What is a ghostwriter and how do you find one to tell your story?

Ghosts are everywhere but what is a ghostwriter and how can they help you tell your story?

SUMMARY: Do you struggle with the idea of telling stories about yourself and your business?

You might need a ghost.

…a ghostwriter can help translate your thoughts, ideas, experience and expertise into a book, bio, speech or presentation that you can share with the world.

If you’re an expert in your field, then you probably don’t have the time, the inclination, or the patience to get your stories out of your head and onto the page.

An experienced ghostwriter will help you:

• plan your book or posts
• interview you (and anyone else you feel could add value to your story)
• transcribe the interviews,
• and write your story in your voice.

The people who know you best should be able to hear your voice when they read your post or your book.

People are tired of reading recycled content.
But how can a ghost help you have more impact?

Your story is compelling, genuine and authentic to you.
It’s something that AI can’t create for you.
You’ve lived it.

If you’ve built a successful business then you have enough stories, ideas and information to tell your story and inspire other people at the start of their journey.

Don’t be scared of sharing your story.

WHAT IS GHOSTWRITING?

Most experts in their field have worked long hours over many years to build their experience and a body of knowledge that other people can learn from. These people often don’t have the time, the inclination, or the patience to write their own book. 

If that sounds like you, then a ghostwriter can help you translate your thoughts, ideas, experience and expertise into a book, bio, speech or presentation that you can share with the world. 

An experienced ghostwriter will help you plan your book, interview you (and anyone else you feel could add value to your story), transcribe the interviews, and write your story in your voice. The people who know you best should be able to hear your voice when they read your book.

IS MY STORY WORTHY ENOUGH FOR A BOOK? WILL I HAVE ENOUGH TO SAY?

There’s so much disposable, badly written content being churned out across the various social media channels these days.
Your book can be your point of difference. 

It’s a statement about you and your company that says:

• This is who we are;
• This is what we’ve achieved;
• These are our values.

People are tired of reading recycled content. Your story is compelling, genuine and authentic to you. It’s something that AI can’t create for you. You’ve lived it and if you’ve built a successful business then you have enough stories, ideas and information to tell your story and inspire other people at the start of their journey. 

Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of writing a book. You don’t have to write an epic. It doesn’t have to be War & Peace. People’s attention spans have been sliced and diced by social media. A short, concise book which captures your experiences is likely to be more valuable and have more impact than a long-winded, boring read. And let’s face it, if you can’t convince your reader in 100 pages, you’re not going to win them over by writing 300 pages. 

The process I use with clients is designed to save you time and be as painless as possible. A one to two-hour interview is enough to craft a chapter that sums up a period in your life, a challenge you overcame or a battle you won. Eight to ten chapters is enough to establish you as an expert, the go-to guru in your industry.

Of course, if you want to go long, we can do that too. And just in case you’re wondering, you don’t have to tell the full story. You don’t have to share all of the skeletons in your closet. When you work with a ghostwriter, you get to choose the story you tell.

WHY DO I NEED A GHOSTWRITER?

You don’t. You can do it yourself but is that the most efficient use of your time? Writing your story from scratch could take you anywhere from 10 to 1000 hours or more, depending on how many fingers you type with. 

Alternatively, you could trust the job to the best writer in your company but there’s a big difference between writing sales and marketing copy and pulling together a book. Writers might not get their hands dirty but creating a book from a blank page is hard work. 

Working with me, anywhere from 10-20 hours of interviews should provide enough material to write your book. If we’re writing your life story, it might take longer than that. It depends on how much you have to say. 

The idea of writing your own book may sound intimidating but for most people, it’s an enjoyable process. Some people even describe it as a cathartic experience. It’s an opportunity to take stock, to reflect on your journey, and remind yourself of how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved. 

WHAT’S THE BEST BOOK FOR ME?

That depends on where you’re at in your career. The book I wrote for Tony Quinn — Zero to 60 — was a legacy project. It documented his life story from humble beginnings in Scotland to selling his pet food company for $420m. 

Tony told me: “the greatest gift you can pass on to your children and your grandchildren is your story.”

If you’re still building your business then a book that establishes you as the go-to guru, the thought leader in your industry could be the best branding tool you ever invest in. 

Ask yourself what you want to be known for and write a book that answers that question. The best book is the one that talks specifically to your niche audience. And it doesn’t matter what your niche is — be it retail, real estate, construction or consulting. Everyone has a story to tell. Own your niche with a book that tells people how and why you built a successful company. 

