Ghostwriter – NOUN a person whose job it is to write material for someone else who is the named author.
So if you are managing the marketing for your brand then the question you may be asking is Do I Need To Hire A Ghostwriter? As a ghostwriter myself I want to dispel some myths about ghost writing and help you decide if you need to hire one.
Myth – Only Celebrities Hire Ghostwriters
Yes, celebrities do hire ghostwriters, yes I have provided ghostwriting for minor celebrities (No I’m not saying who!). Celebrities hire ghostwriters to pen their books, memoirs, magazine columns, and scripts for TV appearances and awards ceremonies. However, you don’t need to be a celebrity to hire a ghostwriter. You can be a business owner who wishes to publish a book but doesn’t have the time to write one. Then you can hire a business book ghostwriter to write the book in your name. In fact, 95% of the ghostwriting content I produce is for brands as opposed to individuals. That said, a good ghostwriter will maintain the rules of confidentiality and will not reveal their authorship unless you allow them to.
Myth- Ghostwriters Still Own Their Content
Once a ghostwriters is paid for their work and sign over the content’s rights to the business they do not own the rights to their content. They do not include their name, credentials or any other reference on their work and the new owner is free to edit, copy or amend as he sees fit. Of course, some brands like to credit their writers, especially if they are thought leaders who could actually garner attention for the brand in question. I recommend that you always clarify the terms with your ghostwriter to be certain that once payment is made that you are in fact the legal owner of the content.
Myth- Ghostwriters Are Expensive
Actually, if you look into it you will see that the opposite is true and it may be very cost effective for you to hire a ghostwriter. You will usually hire one as an independent contractor therefore meaning no holiday pay, sick pay, expenses, benefits, bonuses or other costs associated with onsite employees. That said, don’t expect great content to be dirt cheap! A good ghostwriter will be writing from scratch, researching topics and producing high quality work to meet your deadlines and project specifications. Remember… pay peanuts get monkeys!
Why Hire A Ghostwriter?
- Brand Image – By hiring a professional writer, your campaigns, slogans, articles and scripts will be beautifully constructed. Your content is the voice of your brand so you should never underestimate its importance.
- Increased Quantity – By using an outsourced ghostwriter you can significantly increase the quantity of work you are producing and cut down on the time you need to do it. If you’re doing it right then this should also mean more web visits, more brand awareness and more business!
- Free Up Your Staff – Even if you have a writer in your organization he/she is probably stretched to capacity with your campaigns, articles, landing pages and website text. By hiring a ghostwriter you will allow your staff to focus on key areas within their competency whilst outsourcing others. This in turn will help your brand to grow through increased exposure.
- Better Quality Work – You’re a business owner, not a writer. So whilst you probably write well enough to get by, your brand deserves a professional writer. You wouldn’t throw just anyone into the role of accountant would you?
I hope you enjoyed reading Do I Need To Hire A Ghostwriter?
Have you ever used a ghostwriter for your brand? Tweet me @Charli_Says and of course click here to contact me about your content writing needs.