Ghostwriting: Your Freelance Secret Weapon?
Ever wondered what it’s like to write for someone else—behind the scenes, without your name on the work? That’s the beauty of ghostwriting. If you love writing but don’t necessarily crave the spotlight, ghostwriting might be the perfect fit for your freelance career. Whether you’re looking for a steady stream of clients, more lucrative gigs, or the chance to hone your writing skills in a variety of voices and industries, ghostwriting offers all that and more.
This week we're taking a deeper look at ghostwriting and how it might be that next step you've been looking for in your freelance journey. If you’re curious about whether ghostwriting could be right for you, this newsletter has some resources to help you decide.
Must Read
Getting Started as a Ghostwriter
Is ghostwriting the right choice for you? This article looks at the pros (there are a lot), cons (it's not for everyone), and how you can get started on your journey to becoming a successful ghostwriter.
Should You Write Your Book Yourself, Get a Coach, or Hire a Ghostwriter? A Few Things to Consider…
Want to see what it looks like from the other side? Check out this article that talks about when clients should hire a ghostwriter. Pay attention to the reasons they list in this article. They might just become part of your messaging.
What People Misunderstand About Ghostwriting
Marcia Layton Turner is one of the best resources out there for ghostwriters. The blog for her organization, Association of Ghostwriters, is a great place to start if you want to binge information on how to become a ghostwriter. This article is from that blog, and I highly recommend reading it all then scrolling through the other articles she provides.
Top Tips
In keeping with the ghostwriting theme, keep these tips in mind:
Set Clear Expectations Upfront: Ghostwriting requires a high level of trust and communication with your client, so make sure you set expectations from the beginning. This includes agreeing on deadlines, revisions, tone, and the specific level of involvement the client will have in the process. A detailed contract outlining these terms can prevent misunderstandings and protect both parties. The more clarity you have upfront, the smoother the project will run.
Price Based on Value, Not Time: Ghostwriting is a premium service, and your rates should reflect the expertise and time it takes to capture someone else’s voice. Rather than pricing by the hour or word count, consider pricing based on the value of the project to the client. For instance, ghostwriting a book that helps a CEO build thought leadership is worth far more than just the time it takes to write. Communicate the value you bring and price accordingly!
Resource Roundup
Paid Newsletter For FWO Subscribers
Did you know that we have a paid newsletter that shares weekly tips on how to add extra income streams to your freelance writing business? We also have a growing data set of publications that take pitches, which we add to on a weekly basis.
Find An Idea For An Online Business
If you've been thinking about starting a side-hustle (beyond your paid writing gigs), but you just don't know where to start this $9 mini-course will help you come up with a viable idea AND demystify the tech part of getting going.
Email Marketing Magic
If you're thinking of helping your clients with their email marketing, but you need to know more of the ins and outs of how email marketing actually works, this really excellent course by well-known online business guru, Pat Flynn (affiliate link), is a good one. I've done the course and it helped me with my email marketing.
What We're Loving
A Good Thermos
I like tea. A lot. I drink it all day. A few weeks ago, I saw a social post about a quality of life upgrade a friend of mine had embraced. She started making a pot of tea in the morning and putting it in a thermos. Then she could pour a new cup when she wanted it, it was always hot and fresh, and she didn't feel like she was wasting time making a new cup of tea every 30 minutes.
I truly detest it when I go to take a drink of my tea and it's cold. I adopted my friend's tactic and it works! I keep my pretty china tea cup on my desk and pour half a cup when I'm ready for a drink or two. I use this Stanley thermos (affiliate link). It's a bit of an ugly workhorse, but wow does it work! And it lives under my desk, so I never really have to look at it.
A Snuggly Blankie
My preferred style of working is to crank the temperature down and settle in a recliner under a warm blanket. Even if I'm at my desk I usually have one tucked around me. Now that the temperature is dropping here, I've started opening the window to let in the cool air. I've had lot's of different throws over the years, but the UnHide Lil' Marsh (affiliate link) I got two years ago is still my favorite. The quality is amazing, it's light-weight but warm, and it stands up to the office cat. Win-win in my book!
Featured Freelancer
Leonie Dawson is an internationally best selling author of the My Brilliant Year Workbooks (affiliate link). She has built a multi-million dollar business from her writing.
But it didn't come easy. At the beginning of her writing career, she could only work while her daughter was asleep. And because they lived in a 100-year old one-bedroom cottage, there was nowhere for her to sit and focus.
So she'd leave her sleeping baby with her husband, and in her words,
"run down to the park at the end of the street. Cause that was like one place that I could get, that was a little bit quiet. There was a huge fig tree. And I used to climb up the fig tree and ... work up in the tree. And sometimes [because it was in the tropics] there was snakes up in the tree."
If you'd like to hear more of Leonie's story and how she does marketing without social media, check out her interview on The Content Byte podcast:
Upcoming Events
How to Set Up as a Translator or Interpreter: A Masterclass
If you are fluent in more than one language and you've been thinking about offering translation services, check out this masterclass on how to get started from veteran translator and business mentor, Jason Willis-Lee.
Get A Mindset Makeover
If you're tired of all the negativity that seems to be everywhere lately or you've been feeling really down about your freelance writing business, this is the perfect time to do something about it.
Our very own Treasa Edmond has put together her self-paced Mindset Makeover course. This course will help you take back control of how you think and the way you view the challenges you are facing. Do something nice for yourself and sign up today.
Wrap Up
That’s a wrap on this week’s newsletter! Have you enjoyed learning more about ghostwriting? Whether you’re looking to break into the field or just curious about how it works, we hope you’ve found some valuable insights and tips to help you along your freelance journey. Ghostwriting can be a fantastic way to build a steady income, diversify your writing skills, and help others share their stories—all while making some money.
Be sure to check out the featured resources and articles to help you decide if ghostwriting is the next step for you. And if you’re ready to take your freelance business to the next level, don’t forget to explore the additional resources we’ve shared that can help you expand your skillset and income streams.
Please note that as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. That means that if you click on one of our affiliate links (these are clearly identified) then we will receive a small commission, for which we thank you. It helps us keep on providing informative posts that help you build your freelance writing career and business.
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