“You’re a Ghostwriter? What Does That Mean?”
“You’re a ghostwriter? What does that mean?”
I get this question a lot. And I have a pat answer: “I help write other people’s books.”
Curious people aren’t willing to let it go at that. “How does THAT work?”
Briefly, I outline the process: “First, we map out big picture ideas like the target audience, subject matter, and the desired outcomes. Then we work together to build an outline. Using the outline, I interview them on a series of calls to get them to verbalize all of their content. Those interviews are recorded, then transcripted, and I use the transcripts to write the book. Then the author and I work together to revise it until it’s exactly what they want. Ta daah.” [Jazz hands.]
But even that lengthier response doesn’t fully capture what it means to be a ghostwriter. As the title suggests, we “ghosts” do a lot of shape shifting in our role. If a ghostwriter really knows what they’re doing, they’ll serve the author in all kinds of ways:
As branding coach: Before starting work with an author, I look over their online presence, review their brainstorming materials, and get a sense of who they’re writing the book for and what outcomes they want the book to help them achieve. Ideally, all of those points should be in alignment: the book should support the direction of the branding, which should meet the needs of their target audience, which will get them to where they want to go. My first way of serving the author is by pointing out any inconsistencies in those areas and helping them tighten up their positioning. That way, when the book is hit off the tee box into the great big world, it drives straight toward the green.
As idea architect: Authors come to me with lots of ideas, and it’s my job to figure out how to structure all of those ideas so that they’re clearly conveyed, interesting, and accessible to the reader. Usually that means we first make a case for their framework, then establish foundational principles, and then get into the brass tacks the reader paid for—but not always. Some books require a lot more creativity. Each new project is a design puzzle to be solved: how can we make this irresistible for the reader?
As teacher: My authors are rad, successful brainiacs and sometimes they struggle to simplify their expertise into simplified concepts for their target audience. Even when they do, they don’t always know how to make it as interesting or urgent as they naturally find it to be. It’s my job to help the author teach their readers effectively, generating stories, examples, illustrations, and research when necessary. If they want their readers to love it, they have to make sure they *get it.*
As actor: As a ghostwriter, I’m writing in the author’s voice, which means putting my own voice aside and channeling someone else. In my current set of authors, one likes long, effusive, eloquent sentences. One loves humor, punchy directives, and a well placed curse word. One likes to pack their sentences with dense, rich recommendations—but still conveyed in a casual, conversational tone. It’s my job to shape shift as necessary so that the author’s style and tone is conveyed throughout their book in a way that feels authentically “them.”
As director: It’s also my job to be bossy. If my authors’ points are unsubstantiated, if they’re drifting off topic, if they’re in need of a stronger example, I speak up: “Here’s why I think THIS is the direction which will help you achieve your goals, and why THIS one could lead to some consequences I don’t think you want.” Colleagues have compared our role to that of a mountain guide: a good ghostwriter won’t ask the author, “Well… How do YOU want to get up the mountain?” They’ll say, “Here’s the route we need to take, here’s why, and I’m going to make sure to point out all the tricky spots along the way so that we get you to the summit.” My authors pay me for my expertise, which means getting directorial when they’re headed in a direction that won’t serve them well.
As cheerleader: One reason my authors let me boss them around is because they trust that I am fully in their corner. When I work with an author, I become a believer. I get attached to their target audience, I empathize with their readers’ needs, and I become totally sold on the author’s recommendations. Because of that, my desire to see them succeed is whole-hearted. When the author struggles with imposter syndrome, fears, or insecurities, I remind them why we’re here, who it is we’re helping, and why it matters. Because it does!!
As devil’s advocate: And because I believe in my authors so much, I won’t let them get away with mediocre content. I will poke holes in their arguments until they’ve made them water tight. I will ask every question I think their reader might think of, so that we ensure their arguments are fully developed and nuanced. I will call them out when my authors say something that makes them look petty or negative: “This point comes across as somewhat manipulative. Are you sure you want to say it like that?” I won’t let my authors publish a book that makes them look bad. We gonna make you look GOOD.
As interpreter: More times than I can count, I’ve paraphrased an author’s processing back to them in a concise, clear way, and they’ve said, “I’m glad you know how to decipher me!” My full time job is to put ideas in coherent, compelling form. When I understand my author, their ideas, and their heart for their readers, I’m able to help them translate their thoughts into a mic drop moment. This also means if an author speaks off the cuff during the safety of our content calls, I know how to adapt and soften their language as needed so that they come across in written form as the kind of positive, informed expert they want to convey. Don’t worry—I’ve got you!
As counselor: Authors writing books are either sharing their life’s work, a framework that they hope will take them into the next phase of their career, or their most formative personal stories. The stakes are ALWAYS high, and it’s nearly ALWAYS emotional. That means part of how I support them is by counseling them through their fears and concerns. When they cry because the content they’re sharing hits on such a deep level, I listen, empathize, and validate the magnitude of what they’re sharing. This is an incredibly important part of my role and it’s profoundly honoring to be trusted with the treasured content my authors bring me.
As wordsmith: Most obviously, I then take all the rich content my authors share with me and put it into beautiful writing. By the time we’ve gotten here, their ideas have already been honed, developed, and polished to a high shine. We’ve iterated our writing segments enough times that they feel their voice is perfectly conveyed. Like an HGTV duo, we’ve gone from a rough and raw “before” and produced a jaw-dropping “after.”
What does it mean to be a ghostwriter? It means I’m your teammate, your collaborator, your translator, your biggest fan. It means we create a book that has your fingerprints all over it. It means together, we answer readers’ most important questions so that people are shown a path from despair to hope, confusion to discovery, stagnancy to growth.
That’s the privilege of being a ghost: it means supporting and guiding someone whose ideas can transform the world—and then, watching the world transform.
