Working with a Ghostwriter Part 3: What Does the Process of Working with a Ghostwriter Actually Look Like? (And How Do I Hire One?)

How do you find a ghostwriter?

?There are lots of ways to find a ghostwriter. The simplest method is probably just to google “ghostwriter” or “ghostwriting services” or “ghostwriters near me” or any phrase like that and see what comes up.

Check out different ghostwriters’ websites. See what they say about themselves, how they present themselves, and how they describe their process.

Trust your instincts. Does this person feel like someone you can build a constructive, vibrant relationship with?

Chat with them on the phone if they’re available. Or look at their portfolio if they have one. (One of the challenges of hiring a ghostwriter – and of being a ghostwriter – is that it’s difficult for ghostwriters to display a public portfolio since their work is, by definition, uncredited.)

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What does working with a ghostwriter actually look like?

Okay, time to get into the weeds.

I cannot speak for every ghostwriter and I imagine each one has a somewhat different process. But here’s what it looks like with me.

1.????? We set up an introductory conversation during which we clarify the project you have in mind, what you want to say, whom you want to say it to, and why. We discuss the parameters: How long might it be? Will it be a book? A series of blog posts? An article? A speech? We can do this by phone or Zoom. This initial consultation is free.

2.?????? Once we’ve determined how we might get started on your project, we plan a time for a subsequent conversation, usually on Zoom. I will record this conversation and have it transcribed. (I used to use an online service that transcribes conversations for a small fee, but now Zoom has a built-in transcription feature.)

Using this transcript, I will craft a short piece of writing for you, usually of about 1,000 to 1,500 words (or fewer perhaps, if you only need a blog post or short article). My flat fee for this first piece of writing is $250. This includes one edit, since it generally takes at least one back-and-forth cycle to hone the copy to your voice.

OR ... if you really don't feel I've helped you at all, and you feel my product is off the mark or entirely divorced from your own voice, then I won't invoice you at all, and we will part ways amicably.

3.?????? If you are happy with what I write for you, we’ll set up more interviews and repeat the process. My standard fee is $150/hour.

I may need to supplement our interview transcripts with additional research, depending on the topic. And you might supply me with notes, or even partially finished drafts that I can edit and synthesize with the content of our transcribed conversations.

An ongoing working relationship may involve some combination of any or all of these methods.

How expensive is it ultimately going to be to work with a ghostwriter?

Again, I cannot speak for all ghostwriters. I charge a base rate of $150/hour. But if a client affords me a “with” credit on the work (thus allowing me to cite the final product as a portfolio item), I may charge less.

As for how many words or pages I produce in an hour, it depends on the project. But this becomes clear quickly, after I produce my first one or two pieces of writing for you.

For a book of, say, 200 pages, or 60-80,000 words, I would ballpark my total fee at $25-35k.

Things that are of unique, lasting value often do cost money, but hopefully what you end up with will be worth more to you than what you paid – and may even ultimately serve to generate more income.

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I’m worried that a ghostwriter won’t be able to capture my authentic voice. What they produce may be well written but it might not sound like me. How can I protect myself against that outcome?

Great question! That’s very important. Ultimately, you need to not merely “like” or “admire” the writing a ghostwriter produces for you. You need to feel genuine affixing your name to it.

Getting the voice right is often an evolving process. Discovering your voice is a process too; it will always be different on the page from how you think or how you speak. Moreover, your voice changes as you get ideas down. Sometimes you “grow into” a voice that surprises you a little, as you uncover more of what it is you have to say.

Getting the voice of the writing to “sound like you” generally takes some fine-tuning.

That said, once you start working with a ghostwriter, you’ll get a strong sense very quickly of whether or not you and this person “click” well enough for them to represent you on the page. Even the very first piece of writing that a ghostwriter gives you should excite you a little bit (at least), and you should recognize yourself in it, even if it’s imperfect.

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I’m not sure why, but the whole idea of working with a ghostwriter makes me anxious.

Well, if you’ve never done it before, it’s brand new vulnerable territory. In trusting a ghostwriter to express you, you have to express yourself first, to the ghostwriter. Then, whatever the ghostwriter returns to you will be received, by you, as a reflection of yourself. And if that reflection feels off, it can be confusing and unsettling.

As with any journey into the unknown, you risk disappointment, so there is some small danger. That said, it’s a lot less risky than, say, mountain climbing.

And it can be fun too, because your ghostwriter does nearly all the work.

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Further questions?

Feel free to shoot me message via LinkedIn and I’ll respond as promptly as I can. I may not have all the answers but I’ll do my best. Thanks for reading!

OR: Go back to Part 1: The Basics of Working with a Ghostwriter

OR: Go back to Part 2: Is Hiring a Ghostwriter the Right Choice for Me?

OR: Check out my little article on How I Charge for my services.