Ghostwriting: The Hidden Gold Mine for Writers
Ghostwriters have a magical skill to transform the ideas and ambitions of hopeful authors into the real thing… novels, memoirs, articles… even comic books! And because of that, you enjoy the best of both worlds:
You get to meet new people, explore exciting subjects and get paid to write all kinds of things… all without ever having to deal with the stress of trying to find agents or publishers… or wondering if your projects will ever “take off.”
If you love writing, there's a wealth of opportunity waiting for you as a ghostwriter, no matter your area of expertise.
In this guide, you'll discover who might use a ghostwriter and why… the different kinds of projects you can take on… the kinds of fees you can expect to make… and a variety of tips and insights from working ghostwriters.
What Is Ghostwriting?
Ghostwriting is the process of writing content — usually a book — on behalf of someone else. As a ghostwriter, you help entrepreneurs and business leaders write the business memoirs and how-to books that can make them the leading authority in their field.
You may also work with celebrities, sportspeople, politicians, and people who want to publish in a language they're not fluent in.
Ghostwriting is usually arranged as a one-on-one agreement, where the client hires you to work on a specific project. Or sometimes, publishers will hire you to work with a guru or personality for a book that’s already been contracted for publication.
The ghostwriting process for a book usually takes between six and 12 months.
In that time, you’ll develop the structure for the book, interview the client, create the draft, edit the draft, and in some cases prepare the book for publication.
All the material you’ll need comes from the client. They'll share all their expertise and experience with you, based on the goals and structure of the book, and then your job is to capture all that information and turn it into a cohesive, compelling narrative that will teach, inspire, and motivate the reader.
13 Types of Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting might sound like a secret, mysterious craft reserved for celebrities or bestselling authors. But chances are, if you’re a writer, you might already be ghostwriting — even if you don’t think of it that way.
Have you ever written something in someone else’s voice? Maybe a blog post, an email, a speech, or social media updates? Have you taken someone’s ideas, stories, or expertise and turned them into clear, compelling words… while they get the credit?
If so, congratulations — you’re already a ghostwriter!
And that skill opens the door to a wide range of writing projects, many of which pay well and offer exciting variety.
Here are 13 types of ghostwriting projects you might already be doing (or could easily start):
Blog Posts
Writing posts for someone else’s business or personal brand that reflect their voice and message.
Email Newsletters
Crafting emails that build relationships and sell products — all under your client’s name.
Social Media Posts
Helping busy professionals stay visible with posts that sound like them, even when they don’t have time to write.
Speeches and Presentations
Writing keynote talks or TED-style speeches that inspire, persuade, and entertain.
Website Copy
Creating “About” pages, bios, or homepage content that feels authentic to the client.
Video Scripts
Writing scripts for YouTube videos, courses, or promos that capture the client’s tone.
Case Studies and Success Stories
Telling the story of how a client helped their customers — in their voice and style.
E-books and Lead Magnets
Creating shorter marketing books or guides designed to attract and engage leads.
White Papers and Reports
Helping B2B companies share detailed insights and research to build authority.
Articles and Op-Eds
Writing opinion pieces or thought leadership articles for publications and online platforms.
Course Materials
Turning expert knowledge into engaging lessons, workbooks, and guides.
Business Books
Helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders publish books that build their authority.
Memoirs
Crafting deeply personal life stories that preserve legacies and inspire readers.
If you’ve been building up your writing skills, those are just a few of the wide range of projects you could be doing as a ghostwriter.
Who Might Use a Ghostwriter, and Why?
There are a few reasons why a client will hire you to ghostwrite their book. Maybe they don’t have the skills or interest to write the book themselves. Or they could be busy doing other things but want to have a book done.
This client is often the CEO of a business, or an entrepreneur, business owner, or expert who wants to raise their profile, improve their authority, and create more opportunities for themselves and their business.
After all — if your client writes a great book on their industry, it becomes much easier to differentiate their business from their competition and establish the author as the foremost authority!
With a published book, your client can significantly expand the reach and results of their business. This might happen through additional sales of their product or service, through joint venture opportunities, speaking engagements, media appearances, consulting, invitations to join Boards of Directors, and so on that materialize after the book is published.
Books are unbeatable for establishing authority. Culturally we still revere books, we see them as great markers of expertise and achievement. This is why so many people want to write books; however, it is not a simple process for many people.
Your job as the ghostwriter is to make that process much more accessible, smooth, and enjoyable for the client while delivering a product they're proud of and that's consistent with their brand and voice.
