Do You Need a Ghostwriter? Six Scenarios Where a Ghostwriter Makes Sense
If you hire a ghostwriter to pen your book, you're still the author!
You might assume that only celebrities and politicians use ghostwriters. Did you know some of your favorite childhood serials like Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Goosebumps, and The Baby-Sitters Club used them? And if you’re a fan of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books or the works of Robert Ludlum, you’re already familiar with the work of ghostwriters.
Instead of outing our most cherished authors who used ghostwriters, let’s explore the scenarios where a ghostwriter makes sense, to see if ghostwriting is right for you.
1. You have a compelling story idea, but you’re unsure how to organize it into a book.
Has a storyline bounced around your mind so often that you feel like you’ve already watched the movie? Have you encountered an experience that will excite, inspire, inform, or entertain readers—but you don’t know where to begin? You may be harboring a fictional tale, or a harrowing or thrilling piece of your life story.
Maybe you’ve shared snippets of this story with others, and they’ve said, “You must write a book!” When people say this, they’re usually really saying, “I find your story so…” (insert word here: Interesting? Funny? Timely? Relevant? Critical? Heartwarming? Heartbreaking? Endearing? Engaging? Spellbinding? Unbelievable? Transformational? Powerful?) “that I would be the first to buy your book.”
It’s frustrating when you can see a story in your head, but you don’t know how to organize, weave, and complete the tale so it’s as powerful in written words as it is in your vision. If you don’t know where to begin writing, you could benefit from a ghostwriter. (Or maybe you just need coaching to illuminate the path.)
2. You’re a consultant, business leader, or speaker wanting to differentiate yourself from others in the industry, but you don’t know how to pinpoint and organize your best ideas.
Perhaps you’ve “built a better mousetrap,” become a subject-matter expert in your field, or developed a business model that you know you need to document. But still, you might think, I haven’t made enough billions of dollars or created something novel enough to offer anything valuable to readers.
Wrong! Entire bookstores exist that sell books about cats only. Talk about niche. If you’re passionate about a topic, you’ll likely find a tribe of equally eager fans for your book. If you write about a unique, useful topic, you will find readers. Whether niche or commonplace, your topic can resonate if your writing is engaging, takes a distinct approach, or offers novel insights.
Often, writing a book can sharpen your thought leadership, launch your platform, or even shape your future career. When I left my executive position with a multibillion-dollar company, I knew I wanted to fly solo. Where did I start my professional speaking and consulting career? I wrote my first self-published book about my leadership lessons learned—paralleled to the life of my first dog.
But my process didn’t end there. I wrote a second book soon afterward. My peers in the writing and speaking space took notice, and they relied on me as a subject-matter expert in his areas of depth. That led to me being interviewed by others in my field, submitting articles to various publications, and having a publishing house contact me to write a book for them—and then another! And that shaped me into a sought-after global keynote speaker and consultant for large companies—focusing on leadership.
Business cards, brochures, one-sheets, and LinkedIn connections are great, but a book distinguishes you and defines you. When you hand a potential client a copy of your book, what you’re really saying is, “If you like my book, you’re going to love working with me—and here’s how my ideas will be transformational to you.”
If you want to differentiate yourself from the pack but aren’t yet sure how to translate your message into a book, consider working with a ghostwriter. An outsider can assess your idea using a lens you can’t see, because you’re too close to your own strengths to see them in full.
3. You want support—both in writing, and emotionally—while telling your personal story of overcoming trauma, injury, disease, or hardship.
You don’t need to have run a sub-minute mile, walked on Mars, or cured a terrible disease to be “qualified” to write a book. In fact, if you were born into wealth—your parents bribed your way into the best universities, and your college graduation gifts were a Lamborghini, a mansion, and a private island in the Mediterranean—people already hate you (kind of joking, but mostly not). When you’re born with privilege, people assume you’re going to succeed. Where’s the drama, twist, or surprise in that?
That’s why readers love underdog stories, ones that take us to Hell, writhing in unspeakable anguish alongside the author before unveiling a message of forgiveness, redemption, or peace. One of Jocelyn’s writing professors said, “I wish my life had been harder. It would have made me a better writer.” If you’ve accomplished a rare feat or overcome insurmountable challenges, you’ve got a story worth telling. Perhaps you’ve survived addiction, abuse, sickness, adverse childhood experiences, or an accident and wish to motivate others so that they, too, can recover from whatever life throws their way.
