Why Your Ghostwriter (or Editor) Needs to Be a “Fit”
Your ghostwriter should be able to listen to you, empathize, and craft your best story.
A while ago, I contracted with “Antonio” (not his real name) to ghostwrite his highly personal memoir about a traumatic life event. When we first met, Antonio told me I was the fifth ghostwriter he’d interviewed, and he still hadn’t found his ideal writing partner. Before we finished the first meeting, we both knew we felt instant “chemistry” and would make an outstanding writing team. But I urged him to conduct his due diligence.
The ghostwriter/author (or editor/author) relationship is an intimate one. The last thing you want is to share the most personal details of your life with a ghostwriter only to discover quickly that you can’t stand the person writing your story!
Antonio finished interviewing other potential ghostwriters and then came back to me. He had more questions and asked if he could email me a list of them. I love it when potential clients want to know more. It shows me they’re engaged in the process before we even start.
One of Antonio’s questions was personal: “What qualifies you to ghostwrite stories about trauma?”
I didn’t tell him I’d been an award-winning crisis counselor (it’s already in my bio). Instead, I told him about a very specific tragedy I’d endured. In my response, I shared what led up to it, what it took from me, and how I actively work to keep moving. Then I added that what helps me move forward is offering catharsis to others who have suffered. Over the years, I’ve done this through my keynote speaking and coaching. And today, I do this by helping authors tell their stories through books.
That’s when Antonio signed the contract. He wrote, “Thank you for sharing part of your story with me. I imagine it's difficult to do so, but it's also courageous. Your response is why I felt such an instant connection and deep security with you when we first spoke.”
When you’re choosing a ghostwriter for your memoir, you need someone who’s literate, paints pictures with words, possesses organizational skills, and can craft an engaging, intelligible manuscript. Every professional ghostwriter (should) fit that description. But if you also need someone who’s willing and able to walk alongside you, feel what you felt in the moments of your pain and joy, convey emotions through words that you’ve never been able to express, and focus on you as a human being in the writing process, then you might need more than a quality writer. (See our past post on writing as therapy or advocacy.)
Once I contract with an author, I send them a detailed questionnaire to learn more about them. If you want to know what kind of ghostwriter you’re about to work with, see if your potential writing partner takes the time to get to know you this well before you have your first formal interview. And make sure you feel comfortable sharing with this person, since that’s how your story will come to life.
(While this article mainly focuses on ghostwriting, something similar could be said of choosing your editor. My partner and wife, Jocelyn, also goes through an interview/questionnaire process, and is equally willing to share some parts of her story with select clients who ask.)
Happy writing!
