What even is ghostwriting, anyways? 🧐

What is ghostwriting, and how does it intersect with freelancing? How is ghostwriting the future for freelance writers?

Hey there, readers! 👋 Welcome back to my newsletter. For those of you who are new to the world of ghostwriting (or who are trying to figure out what the heck it is I write about in the first place 😂), today’s post is perfect for you. Here, I’ll provide you with an overview of ghostwriting, how it intertwines with freelancing, and why I strongly believe that ghostwriting is “the future” for freelance writers of various niches and backgrounds.

The best place to start is by defining the terms you’ll hear me use quite often around these parts. The definitions below aren’t straight from the dictionary, though - instead, they’re influenced by what the terms typically mean when they’re thrown around writing circles. Now, I’m obviously not the ultimate authority on definitions (the people at Merriam-Webster have me beat there! 😉), but I’ve employed research and experience to formulate a simpler way of understanding freelancing, ghostwriting, and the like.

1. What is freelancing?

Freelancing is when a person takes on jobs from different clients, rather than from a single traditional employer. There are freelancers working in countless industries - you can find freelance artists, marketers, photographers, videographers, writers, and many more! When I refer to freelancing, I’m often talking about freelance writing. In this context, freelancing is when an individual takes on writing jobs (otherwise known as “gigs”) from different clients. This encompasses drafting newsletters, developing website copy for businesses, ghostwriting full books for individuals, editing, and many other “gig” style writing jobs.

2. What is ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is when one person writes a piece, but someone else is named as the author. A ghostwriter may, for instance, draft and edit a full-length memoir for a celebrity in exchange for an agreed-upon fee. Through a ghostwriter and client’s mutual agreement, the copyright for a project often belongs to the client alone. This allows the client to be listed as the “author” of the project, even though it was actually a ghostwriter who drafted, edited, and/or polished the manuscript.

3. Why are the terms “ghostwriting,” “freelancing,” and “freelance writing” often used interchangeably if they’re not always the same thing?

Although not all freelance writing is ghostwriting, much of it is! Many freelance writers contribute to a magazine, newspaper, or online journal and are granted name credit (meaning they are listed as the author or contributor). Further, some freelance writers develop company blogs and are named as the author on these posts. But website/social media copy, thought leadership articles for businesspeople and companies, and full book projects are often ghostwritten. Most freelancers who are paid to create this type of content don’t get “name credit” for the work, and are thus “ghostwriting” for their client(s).

4. Why is ghostwriting “the future” for freelance writers?

I believe that ghostwriting is both the present AND the future for freelance writers! While blog writing/article contribution is still popular amongst freelance writers (and likely always will be!), these gigs are typically lower-paid, one-off opportunities that writers use to supplement their income or get their name out there. The higher-paying jobs that really sustain freelancers and that writers pursue long term typically fall under the umbrella of ghostwriting. Although there are always exceptions, ghostwriting is often where a freelance writer can “break in” to the writing world and make a decent living relatively quickly.

5. I want to ghostwrite for a living! How do I get started?

If you want to enter the world of freelance ghostwriting, I have great news for you: there are a TON of great resources and advice out there because of how awesome the industry is for committed writers. In fact, my page is dedicated to this very topic; The Ghost Post (my newsletter on Substack) exists to make the world of ghostwriting and freelancing less ✨blurry✨ and simpler to understand, get into, and enjoy. Below, I’ll link some of the posts I’ve written about getting started, choosing a writing niche, etc. I’ll also be releasing some awesome new posts in the next few weeks to help you get started if you’re new to the industry, so I hope you’ll subscribe to The Ghost Post for more great info and tips!

In fact, next Monday’s post will feature a RESOURCE DIRECTORY for ghostwriters and freelance writers. I can’t wait to share this directory with you all! It’s jam-packed with what to know and where to go as a new freelancer.

The other great thing about becoming a ghostwriter is that there aren’t extreme barriers to entry. Sure, you have to learn how to market yourself and write decently, but you can get into ghostwriting with just a plan of action and a computer (or, if you’re unable to afford one, you can even make a cell phone work early on!). As a brief overview, your plan of action should consider (1) what you want to write about, (2) who you need to market your services to, (3) how you’ll hold yourself accountable to get work done, and (4) what actionable steps you can take to reach your goals. I’m planning a FREE post here in the next month that discusses how to organize your ghostwriting action plan, so stay tuned for that as well!

And, as promised, here are a few of my most popular posts for those of you who are just getting started with ghostwriting and/or freelance writing:

1. Should you become a career ghostwriter? 👻

2. Which ghostwriting niche is for you?💡

3. For Writers: How to Land Your Dream Clients 🤝

Thanks for reading today’s post! If you’re looking for individualized tips or have questions about ghostwriting/freelancing, please leave a comment or shoot me a message anytime.