We’ve always said that everyone has a “story” (or message) to tell. That’s a given. But which story? What’s the best way to tell it? And how do you start something that you’ve never done before, like writing a book—especially when the book uncovers painful and possibly triggering topics?
Telling one’s own life story can be challenging, in that it requires significant dedication. And it can also be emotionally trying, especially if you’re recalling difficult experiences. As a former award-winning crisis counselor, I relate to those who’ve experienced trauma. I’m an empath. Part of what makes me strong in my work is that I relate and offer catharsis to authors in the process. When I support an author with ghostwriting, I consider it part of my job to be that “safe place,” so the trauma can be unpacked and recrafted into a story. Think of it like unraveling an old, tattered sweater, and weaving it into something beautiful and functional.
The first autobiography we ghostwrote was for a medical doctor who had been addicted to heroin for the first twenty-four years of her life. Known as a house mouse for a world-known motorcycle gang, she lived through severe abuse (beatings and rapes), found the determination to exit the life of drugs and crime, and fought to get herself into medical school. Today, she’s successfully practiced medicine in Florida for more than three decades.
We’ve ghostwritten for many, many authors who have overcome deep and unfathomable hardships. Some of these books have won awards, and one is being made into a major motion picture.
Did you know that even counselors have counselors, medical doctors see medical doctors, and lawyers hire lawyers? Too close to their own situations, they need “outside eyes” to help them see clearly. Likewise, you may find it difficult to be objective when you’re the topic of your own story. Your insider perspective can blind you from seeing an even bigger picture.
A ghostwriter can help craft the most compelling arc, and process your life along the way. If you have a cautionary tale, a story of overcoming obstacles, or wish to share what life is like on the other side of trauma, consider using a ghostwriter to help you find “the story” or “the message” amidst your experiences.
4. You have a powerful book idea, but writing isn’t your strong suit.
Had we put these top-ten items in order of frequency, lack of writing skills would be at the top of the list.
But you should know a couple of things. First, writing is a skill like any other. It comes more easily to some than others. So there’s no shame if writing isn’t your forte. We get it.
Second, anyone can improve their writing. Spellcheck, editing software, talk-to-text, and AI programs like Grammarly can take your writing to the next level. If you don’t know a gerund from a misplaced modifier, that’s okay.
But these tools won’t create your story arc or outline your business principles. Fortunately, if you can tell your story out loud—especially when prompted with the right questions—you can have your tale ghostwritten for you. A ghostwriter takes the confusion out of the writing process, allowing you to merely focus on feeding them the necessary details to make the tale or idea pop.
5. You want to write a book as a legacy for future generations, but you aren’t sure which aspects of your story are the most compelling or evergreen.
An autobiography or memoir for family members is growing in popularity. Why? The same reason genealogy sites are so popular. We want to know where we came from and leave behind our histories for those who follow. Do you have old photos of relatives that lack context, names, or dates? We know that the people pictured must be family, but that’s all we know. And what happens to the family story when the last family member with firsthand knowledge passes? It’s lost forever.
When my father died, I learned almost as much about his life from his belongings stored in a trunk in the garage as I had from him directly. I didn’t know my father had been student body president, the captain of his baseball team, awarded all-state and all-city honors, and recruited by the major leagues before a career-ending injury. Heck, I didn’t even know enough about these events to ask him questions to discover these parts of his life!
If you want to record your family history as well as the story of your life, an editor or coach can work with you to outline your concepts, creating a roadmap for you to write your story for the most impact. Other times, a ghostwriter experienced in writing page-turners is the best partnership.
6. You have plenty of book ideas, but no time to write.
Getting to the writing might feel like a lost cause. You’re not alone. We’ve written books for medical doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, executive leaders, and entrepreneurs who spend so much time in their professions that they have nothing left after the shop closes to even think about writing their books. It’s often the busiest people who have the most valuable insights to share. How do they manage to get their book out to the readers that need it? They work with a ghostwriter.
Bottom Line
You may see yourself in one or more of these six scenarios. Or you may just be curious about what a ghostwriter could do for you. At Spiritus Books, we offer a free, no-strings consultation session to authors, pulling from our decades of experience. Depending on where you are in your process, we might suggest working with a writing coach, editor, or ghostwriter. Or we might tell you that you’re ready for either an agent or a publisher (or to self-publish). (Note: This isn’t a sales call! We’ll help you find the right solution for you.)