The best book for you is the one that delivers results, that helps you win new customers and sales and enhances your reputation. Your potential customers don’t know what you know, they don’t know your backstory and your big wins. If they did, they’d be much more likely to give you their business. 

WHY DO PEOPLE DECIDE TO USE A GHOSTWRITER

Between 50 and 90 percent of non-fiction books on the bestseller lists are written with the help of a ghostwriter, according to the book publishing industry. The exact number is unclear because as I highlight below, some authors prefer not to reveal or admit that they worked with someone on their book.

Here are some of the reasons why people decide to work with a ghostwriter to write books, blog posts, speeches and other business content.

• They are too close to their own story to recognise the best bits and craft a compelling, readable narrative;
• They don’t have the writing skills or know how to write their own book;
• They’re too busy running a business, coming up with new ideas or changing the world.

Just because you’ve lived a great story, doesn’t mean you’re able to write about it in an entertaining and absorbing way.

DO YOU NEED A CO-AUTHOR, COLLABORATOR, OR GHOSTWRITER?

Since I worked on my first book with Tony Quinn I’ve always called myself a ghostwriter, but it’s probably more accurate to call myself a co-author or a collaborator.

A ghostwriter, by definition, is someone who is unseen and unacknowledged. They usually do all of the writing and heavy lifting to get the words on the page but they might only get one line at the back of the book as a thank you. They agree to let their client take all of the credit for the story. Some authors don’t want their audience to know they use a ghostwriter because they feel it might undermine or devalue their message. 

Co-authors do much of the same work as a ghostwriter in terms of coming up with content ideas, chapter titles, book structure, interviewing, transcribing and writing. But they are usually credited on the front page alongside the star of the story. 

A collaborator provides expertise about a particular topic or book genre (e.g. self help or business books) OR writing expertise. If you already have a ton of material on paper, working with a collaborator or book doctor can help you give it some shape and structure. A good collaborator can help you present your ideas in a clear, engaging style. 

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN HIRING A GHOSTWRITER

I’d love to chat with you about writing your book with you but I would also advise you to talk to other ghostwriters. The key factor when choosing a ghostwriter is to make sure you’re a good fit for each other. After all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time together sharing your story. It helps if you like and trust your ghostwriter. 

With that in mind, here are some questions to ask: 

How much experience do you have?

How many books have you written? (I’ve written five for entrepreneurs and business owners)

Can I see some of your work? (Send me an email and I’ll send you some sample chapters of the books I’ve written)

How long have you been writing for? (20+ years.)

Any bestsellers? (My first book, Zero to 60, went to No. 1 on the NZ non-fiction bestsellers list)

Can I talk to past clients? (Sure)

QUESTIONS THAT A GHOSTWRITER SHOULD ASK YOU BEFORE WORKING ON YOUR BOOK

What are your goals for your book? 

Who is your target audience and what action do you want them to take after reading your book?

What knowledge or expertise do you have in your head that would convince your target audience that your book is worth reading?

Where is the information for the book coming from? This might be interviews with the client, interviews with other people, or research, all of which require additional time. 

How long do you want the book to be?
Why do you want to write your book now? What’s your motivation?

What’s your timeline? Is there an anniversary or event coming up that you want the book for?

Do you want to use a traditional publisher or do you want to publish it yourself?

What is your budget?

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO WORK WITH A GHOSTWRITER

It’s not cheap, or at least it’s not cheap if you want to work with an experienced, conscientious and thoughtful writer who is committed to capturing your voice and telling your story in your words. 

There are some ghostwriters out there who will charge you money and then outsource the heavy lifting to ChatGPT or another AI bot. That’s not me. I walk with you every step of the way to get your book written.

How much it costs to work with me depends on the scope and scale of the project. I charge on a fixed-fee basis, based on the nature of the project with the fee spread over monthly payments. Every book is different.

We would be happy to talk about yours.

After the initial consultation where we discuss your hopes and dreams for their book, the type of book you want to write and your target market, I’ll send you a proposal which will factor in the estimated timeframe for the project.

The project price for a short memoir or how-to book of 20,000 to 30,000 words starts from $25,000 plus. 

For a life story or company story, the starting rate is $40,000 plus.

Every book is different.

I’d love to talk to you about yours.

WHY WORK WITH ME?

I’ve got 20 years of writing experience and my first book went to number one on the New Zealand non-fiction bestsellers’ list.

You can find out more about my ghostwriting work and process here.