5 Secrets to Becoming a Successful Ghostwriter

Have you ever read a piece of writing that left you in awe of the writer’s skill? You may have even praised the writer and wished you could write as well. Maybe you didn’t realize it was crafted by a ghostwriter. Indeed, it can take some time to be proficient at writing, and ghostwriters also enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. While it takes time to become proficient, you too can become a successful ghostwriter by following these 5 little-known secrets.

What is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting involves writing content—like articles, speeches, or even books—on behalf of someone else, with the final product published under their name. For example, you might write a blog post for a company, but it’s the company’s CEO who gets the credit. Also, you could be a novel or book writer for a publishing firm or an individual who gets the credit for the book.

5 secrets to becoming a successful ghostwriter

Now, let’s dive into the 5 key secrets that will set you apart as a successful ghostwriter.

1.  Nail down plans and expectations

Before anything else, clarity is essential. In this case, the maxim to “know thyself” is very much applicable. You should know your standards and what you can deliver. In the same vein, make sure your client’s expectations align with your abilities. In this way, you can decide whether the project is realistic enough for you or not. After all, it may be that the compensation may not comfortably meet your standards or perceptions of your worth. Make sure the project is realistic, both in terms of time commitment and pay.

Read up on 5 Ways to Optimize Your Social Media Strategy with AI in 2024

2. Follow the Process (Don’t Skip Steps)

Yes, ghostwriting does indeed have a process. It isn’t about sitting down and writing whatever comes to mind. The best ghostwriters follow a structured process to produce high-quality content.

This process includes:

• Planning and goal-setting
• Researching
• Outlining
• Writing
• Revising
• Proofreading
• Publishing
• Promoting

We’ll now specifically shed more light on the outlining and proofreading stages.

Creating a Logical and Well-Organized Outline

While you’re using the client’s voice and ideas to guide the piece, it is often necessary for you to present a well-organized and logical outline. You might start with an engaging introduction that reflects your client’s style, followed by logical points that support the argument, and finish with a strong conclusion. In other words, you have the freedom to list out the arguments and arrange them for the best flow and impact.

Proofreading and Avoiding Plagiarism

During the research and proofreading stages, you need to be mindful of plagiarism. That is, you should not use the work of other authors as if they were yours. Neither should you use them without citation. You could use a tool such as Plagiarism Checker by Grammarly or Free Small SEO tools for plagiarism checks.

Related: Discover the top 10 common online marketing mistakes and how to avoid them.

3. Write in the Client’s Voice

Remember we talked earlier about knowing the client and his expectations? Understanding your client’s voice is one of the biggest challenges of ghostwriting, but it’s also what sets a great ghostwriter apart. Knowing the author, his message, and what he wants to achieve will help you do an exceptional writing job. For a start, spend time getting to know the person or brand you’re writing for so the content feels authentic. You will also be able to understand their quirks and translate them into the content.

Interview Your Client

You’re ghostwriting for someone else, and you should be able to speak in their voice. The piece should also read naturally as if it were coming from them. This is why it is important that you not only understand the industry but also learn the content objectives of the person. You can learn more about your client by interviewing them in person, over a phone call, or video meeting.

Here are some tips for this interview process

• If the interview isn’t quite feasible, you may browse their content such as blog posts or published works to better understand their voice.
• Be sure to discuss the themes or topics to be covered. This will help you structure the content and create a narrative.
• Alternatively, you can get the busy ones to record voice memos or make brief document guides.

Use the Client’s Voice for a More Genuine Piece

Aspects where you should retain the voice of the person you’re writing for include the following:

• The main ideas or argument: you should not let your personal opinions color the argument of the piece. It is also advisable to avoid omitting their ideas. Avoid injecting your own opinions or style into the piece unless it aligns with what your client wants.
• Use the insight from your research to write in their original voice. Make sure the piece reflects their ideas and tone—whether that’s formal, conversational, or something else entirely. For example, you may include words or phrases that they typically use where feasible.
• You can use the data and statistics that they provide, but remember to confirm their accuracy and sources before publishing.

4. Do Not Skimp on Good Research

Great writing is built on a foundation of strong research. Writers sometimes overlook the research phase or do not spend enough time on researching the topic. However, this is not advisable if you want your content to have good authority. A well-written content that is backed by real-world case studies, historical references, interviews, quotes, and research statistics will always garner more belief from audiences.

5.    Craft Compelling Narratives

While the age of the internet equips you with the ability to reach large audiences, you should also reckon that readers have short attention spans. The tendency is that they will not take the time to read content that is not engaging. One secret to ghostwriting that has proved effective is the use of storytelling. Audiences tend to make better sense of content when they contain the hidden structure of a story. While incorporating storytelling, remember to factor in the general shorter attention of audiences.

Related: Creating Evergreen Content for Long-Term SEO Success

Meanwhile, here are some other ways to make your story compelling.

Include Good Transitions

Very much like the outline, the style with which you transition from one point to the next can be your own. You can creatively use your own voice to make the arguments flow seamlessly. This is because your attempt to mimic your subject’s style here may leave the article disjointed or garbled.

Learn How to Engage Your Audience Through Storytelling as a Content Writer