Why Ghostwriting? A Solution for Time & Quality

No discussion of book writing is complete without delving into the subject of ghostwriting. Misconceptions and confusion abound regarding this topic, so I figured I’d give a 101 course here, so all options are on the table. Sometimes writers need help telling their story, and there is nothing wrong with asking for that help.

If all you know about ghostwriting is the old PBS show Ghostwriter, where a ghost literally helps kids solve mysteries through puzzles and proper grammar, then this blog post is definitely for you.

Simply put, ghostwriting is when someone else writes your book behind the scenes without taking credit for the work. The reason for this is because the story doesn’t belong to the ghostwriter, it belongs to the person supplying the story. The book is merely passing through the ghostwriter to make sure the finished product is of excellent quality, paced well, and 100% professional. Most well-known business leaders and politicians who have written biographies actually went through a professional ghostwriter.

Why?

Because they weren’t writers.

Anyone can tell their story. It’s theirs, after all. But not everyone can put those stories to words in a way that will transform the reader. That’s exactly what ghostwriters do; we take a compelling narrative and make sure every sentence is serving the greater purpose, while placing each word in the exact right place for emotional resonance and flow. If you have a wealth of knowledge but aren’t sure how to structure it into a book, a ghostwriter helps you organize your thoughts logically. Whether it’s creating a strong chapter outline for a business book or structuring a life story for a memoir, they bring order to your ideas.

Ghostwriting, at its best, is a collaborative process. Think of it as a partnership between the person telling the story and the person writing the story. Professional ghostwriters work discreetly to ensure you receive full credit for your book (it’s your story). They work with you to bring your vision to life while maintaining confidentiality.

It's also a great way to avoid writer’s block! Many aspiring authors struggle with getting words on the page or simply don’t know where to start. A ghostwriter keeps the momentum going, transforming your rough ideas into a structured manuscript. It’s actually easier to write someone else’s story versus your own, so writer’s block is rarely an issue in the ghostwriting realm.

A common concern is of course, “Will this book still sound like me?” A skilled ghostwriter listens to how you speak, understands your personality, and captures your unique tone and voice. This ensures that your book feels authentically yours. Much of the phrasing will be taken directly from what you say during the interview process, it’s just that the connecting tissue will be skillfully used to truncate or elaborate for dramatic purposes.

It's an art form that is underappreciated by the general public, but it’s a powerful skill, nonetheless.

So, how does it work?

Generally, ghostwriters interview their clients over time, finalizing the overall pacing of the book first before delving into each chapter individually. The best ghostwriters are actually masters of interviewing their subjects. They ask compelling questions that draw out nuggets of personal history, expanding on thoughts and emotions the client may never have vocalized before. The questions lead to more questions and before long, the person telling their story reveals things about their motivations and traumas that were buried too deeply to find themselves.

It can be an incredibly cathartic experience and generally leads to a more powerful book.

In my case, I started my career in television, interviewing people, writing scripts, and editing the final story for broadcast. After decades, it became easy to do the same thing in a strictly written format. All the years of interviewing had allowed me to hear what people weren’t saying as much as what they were saying. That allowed me to delve deeper into my questions until I discovered the real story.

It's hard to keep your true self hidden from someone who has the right skill set, and that always leads to a more compelling and satisfying novel-reading experience. Remember, the best purposes for writing a book involve other people. If your story hits the reader hard, it will change their lives.

That’s what you’re after when you set out to write your book. A ghostwriter may be a key component in doing exactly that.

EXPERTISE IN STORYTELLING

A ghostwriter understands how to craft a compelling narrative, whether it's a deeply personal memoir or a business book sharing industry insights. They know how to structure the story, build emotional impact, and keep readers engaged from start to finish.

Let’s say you were building a house. You’ve lived in a house, you’ve seen houses under construction before, heck, you may have hung drywall and finished an entire basement.

But would you feel comfortable building your house yourself from start to finish?

Probably not.

You’d hire an architect to draw up plans, a contractor to do foundations and framing, a plumber and electrician, drywallers and finishers. At the end of the day, dozens of people will have a hand in building your home.

Think of ghostwriters like all those home-building professionals. You can do it yourself, but depending on a number of factors, you may not want to. The ghostwriter knows what emotional beats will hit best at what points in the narrative, when to move a powerful anecdote to the end of the chapter instead of the middle, how to balance facts and diagrams with raw personal experiences.

That expertise helps the author to tell their story with incredible impact. Plus, a good ghostwriter will know how to draw the story out of someone, revealing hidden moments and difficult personal events that people are usually hesitant to write themselves. That by itself is a huge asset in any book project.

The other component of hiring people with the right expertise is the quality of the work. Going back to the house building analogy, if you’ve ever seen a professional craftsman hang drywall, you’ll never want to do it yourself again. The seams are perfect and there’s no hint of plaster hiding the joints. It’s something that only comes with experience.

And that’s what a ghostwriter brings: writing, editing, and storytelling expertise to ensure your book is polished and professional. They refine your message and eliminate awkward phrasing. A good ghostwriter will ensure clarity, so your readers have the best possible experience. Reading a book is all about the experience, after all. The reader walks away feeling powerful emotions and hopefully the drive to make changes in their lives.