Another reason a ghostwriter is powerful for clients is that it gives them a tangible marketing asset to share with their audience and potential clients, in a format that can be shared in many creative ways.
There are endless ways to market that book and you can help — your imagination is really the only limit! Even better, the book is always out there representing the client’s business.
It’s the perfect sales rep: a book doesn’t get sick or take days off or quit on you. It’s a constant ambassador for the business and expertise, with every copy acting as a personal invitation to the reader to go further in their relationship with your client.
Not only that, but it's there, front of mind, in the reader’s house — on their desk, in their bookshelf — always reminding them that the client is the expert they want to work with. Your job as the ghostwriter is to take the information the client has so carefully cultivated over many years and get it into the hands of that reader in a way they can’t ignore.
Who Hires Ghostwriters?
Anyone with an idea for content might hire a ghostwriter to help them turn their vision into reality.
You might be surprised by how many types of people and organizations are hiring ghostwriters today. Here’s a sampling…
Entrepreneurs and executives often want to publish books or thought leadership content.
Coaches and consultants want to grow their authority with newsletters or guides. They may also want to create courses, workbooks, or planners to support their teachings.
Celebrities, athletes, musicians, and politicians may want to publish memoirs, cookbooks, lifestyle guides, autobiographies, or passion projects…
Influencers might be juggling content demands across platforms and need help to keep up and stay top of mind with their audience.
Even marketing agencies and publishers outsource to ghostwriters to fill their client’s needs.
The variety is amazing. One day, a ghostwriter might be writing for a psychologist, the next for a tech entrepreneur. Ghostwriting is like having a backstage pass to a dozen different careers!
Because while these folks have achieved extraordinary accomplishments, they just don't have the time or skill to reveal their big ideas or tell their story without help.
That's where you can come in.
Because while there's an old adage that everyone has a book inside them, not everyone can actually write that story.
But you can — and you should.
Why Wouldn’t They Just Write the Book Themselves?
For most business leaders, writing is not their zone of genius. It’s not the skillset they have honed throughout their career — unlike you, the professional writer!
For this reason, it’s not usually the best use of the client’s time — they have teams to run, meetings to attend, sales to close, and big projects to manage, not to mention all their commitments outside of work.
Taking time out to write a book (six months at least, and often much longer) is not realistic or appealing for them.
They might love the idea of writing the book themselves, but they know that if they want to get it done soon, they're going to need help. For most people, writing a book falls into the ‘important but not urgent’ category of work to do.
It could have an extremely powerful effect on their business, but there’s always something more pressing to do, and setting aside the time to write every day tends to fall to the bottom of the to-do list.
A lot of people also just don’t feel confident in their writing abilities, or don’t think they could write something that would be up to their own standards. The client might be a great storyteller and have excellent information to share, but many people are better at communicating verbally rather than in writing.
Telling their stories verbally lets them get in the flow, and it’s also the best way to get their natural ‘voice.' People who are hilarious balls of energy in real life often come across as stiff and formal when they write, which takes the impact out of their message.
That’s why using a ghostwriter can create such good results.
The client can just be themselves and have an interesting conversation without being self-conscious or self-critical, while you capture everything they have to say. This process also gets the project done in drastically less time, since you'll have a clear process and timeline to work towards, as well as the experience and insight to deliver a polished final product.
You can guide the client through every stage of the process, which makes the client feel confident that they’re going to have a great book at the end of the partnership. It frees them up to focus on what they do best.
What’s In It for the Ghostwriter?
In short, accomplishment… good money… steady work… and immense satisfaction.
Some people might balk at the idea of writing a book that you don’t get to put your name on. Your role is behind-the-scenes — hence the ‘ghost’ part of the title.
Normally, only the client’s name goes on the cover of the book. You might get a nod in the acknowledgments, but really the benefit to you is being able to list this book in your portfolio of work, and of course, taking home the paychecks that come with bigger projects like this.
We’ll talk more about what you can charge for ghostwriting in a moment, but it’s not just the money that’s good.
Writing a book is an immersive project.
The timelines are much longer than other copywriting gigs, which means you don’t have to spend as much time pitching for work. You normally work with one client at a time, and you control the pace of the project — meaning that your calendar is not overrun with calls, you don’t have a million emails to deal with, and you’ll often find yourself with long stretches of time just to write and work without interruption.
If you’re interested in a slower pace of work and having more time to really go deep with a client, this is the gig for you!
What Is Involved in the Ghostwriting Process?
There are several stages involved in ghostwriting a book. Starting with…
Step 1: Defining Your Book’s “North Star”
Ghostwriters love their jobs because it’s such an immersive experience.
