It's almost as simple as it sounds, except that the person doing the writing is not a literal ghost, nor is it a person writing horror stories about ghosts. So, maybe not quite as simple as it sounds. If you've heard the word "ghostwriter" pop up a few times now and are genuinely curious to know about ghostwriting and what a ghostwriter does, you've come to the right blog.
A ghostwriter writes content, whether it be a blog, a story, an article, or even an essay, but never receives credit for it. The ghostwriter writes the content on behalf of someone else, typically a paying client.
When the written content is finished, the actual writer relinquishes all rights to the content and hands it (or sends it) over to the paying client. The paying client then puts their name on the content and receives recognition for it, as though they wrote it themselves.
See, simple and not at all spooky like actual ghosts.
Why Do People Use Ghostwriters? Is Ghostwriting Deceitful?
Ghostwriting is not deceitful, fraudulent, misleading or sneaky. So, why do people use ghostwriters?
People use ghostwriters because not everyone is well-versed in proper writing etiquette or different writing styles. Entrepreneurs and business people might be great at what they do, aka selling services and products in their niche, but that doesn't mean they know how to write or create great content that sells said products and services.
Enter, the ghostwriter.
Yes, many influencers and big brand names you follow do not write their own social media content, scripts, blogs, stories or articles.
Yes, they pay professional "behind-the-scenes" writers to do it for them.
Yes, ghostwriters willingly give up the credit of their work - it's an income, after all.
Yes, ghostwriting is legal.
No. Full stop. Ghostwriting is not deceitful.
Ghostwriting is purely a business decision to help brands and businesses build awareness of their brand quickly. People use ghostwriters to ensure the quality of their written content is up to scratch to meet their target audiences' needs.
It's a genius business decision if you ask me - but you might say I'm biased.
Want Your Business to Stand Out For the Right Reasons?
Let's say you have a grand business idea that you know will be a hit. You've asked your family and friends, and they all agree that they would use your product and probably recommend it to their network of friends and colleagues if you manage to pull it off.
One year later, you've created the business, you're selling the products, and family and friends love it. But it's time to go big or go home.
You need to market your product to a particular target audience. You might need a website, a professional blog page, some marketing material, and in this day and age, you'll need social media graphics and captions too.
Do you know much about writing positive product descriptions for a targeted audience? How about writing educational blog posts that teach consumers and readers more about your services? Remember, you need a unique brand voice that sets you apart from the competition too. Oh, and have you ever written a press release or an "about me" webpage?
No. So, you hire a ghostwriter to do it for you. A professional content creator is someone who understands how to write content that sells by making your brand stand out for the right reasons.
How To Find a Ghostwriter With a Proven Track Record
Finding a ghostwriter with a portfolio is a challenging task. They are, after all, not credited for most of the work they have written. Hence, the "ghost" part in ghostwriting. They're the invisible force behind what makes your brand shine on paper… or screen. You get the point. Call them Casper, if you will.
You can find writers on platforms like:
UpWork
Airtasker
Fiverr
Freelancer
Peopleperhour
The platforms are set up so you can easily sign up as a freelance job seeker (seller) or a paying business looking for work to be done (buyer).
You pop your job ad in, list the preferred experience and skillset from desired applicants, and wait for the applications or bids to come through. Depending on the job listed and the budget you have set, you may have hundreds of applications, or you may have none. Adjust the ad as needed.
Once the applications start rolling in, it's up to you to vet the applicants to find the best freelancer (or agency) for the job.
How do you do this if the ghostwriter doesn't have a portfolio? Here are some suggestions:
Ask relevant questions regarding the job description
What experience do you have writing this sort of content?
How long have you been writing?
What industry/niche do you specialise in?
How do you do your research?
What's your average turnaround time?
Do you incorporate search engine optimisation (SEO) into your writing, and how would you do this for my product/service?
How do you find a tone/voice for your clients?
Ask for samples
Again, ghostwriters may not have business-related writing samples if their paying client does not authorise permission to use their content/name. Ask if the freelance writer has a personal blog page. This will give you a good idea of the tone and style they typically write in.
Ask for a short example
Give the writer a topic and ask them to provide a brief example of how they would write about this topic. Ensure you're clear on the type of content you're after - i.e., marketing, blog, services webpage, etc.
Ask the potential ghostwriter if they can provide any other information
Who they have worked with in the past
References
Reviews and testimonials
Links to their social media sites/business website
Pay for a trial
Once you have about five applicants who fit the criteria, I'd suggest opting for a paid trial. Offer the applicants the chance to progress to the next round (hiring) if they participate in a paid writing trial. You set the price; then, it's up to the freelance writers to accept the paid trial or not.
This is an excellent way to see if the freelance writers have what it takes to work with you and provide you with the quality of work you have your sights set on.
Why You Should Hire a Freelance Ghostwriter
I'm not in the business of telling anyone what to do, but there are a few reasons why hiring a ghostwriter might be the best thing you can do for your business or for yourself.
The shortest and most obvious reason is that you're busy. Writing isn't your job. You have other things to do, a business to run, a full-time job to go to, kids to raise, etc etc.
Time is a valuable resource, and unfortunately, it seems to be running out fairly quickly in this modern technological era.
Hire a ghostwriter so that you can spend more time doing the things you prefer to do and are much better at doing. Stop trying to figure out how to include more SEO-friendly content in your webpages, stop trying to be a skilled writer with top-selling novels, and stop wasting your precious time.
YOU had the exceptional business, product, or book idea... Now, let someone with the skills to do so execute it for you. Hire a ghostwriter.
Hey, while you’re here, are you in need of a ghostwriter? Get in touch and let me know a little more about you and what you need a writer for - let’s see if I can help!
Your wandering wordsmith,
Bridie
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