. It also ghost writes for blogs, public speakers and entrepreneurs. A single book assignment can bring in $8,000 to $15,000, she said.

Demand for ghostwriters is high because "many of our clients just don't have the time to write or the know-how," she said.

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