How to Find a Ghostwriter for Hire in 9 Steps for 2024

 

How to Find a Ghostwriter for Hire in 9 Steps for 2024

Finding ghostwriters can seem daunting and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Learn how to find a ghostwriter that’s a good fit for your business needs

By: Elsier Otachi

Shoedog. Becoming. Open. Spare. 

All these bestselling books have one thing in common: they’re ghostwritten. 

Those NYT Bestseller list titles or chart-topping songs you love? Chances are they’re the work of a ghostwriter, too. 

But ghostwriters don’t collaborate only with celebrities, politicians, athletes, or actors. They also write for CEOs, venture capitalists (VCs), entrepreneurs, and other business executives.

The goal: to help generate high-value leads, support talent acquisition, add a human face to the company’s mission, and enhance brand reputation.

While a ghostwriter can be a worthwhile investment to your brand, finding one is a little tricky. 

This guide covers everything you need to know about how to find a ghostwriter for your business needs.

What is a ghostwriter?

Why do brands work with ghostwriters?

What should you look for in a ghostwriter?

How to hire a ghostwriter

Where can I find a ghostwriter for hire?

Is it ethical to hire a ghostwriter?

Help your business bloom

What is a ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter is someone who writes a piece of copy or text (or song) that’s officially credited to another person’s name as the author. 

You can hire a writer, for instance, to produce a thought leadership piece for your company blog, but the CEO gets the byline — all without leaving the ghostwriter's fingerprints. 

Ghostwriters work behind the scenes, translating another person’s ideas and thoughts into engaging, well-structured content. 

For example, J. R. Moehringer doesn’t appear on the cover or in the acknowledgements of Prince Harry's candid memoir, Spare. Despite being a top-flight ghostwriter, Moehringer’s name also didn’t appear in Shoedog — Nike founder Phil Knight’s bestselling memoir. Or tennis champion Andre Agassi’s 2010 autobiography.

Source: @TrungTPhan on Twitter

With some direction, a ghostwriter can build out quality content — articles, social media posts, email marketing, eBooks, or newsletters — in the person's voice they’re hired to write for. 

Specifically, a ghostwriter’s duties might include:

Interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs): Ghostwriters interview you or your clients to learn more about their company’s vision, mission, thoughts, and ideas for the project. 

Reviewing brand assets: From outlines to notes to journals to product manuals to marketing material, a ghostwriter combs through the company material you provide to better understand your needs and how to build out content from what they find.

Creating draft content: Using your ideas and SME (subject matter expert)  insights, the ghostwriter will draft the content in a style that feels like your voice. 

Revising and polishing the draft: The ghostwriter will work alongside you to edit, revise, and polish the draft to create a publish-ready piece.

Why do brands work with ghostwriters?

Ghostwriters are having a moment right now. They’re everywhere. 

A report by Industry Growth Insights projects the global ghostwriting services market will grow 6.5% by 2030, producing 4,700 job openings in the U.S. alone. 

Ghostwriters are a hot commodity because they:

Develop content based on your brand 

Infuse insights from their own in-depth research and your brand assets into what they create

Can deliver content that resonates with your brand’s target audience

Sell and amplify your brand narrative.

It’s no wonder VCs like Matt Turck could pay his ghostwriter $250K a year to craft his tweets. 

Semrush’s ​​State of Content Ops & Outsourcing report found that 11.71% of businesses outsource all their content writing work while 37% use a hybrid model—in-house writing and outsourcing.

Their reasons for outsourcing include:

Scalability: 52% outsource to scale up content production 

Scarcity: 37% outsource because there aren't enough in-house writers

Capacity: In 37% of companies, in-house content marketers lack the bandwidth to take on more responsibilities — including writing 

Cost-savings: 37% say it’s expensive to hire (and onboard) writers in-house, 20% felt it’s hard to hire talented in-house writers 

Unique market perspective: 19% say outsourcing helps them get unique perspectives and insights of the market/industry that add value to their content efforts

What projects do ghostwriters work on?