That is so much easier to accomplish with a professional on your team.

QUALITY TRANSLATES TO CREDIBILITY

No one wants to be considered the ‘Dollar Store Equivalent’ in their industry. Top quality demands top dollar, and that’s what you want when presenting your story to the world.

A well-written book isn’t just a collection of words. It’s a powerful tool that can elevate your personal brand, establishing you as the authority in your industry. I've said many times, an amateurish book makes people think you’re an amateur in everything else you do.

Readers connect with books on a deeper level than they do with social media posts or short articles. A book allows you to share your journey, experiences, and expertise in a way that builds long-term trust and credibility. A ghostwriter helps craft your story in a way that resonates, ensuring your voice and values shine through. By hiring a ghostwriter, you guarantee that your book not only enhances your credibility but also creates new opportunities that might not have been possible otherwise. It’s more than just a book; it’s a steppingstone to greater influence, authority, and success.

TIME: THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE

Writing a book is a time-consuming process that can take months or even years. Chances are you’ve met people who are five years into their manuscript and still no closer to completing the book.

You may be one of them…

A ghostwriter helps bring your ideas to life efficiently, allowing you to focus on your business, career, or personal commitments while your book takes shape. You’re not the one handcuffed to the keyboard, writing out every word. You’re free to live your life while your story comes together in the background.

Obviously, hiring a ghostwriter is going to cost another resource other than time though: money. At the end of the day, each author will need to decide which of those resources is of higher value at that point in their lives. If time is abundant and money is tight, you have your answer. If, however, time is of the essence and you know your story needs to get out in order to take advantage of the opportunities before you, a ghostwriter is probably exactly what you need.

Imagine instead of taking time every day to try and write 500 to 1,000 words in your manuscript, all of that is taken care of for you. What may have taken two or three years to complete can be finished in three months. Think of it as adding time to your life. Anyone who has ever finished their own basement will know what I'm talking about here. You end up saving a bit of money, but no one wants to spend every night after work laying tiles, carpet, and electrical wires.

Your time has value. Too often we forget that fact. We’re told to pinch every penny while wasting our time running from one store to another hunting down a deal that will save us five cents on cabbage. It’s a waste of time, and time is the ultimate resource.

Say that out loud to yourself right now: Time is the ultimate resource!

Shout it!

Your time is far too valuable to waste on doing something you don’t want to do. If the thought of writing your book right now gives you energy and excites you, then you need to start writing immediately. However, if writing your book is going to take you away from things you would prefer to do, think about partnering with a ghostwriter and see where that takes you.

All you’ll save is time.

OPPORTUNITY COST: THE PRICE OF WAITING

Many aspiring authors put off writing their book because they think they’ll find the time ‘someday.’ But the longer you wait, the more opportunities you lose.

A book isn't just a passion project—it’s a business asset. When you delay starting (or finishing), you postpone potential income from speaking engagements, high-ticket consulting or coaching, increased credibility, or book sales themselves. Each one of these things brings with it a potential ROI far beyond what it would cost to hire a ghostwriter.

By waiting, you’re leaving money on the table. Business and inspirational speakers make $10,000-plus per engagement. That’s real money that can’t be made until the book is out in the world.

Here are a couple of real-world examples from my own experience. Each of these people eventually published their books, but they wished they had done so sooner.

We at Super Heumann Creative worked with a woman who had an inspiring life story and wanted to write a memoir but kept waiting for the ‘right time.’ She envisioned it helping others going through similar struggles. Unfortunately, by the time she finally started, a celebrity had published a similar story, gaining widespread attention. She lost media coverage and book deal interest because the market had already embraced a similar memoir. The urgency and relevance of her story faded. Luckily, she still got her story out and found success, but so much time had been lost.

A well-known business coach had been meaning to write a book for five years but kept putting it off due to a busy schedule. During that time, several of his competitors published books, leading to increased demand for their services at the expense of his. Once he published his own program, he saw similar results but wished he had talked to us earlier and catapulted his career when he first felt inspired.

Think for a moment about the lost impact and influence in both of these circumstances. It’s the same thing with you. Your insights, experiences, and knowledge could be changing lives right now, but if your book isn’t written, no one benefits. Whether you’re sharing industry expertise or a powerful memoir, waiting means postponing your ability to inspire and help others.

Waiting to write your book isn’t just delaying a dream—it’s delaying real opportunities.

Keep this in mind as you start writing.

It’s okay to do it yourself.

It’s okay to ask for help.

It’s okay to do things fast.

It’s okay to hire a ghostwriter.

A well-executed book can provide a strong return on investment, and a ghostwriter ensures that it is written in a way that maximizes impact and opportunities.

However you choose to do it, the point here is don’t wait! Don’t wait for ‘the right time’ because it doesn’t exist. Now is the right time.

Start writing and give yourself a deadline. Deadlines are important in any creative project. Set a deadline for whatever you feel comfortable with (three months, six months, whatever), and hold yourself to it.

Your story needs to get out there, so stop procrastinating and get writing.

Or ask for help.

There’s no shame in it.