Ghostwriting For (Relative) Dummies
That awesome thought leadership piece you came across last week on LinkedIn? There's a pretty good chance it was ghostwritten by someone like me.
That's because leaders, aspiring leaders, and subject-matter experts aren't always writers. If they are, they usually don't have the time to dedicate to writing. Whether these folks are hoping to enhance their public profile or to attract new customers, they need someone to help organize their thoughts, put them into words, and polish the prose until it shines.
Ghostwriting was one of my first steps into freelancing. It seemed like a natural move after spending many years writing for and about gobsmackingly intelligent faculty members and researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. Still, I felt intimidated as I tackled my first few projects. It took about a year and more than a dozen ghostwritten pieces to feel like I had the hang of things. Three years of full-time freelancing later, ghostwriting makes up about a third of my business — and it's growing.
If you're looking to break into ghostwriting as a freelancer or it's a new part of your portfolio as an in-house writer, I have five tips to share that I wish I knew when I started out.
Ask your client for a detailed creative brief.
At the outset of a project, ask your client (an agency, an organization, or an individual) to provide a creative brief, assignment sheet, or similar document. This should include basic information such as:
- Who's the target audience? How could they benefit from this piece?
- What is the main idea of the piece?
- What resources should be consulted for the piece?
- Who should be interviewed for the piece? What's their relationship to the main idea? What specific points can they speak to?
- Do they have a specific structure in mind for the piece (e.g., traditional narrative, listicle, how-to)?
- What call to action should the piece be driving toward?
If you're not clear on any of these elements, ask for clarification before you start work on the piece. This will keep you and the client on the same page. It'll also help you be efficient with your research and interviews.
Get up to "basic speed" on the topic.
Do your homework, especially if you're writing about a topic or sector you don't have deep experience or knowledge about. When I began writing for a health care client in 2020, my only experience with the sector was as a patient. Before my first assignment, I did some basic research about the business of American health care, federal and state regulation of providers, and different delivery models. I also made sure to read, listen to, or watch any background resources my client provided.
You won't become an overnight expert on the topic with this kind of research, but it's a valuable step for two reasons: First, some information from your research will inevitably appear in your piece. And second, your effort will give your interviewee(s) confidence in your ability to write a strong piece on their behalf.
Don't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions.
I once wrote an article for an astrophysicist whose life's work focused on the Hubble Tension. I have two degrees in communications. I knew nothing about the Hubble Tension. Although I tried to do as much as I could to have a basic understanding of the concept, many things he said flew five feet over my head. I summoned the courage (several times) to politely interrupt and ask, "Could you please explain that again? I want to make sure I can get your message across in a way non-experts can understand."
It's never comfortable to admit you don't know what someone is talking about. When you're writing something on behalf of another person, though, you must. If you don't understand what you're listening to, there's no way you can write a piece that will help others understand—which is what you've been hired to do.
Include an outline step.
Adding an outline—while technically more work—can save you time in the long run. An outline helps ensure you and your client are aligned on both the structure and content of the piece. After completing my research and interviews, I put together an easy-to-scan outline (emphasis on "easy") and send it to the client for feedback.
Outlines help in two ways. First, they're a great way to gauge whether you're on or off course. If the client wants to add, move, or delete a section, you'll want to know that before you spend hours writing things out completely. Second, an outline can be a roadmap that helps you stay on track as you write. I highly recommend including an outline during your first few projects with a new client and for longer, more complicated projects (e.g., white papers, e-books) with all clients.
Put your ego aside.
They're your words on the page or the screen, but it's not your name on the byline. If your client says it's essential to keep that sentence they slipped in during revisions, keep it—even if you know it adds unnecessary words. If they want to use a more straightforward lead instead of your wildly interesting hook, use it—even if you spent an hour crafting it. If they feel strongly about changing some passages from active voice into passive voice, change them—even if it makes your skin crawl.
Your job is to write the best draft you can based on the resources you've been given and the expertise you bring to the table. Don't take their feedback or changes personally. As the name(s) at the top of the page, that's their prerogative.
It's always nice to have your name on the pieces you write and to have those pieces adhere to your own exacting standards. But from personal experience, I'll tell you it's also nice to have compliments like this land in your email:
"I tell people all the time, I spend a half-hour spouting bullish*t at you that makes no cohesive sense, and you turn it into gold."
"The team was very impressed with your work, which makes me look good, so I'm happy about that! I'm amazed that you were able to take my rambling thoughts and messy outline and turn it into something coherent. I look forward to more collaborations!"
(And, not for nothing, but the paychecks are pretty decent, too.)
If you're a fellow ghostwriter, I'd love to connect and learn from your experiences. And if you're looking for a seasoned ghostwriter to help spin your ... ahem, thoughts .. into gold, I'd love to talk. Drop me a line!