Do You Trust Your Ghostwriter?

Ghostwriting is a collaborative creative process, making trust between author and ghostwriter essential.

Photo from Wix Media

A life-altering car crash. The illness and subsequent death of a spouse. A boardroom screaming match. The time they broke down in tears at the gym. A debilitating medical diagnosis ...

These are just some of the topics my ghostwriting clients have discussed with me over the years. From professional embarrassments to personal points of pain, they trust me with difficult topics and, sometimes, dark secrets. I can't count how many times I've been on a call with a client when they say, "This isn't something for the book, but ..." And go on to divulge something sensitive that few people in their lives know about.

I cherish these moments deeply because they are an indication that I've won my client's trust. And trust is essential in the shared creative process that ghostwriting requires.

This is a point I always bring up when people wonder how to choose a ghostwriter. Yes, it's critical that your ghost has the skills needed to get the job done—excellent storytelling abilities, understanding of narrative craft, superior interviewing and listening skills, and knowledge of the publishing process and industry.

Beyond that, you also want to trust your ghost. Would you grab a coffee with them? Invite them into your family home for dinner? Share your secrets with them? That level of trust is often the "secret sauce" that takes a manuscript from good to great.

So ... Do you trust your ghostwriter?

Thank you for reading my blog! This is a space where I share personal thoughts — an opportunity for self-expression that has nothing to do with my professional writing. None of the thoughts or opinions expressed in this blog should be construed as anything but my own, nor should they be affiliated with any company or person I contract with or write for as a ghostwriter.

NOW that that's done... I'd love to hear from you about this blog post in the comments!