As someone who has done it in the past, ghostwriting can certainly be a bit spooky at first. Wondering whether you’re doing your subjects and their ideas justice can run a chill down your spine.
From my perspective, taking the fear out of ghostwriting comes down to knowing when to use your subject’s voice or your own. And it should be a half-and-half blend — too much from column A, and the piece can lack structure; too much from column B, and you’re just writing, not ghostwriting.
I learned early on that some Frankenstein-esque combination voice where you try to write as yourself and your subject simultaneously isn’t really a thing, so save yourself the headache and divvy up their voice and your voice like so.
When to Use Their Voice
1) Main ideas
The argument of the piece should be determined by your subject, no matter what your personal take on it is. Bear in mind that it’s going to be published under their byline. Your opinion is moot, and therefore should be mute.
Thesis aside, I also steer clear of adding or subtracting ideas. If a subject bothers to bring up an argument that means it’s important to them, and should be featured in the finished product in some way. Conversely, if the subject does not mention a topic, don’t bring it in, no matter how much you think it would bring the point home, clarify the argument, or sound awesome.
It’s simple: If they don’t say it, I don’t write it.
2) Signature Words or Phrases
If I were writing an article for Emeril Lagasse, you can bet it would be peppered with “BAM!”
You would be hard-pressed to find me using this phrase in my day-to-day life — heck, it’s not even my go-to exclamation. But Emeril says it, and for that reason, I would write it.
“Bam!” is a fairly innocuous example, but I bet you can think of some favorite turns of phrase that are senseless, silly sounding, or unnecessary. But if this is how the subject talks, then this is how the subject would presumably write. Including signature words makes the article seem more genuine, especially to readers familiar with the person.
The only time I would strike or edit a favorite phrase is if it’s unintentionally grammatically incorrect. All other instances of “BAM!” “fuggetaboutit,” “survey says,” and “that’s all folks!” stay in.
3) Data Points
Data is in almost every business article these days, and rightly so. Nothing can support an argument quite like the perfect statistic or chart.
The problem is there are plenty of statistics out there that aren’t perfect. Sometimes, a subject offers up great data to support their points, and other times … less great. But I try to keep in mind that I’m not the expert here — there’s a reason why the subject used this specific piece of data, and it’s not up to you to judge whether it’s up to par.
I aim to use the majority of data points that subjects give me, but I always inquire after the source. That way, if I really feel shaky about the numbers, I can go back and check into their accuracy on my own. If I find a problem, I bring it to my subject’s attention and let them determine if it should still be published.
When to Use Your Voice
1) Outline
Generally, people who use ghostwriters are busy doing fascinating stuff. That means that their minds are crammed with interesting information, and with so much on their plates, they may not always be the most organized speakers. They probably didn’t have time to document exactly what they would like to talk about, and they might interject an off-topic fact or two.
The subject’s ideas should be the meat of the piece, but it’s the writer’s responsibility to organize those thoughts in the most logical and effective way. Set the subject up for success by grabbing an anecdote they mentioned in the middle of your interview and moving it up to the opener if you think that’s where it belongs. Similarly, conclusions can come from anywhere — carefully listen for a solid closing thought, and bring it to the last paragraph.
List out the arguments presented, and arrange them in whatever way you think flows best. Odds are, your subject will be grateful for the organization help.
2) Transitions
Not many people move from one point to the next with perfectly crafted segues. Instead, they jump back and forth, interrupt themselves, or abruptly change directions.
That means it’s up to you to add the nice transitions. I find that these are easier to provide in your own voice, since everyone has their own way of making arguments flow. Trying to mimic someone else’s segue style might result in a garbled article.
3) Very Necessary Explanations
I try not to insert any points that weren’t at least referenced by my subject, but there is an important exclusion to this rule: explanations.
Some subjects are so embroiled in their area of expertise that it can be difficult for them to break down their arguments for laypeople. The writer should act as a proxy for the audience, and if they think a point could use some clarification, they should circle back to the subject. If the subject fails to deliver an adequate explanation, ghostwriters should then take it upon themselves to provide succinct supporting information — but it should be done in no more than a few sentences.
Bonus: When You Shouldn’t Use a Voice
Just as important as understanding which voice to use is knowing when to not use any voice — in other words, recognizing what should be cut.
As I mentioned above, subjects who rely on ghostwriters are often brilliant, passionate people. That said, they can sometimes go off on a tangent.
You don’t have to make the article representative of the time spent talking about each point. Maybe you covered one argument in five minutes, and another in twenty. You should include both in the piece, but try to allot each equal space by paring down the second. Cast an editorial eye to which details are important and which aren’t, and cut accordingly.
Have you ever ghostwritten for someone before? What other ghostwriting tips would you suggest?