Beyond the usual celebrity memoirs, ghostwriters tackle different projects for individuals or brands who lack the skill or time to bring their ideas to life on paper.

Ghostwriters can create virtually any kind of document, but some of the most popular projects include:

Books: Whether you want fiction or nonfiction content, you can find a book ghostwriter on Fiverr for any genre — business, finance, technology, artificial intelligence, and more — with an established reputation and experience working with first-time authors, publishers, and agents. Make sure they’re familiar with the subject of your book, can articulate your vision, and their personality and style appeals to you so you’re confident they’ll do your story justice. Dreaming of publishing a book? read our guide on how to self publish a book.

Blog posts, articles, or social media content: This type of ghostwriter offers (non-bylined) internet content writing services for your blog or website, which increases your marketability and expands your audience.

Case studies: Case studies (success stories) are effective sales tools for companies, which let you share positive experiences the current or past customers have had with your business. 

White papers: You can get a ghostwriter to create informational white papers on different topics that educate your target market. Topics can run the gamut from industry trends, challenges, and future prospects about your company to your products or services.

Biographies: Need biographies written for your company’s executive team page, a press release to announce a new position, or award application? A ghostwriter can help you with that. 

Email marketing newsletters: Many companies send out regular email newsletters or promotional content to their target market or loyal customers. These can be anything from tips to updates to articles and news stories. There’s a ghostwriter for that, too.

User guides/manuals: Ghostwriters can also write user guides and manuals, particularly for manufacturing companies, explaining to their target audiences how to use their products or services. 

Video scripts: With the rise of video marketing, you can hire a ghostwriter to create short, snappy scripts for your short videos, how-to instruction scripts, product announcements, and more. 

Press releases: Ghostwriters can also write excellent press releases for your company, announcing new products, new hires, awards, or more, then submit to media outlets for publication and distribution.

You already know your business needs. Let’s talk about the factors to consider when looking for a solid ghostwriter you can work with long-term.

If you’re ready to start your ghostwriting project, check out our wide range of freelance ghoswriters.

What should you look for in a ghostwriter?

Whatever your reason for wanting to hire a ghostwriter, you’ll need to figure out how and where to find one, then vet them to ensure alignment. 

But how do you choose the right ghostwriter for your needs? There are many factors to consider, but here are the main ones:

Background/expertise

Skills/previous work

Rates and payment terms

Communication

Let's review each more in-depth.

1. Background/expertise

Not all heroes wear capes. Similarly, not all ghostwriters have a degree in English or journalism. 

Zippia analyzed 431 ghostwriters' resumes to investigate their education background. 70% of them had Bachelor’s degrees, but in different majors: 

English (22%)

Writing (15%) 

Journalism (9%)

Communication (8%)

Other majors (46%)

While ghostwriters may begin their careers in different backgrounds, it helps to have higher education, which prepares them to create concise and accurate content. 

There are no specific steps to follow to become a ghostwriter. But sometimes, education needs will depend on their industry and target audience.

Source: @RubyPeruAuthor on Twitter

Determine the background, education, and expertise you expect of the ghostwriter. 

For instance, if you’re a pharmaceutical company or device manufacturer, you’ll probably look for a writer with professional education and/or who's well-versed in your field and the technicalities. 

“Look for someone who already has strong knowledge of your niche," says Jack Underwood, Co-Founder & CGO of FINN. "If you expect a ghostwriter to write as you, they’ll need to start a similar base of knowledge that you have. Otherwise, they may misrepresent you or require too much guidance to be worthwhile.” 

This coincides with 49% of companies in Semrush’s report that say it’s hard to find writers with knowledge and hands-on experience with the subject matter. 

Some ghostwriters may be reliable or possess creative writing skills, but they struggle because they lack industry knowledge in a client’s field or aren’t really in tune with the target audience.

Alex Birkett, co-founder at Omniscient Digital, recommends asking these questions when interviewing a ghostwriter:

How do you research a piece of content on a topic you know nothing about? 

How much information and certainty do you need before you're ready to ship a blog post or idea?

What topics do you feel you know well enough that you'd barely have to research them?

