How to Use a Ghostwriter in Your Own Business

Many freelancers, in a wide range of fields, think of hired writing help as something for larger projects, for corporate clients, not something for the independent one-person shop. It can be hard to imagine hiring someone to help with writing tasks if you:

• Cannot see a reason why you would need writing help, or
• Cannot visualize how you would work with that writer.

Why Hire Writing Help?

Some freelancers feel a little guilty when they do not do their own writing. It’s on their list of tasks they mean to do. But they avoid it, or they do not have time, or what they write just does not seem to have the impact they are looking for.

Part of the problem is that everyone one of us knows how to write, and we all do it every day. It is hard to farm out a task that seems like an extension of a daily activity. And that’s just the kind of thinking that perpetually postpones the creation of marketing content.

It isn’t a question of whether you should do your own writing on principle. It is a question of what gets the writing done. A white paper that is never finished (or never started) will bring you exactly zero new prospects.

What are some symptoms that point to the need for a little help?

• Important writing is not getting done. The same white paper, or web site revision, or sales letter, or newsletter that was on your to-do list last week, and the week before, is on it again this week, and it will be there next week. You just are not getting it done.
• You write, but you need a different style, different strengths. You may be a terrific technical writer who produces great documentation for software or products or processes. But your marketing materials sound like, well, technical manuals.
• You hate to write, and you just do not know where to start on that marketing content you need.
• You have themes and ideas, but little available writing time in the foreseeable future. If you could get a “jump start” on your writing projects, finishing them off would be manageable.

Your To-Do List Knows

You can debate with yourself endlessly over whether to have someone else help you write your marketing content, or other written material that you use with your clients. Once you get into “shoulds” and “good intentions” and “discipline,” you’re probably doing more to avoid the issue than to solve it.

Your to-do list will tell you how you are doing. If you have “been meaning to” create some bit of content to help your business for ages, if you keep coming back to the same items on your list, again and again, then you need help.

Copywriter vs. Ghostwriter

You won’t find too many writers out there who formally call what they do “ghostwriting” (outside of the ones who will write that great business biography book after you are a huge success). What makes a hired writer a ghostwriter for you?

I’ve been writing regularly on this ghostwriting theme on Freelance Switch over the past several months, so let me summarize a couple of points:

• A ghostwriter writes in your voice, your style (but perhaps a little better!). Sales letters or articles or any other written materials simply sound like you. For example, many writers can produce very similar sales letters for different businesses and products. But some writers can go further to produce sales letters for you that are uniquely personal in style.
• A ghostwriter becomes a trusted collaborator, not just a service provider. I write articles and newsletters for clients who do only the most cursory review and revision, because they know what I turn out will represent their unique approach, ideas, and language faithfully.

Mind, you do not always need that extra “ghosting” skill. If you write decently, have ideas, but have little time, pass each topic or project onto a writer with a few bullet points and get drafts back. Then you can polish them into final form, reflecting your style, and you’ll still spend a lot less time creating them than if you handled the entire writing process.

But if you hate to write, or do not write effectively for your needs, you may need someone who can be your writing ventriloquist, if you will. You still have to take responsibility for the final product, but a good ghostwriter will handle much more of the entire writing process in this case.

When you need technical help, or graphic design services, or even bookkeeping and accounting, you get the help you need to keep your business going, and growing. Don’t be blind to opportunities to rely on outside writing help in exactly the same way to build your freelance business.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by leeser.