You get to build a relationship that goes so much deeper than the typical client-writer relationship.
As a ghostwriter, you’re one part friend, one part confidant, another part advocate… There’s even a little bit of “psychologist” mixed in, given the conversations you’ll have…
This is why much of the focus of How to Become a Sought-After, High-Income Ghostwriter is on the all-important interview process.
Which will serve you well when you have that important first meeting with your client, where your sole mission is to learn three crucial things:
- What your client wants to achieve with the book…
- What the book’s “North Star” or big idea is…
- And who the ideal reader is…
That’s it!
Once you have the answer to these three very simple questions, you (and your client) will have a clear idea of where you’re going with the book… and how you’re going to get there.
Now you can move to Step 2…
Step 2: Create Your Outline
No surprise here, right?
Every writing project — from a simple piece of content to a full-blown book — follows a proven roadmap or structure.
Not only does it make the writing easier and faster, but…
It ensures your eye is always on the book’s big idea — that all-important “North Star” you and your client settled on…
It gives you a clear day-by-day workflow upon which you can set your writing schedule…
You always know what you’ll be writing next… never a blank page!
An outline makes sure everything relevant to the book’s topic and its mission is in there…
It gives you a clear sense of progress as you write… and keeps you from being distracted…
And when you build your outline around a proven formula, your book will be far more focused, easier to write, and easier to market!
With your outline completed and approved by your client, it’s time for one of the best parts about being a ghostwriter…
Step 3: The Client Interview
Many ghostwriters agree that the interview is one of the best parts of the process for them — and it’s true…
But only if you’re prepared.
A successful interview process typically consists of a series of one-hour to 90-minute sessions spent with your client, either in person or by Zoom, where it’s just the two of you and a tape recorder.
It’s many ghostwriters’ favorite part of the whole process, because it’s where you get to really connect with your client and get fully immersed in the material you and the client have been strategizing about.
It’s also where you get to deepen your relationship with your client and build a healthy level of trust and rapport.
For pro ghostwriters it’s not really an “interview” at all… where you’re asking one question after another like a journalist might…
It’s more of a back-and-forth conversation where you’re driving the discussion through strategic open-ended questions…
Questions that will, of course, help you draw out all the raw content needed to fill your book…
But are also designed to extract deeper, more revealing nuggets, anecdotes, and personal stories the strict back-and-forth style of interviewing could never produce.
With the interview process complete, the REAL fun begins…
Time to…
Step 4: Write Your Book!
With Steps 1, 2, and 3 you’ll have…
Your “North Star,” the book’s mission, and your reader avatar clear in your mind…
A proven, professional, bulletproof outline, approved by your client, that will guide you page by page…
And so much fodder transcribed from your interview and follow-up research that your biggest challenge will be keeping your book as short as it needs to be!
Now it’s time to hunker down…
And start drafting!
Drafting is the process of taking all of that interview material and turning it into a written manuscript, which will then form the basis of the final book.
Drafting is made up of three stages:
Naturally, you’ll spend some time on Step 4…
If you set a goal to write 2,000 words a day, five days a week — which is very easy to do in four to five hours a day when you have the material and a great outline in hand…
Writing an average-length 50,000- to 60,000-word business book should take you roughly 20 days of writing, or between one and two months.
Finish your first draft… take a much-deserved break…
Then on to the final step.
Step 5: Editing to Perfection
Congratulations!
Now you have your book in hand.
It’s rough — but that’s perfectly okay…
This is where you take it from “rough good” to “polished great”!
Professional ghostwriter Laura Gale recommends her “three-stage” editing process…
A simple process of smoothing out the structure… to make sure everything is in the right order and has good flow…
Then on to the copyediting… to make sure you have the right words in the right place at the right time…
And finally, proofreading… where you’re looking to catch typos, incorrect punctuation, or inconsistent references.
That’s it in a nutshell!
Five simple steps… and just like that…
You’ve written a book!
How Much Do Ghostwriters Make?
As a ghostwriter, you get to do what you love (writing), and your client achieves their content goals.
And… Ghostwriting is a HUGE business…
It’s not just the rich and famous who need a ghostwriter… and it’s not just a few books a year…
On average, 70% of the 67,000 English-language business-related books published each year are written by ghostwriters!
The demand is high — and so is the earning potential.
If you're a writer looking for steady, well-paying work that allows you to flex your creative muscles, ghostwriting might just be the hidden gold mine you've been searching for.