Find out what other brands — particularly in your industry or related fields — they’ve worked or collaborated with. Some ghostwriters add a list of the brands they’ve worked with on their website or portfolio. For instance, Fiverr freelance writer faswaldo mentions top brands like CNBC and Business Insider who've featured her articles.

Connect with seller

You can ask for their writer portfolio or, if possible, live links to sample work they’ve written to get a feel of their expertise. 

“I look more closely at portfolios than resumes or interview results," says Chrissy Kapralos, president of No Worries Writing Co. "A solid portfolio demonstrating prowess in the English language, adaptability to tone, strong research skills, and unique style will all impress me. I let the portfolio speak for itself when assessing writing and research skills and experience.” 

Remember, ghostwriters often sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or contracts agreeing not to discuss their work for previous or current clients. In such cases, ask them to send a select set of pieces you can review.

This brings us to the next factor when evaluating ghostwriters: skills.

2. Skills/previous work

When sifting through ghostwriters’ applications and resumes, check whether they have the skills you need. A technical writer, for example, may not be the best fit for a lifestyle brand’s blog. 

The skills section on a ghostwriter’s resume accurately portrays what the ghostwriter can do. 

And, even if you had the resources to train a new writer, it’s time-consuming and expensive. You need someone who can jump in right away and start creating content. 

Evaluate their past work to learn the skills they possess and see if they demonstrate knowledge in your field and can capture your voice, tone, and style. 

Then ask about their writing process to check for research skills and workflow.

Ideally, the writing process for an article involves:

Getting the brief from the client

Chatting with expert sources

Building out an outline (if not provided) with different sections (headers, sub-headers, bullet points to cover) then sending the outline for approval (if required)

Finding supporting data, statistics, expert quotes, and examples

Writing the draft copy

Editing and proofreading the copy

Submitting the final draft

However, the amount of research required for different content pieces may vary. For instance, a news piece is less research-heavy and time-consuming than a long-form blog post, which follows a regimented and structured workflow.

Scott Lieberman, founder of Touchdown Money, advises giving the ghostwriters you’re considering a paid trial assignment — with a deadline. This helps you test what they can do, weed out unsuitable applicants, and move on with the valuable ones. 

You can still interview ghostwriters by phone, email, or through video conferencing — especially if your organization requires it or you want to meet/chat with the candidates. 

But not all business owners prefer interviews.

“I don't actually do (interviews) or Skype-calls and the like," says Tommy Wilde, founder of Floofmania. "I'm a bit of an introvert, and so are many of my writers. I find that the quality of their work is best reflected in the writing they hand in and that a stressful video interview doesn't really give the whole picture.”

Sometimes, the ghostwriter will prefer an interview so they can learn more about your brand, pitch ideas, and write a sample piece to gauge client fit.

Beyond writing and editing, look for other helpful skills that show the ghostwriter understands how to pitch their work and manage clients, such as:

Customer service

Presentation skills

Collaboration 

Time management

Attention to detail

3. Rates and payment terms

Once you determine a few potential ghostwriters, it’s time to work out the rest of the details. Key among them is the ghostwriter’s rates — how much will it cost to hire their services?

Remember, this is someone you hope to create a successful and lasting working relationship with. 

Be willing to pay a reasonable amount for their skill set or they’ll resent you. You may have a limited or restrictive budget, but you also don’t want to be cheap or they’ll take their services elsewhere.

Ghostwriting rates also vary widely, depending on:

The forms of content

Your industry

Ghostwriter’s background and experience level

How long each piece needs to be 

Amount of research required

Time taken to complete the project

Other responsibilities you may ask of the ghostwriter

Ghostwriters can charge a flat fee per project or per word. Some charge by the hour, page, or even per day—since time is their inventory. 

Writing coach Lisa Tener, says hourly costs, particularly for eBooks, may range from $30 to $200 depending on project scope while per word rates usually range from $1 to $3.

