Ghostwriting has a mysterious element to people. I think some are intrigued by the fact that there is a writer working in the background that no one knows and who, ultimately, doesn’t take public credit for their work.

Let me attempt to break down your assumptions about a profession most people know very little about:

  1. Ghostwriters are normal people who live normal lives. No secret agents here.
  2. Ghostwriting is not something new. Some of your favorite authors, communicators, and books were written with the help of a ghostwriter.
  3. Ghostwriting values getting the message in the marketplace more than the named author penning every word. At the end of the day, it still has to match what people know, like, and trust about the named author or personality.
  4. Ghostwriting benefits people who need their message or content put in written form but lack the time, skill, or ability to do so.
  5. Ghostwriting is not as simple as “you write it” then it gets published. It is a joint-effort between the named author and the ghostwriter.
  6. Ghostwriting requires multiple skill sets: reporter (ask great questions), marketer (understand the audience and the intended goal), and editor (your writing approach must match the voice for whom you are writing).
  7. Ghostwriting begins sometimes with an idea or concept and sometimes with a manuscript that needs to be completely re-organized and rewritten.
  8. Ghostwriting only works if the ghostwriter has the ability to keep secrets. They must be able to earn the trust of the people they are writing for to create an openness in dialogue to share what might need to be said for context but, ultimately, is never intended to be written for the public to know or read.
  9. Ghostwriting allows professional writers the opportunity to exchange the ability to make a living writing words, sentences, and paragraphs for limited or no public exposure. It is a personal, intentional choice rather than a necessary evil. It is not second prize for someone who couldn’t “make it” on their own.
  10. Ghostwriting honors writers who love the process of writing and creating more than they love the platform it establishes or extends for the personality on the cover.
  11. Ghostwriters often write for the same people over and over again. It makes sense. When synergy exists and you learn someone else’s voice, it speeds up the content creation process.
  12. Ghostwriting is not limited to books but includes any content-driven piece such as tweets, blog posts, articles, white papers, personal notes, etc.

What questions do you have about ghostwriting?

Ben Stroup is a content activist in a post-paragraph world. He is chief broker of opportunity at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Connect with Ben via email, Twitter, and Google+. Subscribe via email to learn how to use content to move people to action.

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