Is Ghostwriting Only For Halloween?

Don’t be silly! Sorry, I couldn’t resist the obvious play with ghostwriting and Halloween.

As a solopreneur, you are mostly a force of one. Sometimes there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. That is why having a ghostwriter on your team can make a big difference in your productivity and business growth.

What is a ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter is a professional freelance copywriter. S/he writes on various topics and some specialize in a particular niche. For you the business owner, the biggest benefit is that when you hire a ghostwriter, s/he writes for you but you take ownership and the credit for their work.

Good ghostwriters bring a lot to the table. They come from different backgrounds and with a variety of work experiences, which can range from the corporate world, journalism, teaching, medicine, information technology, fitness and a host of other disciplines before beginning their freelance writing career. The wealth of knowledge they possess because of their experiences is why they can be so invaluable to you.

What can ghostwriters do for you?

For your online business, a ghostwriter can handle most (if not all, depending on their specialties or range of skills) of your writing needs. The immediate need you probably have is website content and/or blog posts. Readers and customers want fresh articles on a regular schedule. The worst thing you can do is to have a static website with stale content. Readers can be fickle if they visit more than twice a week and your content hasn’t changed.

Since you wear many different hats from marketing and networking to product creation, writing sometimes can be shortchanged. (see 5 Tips for Making Copywriting a Priority in Your Internet Business).

If someone else can handle the content creation part, you’ll have more time to do what you do best.

Speaking of product creation and marketing, there are ghostwriters who specialize in writing sales letters, press releases, special reports, eBooks and more. It can be a one-stop-shop if you find the right person.

How to hire the right ghostwriter

Just like any other interaction, working with a ghostwriter is a business relationship. As such, it’s a good idea that you and the writer you hire share common values. If you are a conscientious professional, they need to pay as much attention to details as you do.

Remember, in the eyes of the reader it’s your name on the article. They don’t know that a ghostwriter has written it for you. Your online content must be a true reflection of you and your business.

Don’t be afraid to approach them as you would a potential employee in the offline world. You can conduct interviews over the phone or by emailing them a questionnaire.

Before making the final decision, provide a sample of your writing to them and ask them to write on another topic. Decide how close they came to matching your writing “voice.”

This relationship will be long and fruitful so take your time finding someone right. Once you do find a ghostwriter who meets your needs and is motivated to improve their skill set, you’ll be an unstoppable combination.

Here are few online sources for finding ghostwriters:

• elance.com
• guru.com
• iFreelance.com
• awaionline.com (not a freelance site but you can post your project and seek bids from students)

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