According to the American Writers & Artists Institute, writers’ rates vary with ‌the project scope:

Web copy: at least $450

Information page: $250 to $750 (may include product reviews and guides)

Case studies: $1,200 to $2,000

White papers: $2,000 to $10,000

Eighty-three percent of writers from Peak Freelance’s survey take on ghostwriting work, but most don’t charge extra for ghostwriting. Thirty-six percent of those who charge extra tack on a premium of at least 16% to 20% on the project fee. This up-charge acts as a trade-off for the exposure they’d get from having a published byline.

Find out what's included with the rate or package they provide, such as conducting SME interviews or extra revision rounds. 

Working with a company such as Fiverr — which offers a pipeline of skilled ghostwriters — simplifies finding a suitable ghostwriter within your budget.

A note on contract and payment terms

Spell out everything in a contract to ensure you leave no room for disagreements later. 

If you don’t have an in-house ghostwriting contract, there are many free ghostwriting contract templates online you can tailor to your needs. Some ghostwriters provide their own contracts, which you can review before committing to the terms.

A typical contract should detail:

Project scope: Description of the project or and what's expected from the writer.

Rate or cost: Total price for the service.

Payment terms: How often, when, and through what methods the writer will get paid.

Deliverables: What your ghostwriter will deliver — the type of content, word count or length, number of revisions, etc.

Rights and royalties: Who owns the rights to the completed project Ideally, ghostwriters relinquish their rights to the copy they write once they deliver the work, but clarify that you won’t share rights or royalties from the work — unless agreed otherwise.

Contract termination: Include a provision for who, when, and how to cancel or terminate the project.

Anonymity/Confidentiality clause: This clause covers you in case a ghostwriter spills the beans on you — alternatively, you can sign an NDA.

Ask about the ghostwriter’s payment terms to ensure alignment. Ghostwriter payment policies may vary from:

100% payment upfront 

50% to 70% down-payment

Single payment (at the end of the project)

Per milestone payment

Making payments can also be a huge source of frustration for both parties.

Clarify the payment methods you or the ghostwriter use, like wire transfers or online payment processors like Payoneer, PayPal, or Wise. Choose one or two that work for both you and the writer.

4. Communication

One of the major mistakes a ghostwriter might make is thinking they’re not involved in other parts of the process except writing the content. 

A talented ghostwriter is highly involved from the moment you kick off the conversation and is willing to roll up their sleeves to ensure everything works for both of you. 

Find a ghostwriter who communicates, asks questions for clarity and knowledge purposes, and stays engaged throughout the project from planning to completion. 

Ask about their preferred mode of communication (email, voice or video call, or messenger like Slack) and the source material they’ll need from you to get started. 

Find out if they’re willing to participate in brainstorming calls or low-key planning sessions to help them do their best work with the least time investment.

Now that you know what to look for in a ghostwriter, let’s look at how you can hire one for your business needs.

How to hire a ghostwriter

Ready to find a ghostwriter for your project? Let Fiverr help. 

As the world’s largest digital services marketplace, it's easy to find unique ghostwriters offering Gigs at prices suited to your budget and business needs. 

Here are the steps to take to hire the right ghostwriter for your project: 

1. If you’re a first-time client, visit Fiverr and select Join to sign up as a Buyer. If you already registered for the service, log in to the platform.

2. You can sign up with Facebook, Google, or Apple to complete the registration process faster. Alternatively, enter your email address, select Continue, set your login credentials (username and password), and click Join.

3. Type Ghostwriter in the search box and press Enter.

4. Fiverr will display a wide range of suggestions based on your search term. Each result has a feature image, ghostwriter’s username, short blurb describing the services offered, and their prices.

5. You can use the filters to narrow down your search options based on:

Category: Choose the specific ghostwriter you want. For instance, you can select the Article & Blog posts category if you need a writer for your company blog.

Service options: Here, you can select the genre, language, and type of service you’d like included. For example, you can select a ghostwriter in the Business genre, who writes in English, and offers services like an outline, topic research, and SEO keywords.

Seller details: This filter allows you to select a ghostwriter based on their Seller Level, language(s) they speak, or where they’re based.

Budget: If you have a set budget, you can filter further based on different packages, such as