For smaller content like blog posts, ghostwriters can make anywhere from $150 to $500 per post. LinkedIn posts might fetch $50 to $200 each, depending on the research or design involved.
Books and longer-form content offer higher payouts — $6,500 to $25,000+ is standard for nonfiction books. Big-name projects or memoirs can earn you $50,000 or more.
And the money you can earn is just one benefit to being a ghostwriter. What’s also great about this niche of the writing world once you’re established is everything you don’t have to worry about:
- No scrambling for new writing projects every few weeks…
- No taking on extra work just to meet that week’s income needs…
- No billing for loads of smaller projects…
- No juggling multiple clients at a time…
- No having to drop everything to handle an urgent client need…
- No jumping around from one assignment, one client, to another…
Specialize in ghostwriting and you can get paid well, enjoy flexible hours, and work on a wide range of projects. It might be perfect for you if you love writing, enjoy helping others, and don’t need to see your name in lights.
How Hard Is It to Become a Ghostwriter?
If you’re intrigued by the idea of becoming a ghostwriter, we’ve got good news…
Breaking into the business of ghostwriting might be easier than you think!
There are countless people with stories to tell — the secret is to connect with your ideal client, then turn their great idea into a written masterpiece.
What makes a great ghostwriter?
Well, you don’t need to have written a bestselling book to become a ghostwriter. What you do need is strong writing skills, professionalism, and a willingness to collaborate.
The best ghostwriters are more than just skilled writers — they’re great listeners, thoughtful collaborators, and quick studies.
Empathy is crucial. You need to tune into what your client is really trying to say — even if they can’t quite articulate it yet.
Being able to adapt your voice to match theirs is a must. You might be writing for a confident CEO one project and a gentle health coach the next.
Reliability goes a long way. Meet deadlines, follow through, and keep things on track. And it’s important to keep your ego in check — this is about helping your client shine, not getting applause.
Becoming a ghostwriter doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right tips, you can become a well-paid ghostwriter.
Follow these three steps from writer, actor, and AWAI Success Robert Rice to start attracting ghostwriting clients and projects:
1. Build Your Freelance Writing Portfolio
One of the most common questions about how to become a ghostwriter is:
How can I build my portfolio if I can’t take credit for my writing?
Since you can’t market your ghostwriting projects as your own, it’s helpful to have a few freelance writing samples under your belt.
So, write a short story or a couple of articles. They don't have to be exceptionally long, but they should represent your best work so you can showcase your writing talent and build your credibility.
2. Get Comfortable Writing in Different Voices and Styles
The best writers often have a clear, recognizable style. But when you’re learning how to be a ghostwriter, adaptability is an essential skill to develop.
As a ghostwriter, your pen is a vehicle for your client’s voice, not your own. Train your brain to use the words, rhythm, and energy that match your client — to be a writing chameleon, so to speak.
3. Nurture Your Relationships and Network
What’s the next step in how to become a ghostwriter? Seek out ghostwriting opportunities!
Be proactive and build your personal network. Don’t be afraid to ask people in your life if they need a ghostwriter — you never know who has a story to tell.
Here are a few easy ways to market yourself as a ghostwriter:
- Update your social media bios.
- Guest post about ghostwriting.
- Leverage your existing clients.
- Apply to work with firms.
- Search on writing job forums.
As your ghostwriting client base grows, so too will your referrals and opportunities. The best way to grow in this field is through word-of-mouth. Do a great job for your first client, and they’ll likely refer you to others.
Of course, there’s another possibility…
Ready to Get Started as a Ghostwriter?
If you’d love to call yourself a published author — ghostwriting is the easiest and surest way to do it…
AND be paid well at the same time!
AWAI’s How to Become a Sought-After, High-Income Ghostwriter program by Laura Gale, one of the top business ghostwriters in the world, focuses on helping you master ghostwriting books, while teaching skills that apply across every kind of ghostwriting project.
You’ll learn how to:
- Interview clients to capture their unique voice and vision.
- Structure and organize book-length projects for clarity and flow.
- Navigate contracts, pricing, and business best practices.
- Find and land high-paying clients who need ghostwritten books.
- Discover formatting for e-publication, self-publishing, and marketing.
If you’re ready to turn your ghostwriting skills into a rewarding career, writing books that make a real difference — this program will give you the tools and confidence to do it.
Learn More About AWAI’s How to Become a Sought-After, High-Income Ghostwriter Program.
This path gives you a chance to write deeply meaningful stories, make a real income, and help others express their ideas. So, what are you waiting for? Your next client might already be looking for you.
