Category: ghostwriting

It takes an average of 3 hours and 21 minutes to write a 1,151 word blog post. More complicated or technical blog posts take even longer, up to 6 hours for a 2,000 word tutorial, article, or research piece. This time frame doesn’t necessarily depend on experience, either. Some of the world’s most prolific expert bloggers struggle to create content on a timely basis. Writer Neil Patel takes between 4 and 5 hours to create quality content, while Buffer’s Kevin Lee labors up to 12 hours per post.

Writing quality content takes time. If you don’t have the space in your schedule to create, research, and publish content on your own, finding a professional ghostwriter could pay dividends in the future.

Ghostwriters are experienced writers that create content without a byline. These professionals create highly personalized, carefully researched, valuable content that provides practical thought leadership for companies and the customers they care for.

Ghostwriters are an incredible asset for nearly any modern business, but that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily fit your commercial needs. Depending on the size, age, or niche of your business, a ghostwriter may be less efficient than in-house work. Before sinking money into a long-term writing relationship, understand your needs, your industry position, and the results you want from a regular stream of content.

Let’s explore the meat and potatoes of modern ghostwriting, and the criteria for determining their use in your company niche. This includes:

• What do ghostwriters write?
• The pros and cons of ghostwriters
• Tips for finding a great ghostwriter
• Do you really need a ghostwriter?

What Do Ghostwriters Write?

Ghostwriters can tackle almost any kind of written content, depending on your needs and their specific niche. Assuming your business doesn’t already have an in-house content creator, ghostwriters are a wonderful way to streamline content production through an increase of thought leadership.

There are four primary categories of ghostwriters:

• General ghostwriters work on widely distributed content that doesn’t need specific experience. Blogs, SEO articles, and e-books are usually within their wheelhouse.
• Technical ghostwriters cover a plethora of topics depending on their industry experience. From Kubernetes and web development to specific software, ghostwriters can develop blogs and tutorials that cover the entire industry playing field.
• SM ghostwriters specialize in developing social media and newsletter content for yourself and your business. They have the ability to write in your voice, leverage your brand’s tone, and otherwise create authentic copy that reflects your business personality.
• Research ghostwriters combine hard numbers with flowing, professional-sounding copy. White papers, case studies, and business reports are typically their forte.

The types of content produced by your ghostwriter depend on their experience, your growth strategy, and the marketing campaign in question. In some cases, you may not need a ghostwriter at all. This largely depends on how equipped you are to navigate the potential downsides of ghostwriter content production.

The Pros And Cons Of Ghostwriters

Although ghostwriters can be a powerful force for good within your organization, they aren’t always a great fit for everyone. It’s a good idea to understand the pros and cons of having a writer on standby, and how it might affect your business in the future.

Pro: Less Work For You

Ghostwriters have the potential to save clients more than 300 hours of writing work per large project. What business leader could resist that? Ghostwriters all but eliminate the time you spend drafting, researching, and interlinking written documents. Depending on the type of work or business in question, ghostwriters could even create a backlog of content that is drip released over time.

Pro: Experienced Writing Help

You could have decades of experience in your niche and industry, but absolutely no familiarity with the writing process. Having a professional ghostwriter on your team can help you focus and refine your efforts using industry best practices. The benefits of high-quality content have been noted for decades, particularly in driving traffic. The folks at Earthly ramped up their technical ghostwriting production with Draft.dev, and enjoyed a whopping 346% increase in blog traffic.

Con: Good Ghostwriters Are Expensive

The market rate of a ghostwriter varies according to their experience levels, industry, and project type. Some writers prefer to charge by word, while others use hourly or per-project pricing. According to Scribe, the lowest you might expect to pay for a ghostwriter is $24,000, with the highest end being $100,000 or more. The point being: if you can’t afford to spend a minimum of five figures per year on a good ghostwriter, you’re better off looking for a different solution.

Con: The Interviewing, Hiring, And Coaching Process Takes Time

Ghostwriters have the potential to save you hours of precious time. However, they also require a little in return. Objective sheets, keyword mapping, and brief documents are vital elements of the writing process, and often require some input on your end. If you aren’t prepared to give a little time to your ghostwriters, don’t expect to receive the best possible copy in the end.

Tips For Finding A Great Ghostwriter

If you can confidently address the downsides of ghostwriting while still reaping the benefits, hiring a professional could be the next best step for your business.

Ghostwriters generally come in one of three capacities: freelance, in-house, or agency. Once you identify your needs, topics, and writing style, you can start hunting for the perfect addition to your business.

First, consider your options. Could you afford to pay for an in-house ghostwriter (and find enough work to keep them busy)? Are you willing to manage the hiring process for a contractor or freelancer? Or would an industry-specific agency be the right fit?

In any case, finding and working effectively with a great ghostwriter takes time. You’ll need a lot more than a few job listings to find the right candidate, especially if you’re posting them on highly trafficked sites. As always, the perfect intersection of price, availability, and experience starts with identifying your needs.

• What’s the size and scope of your writing projects? Will there be work on a monthly basis, or just occasionally? These questions narrow your selections down to ghostwriters with set availabilities.
• Does your industry require a lot of experience? Be sure to tailor your job description accordingly.
• How much are you willing to compensate your writers? Beware: you get what you pay for in this industry.

Now that you know what you’re looking for, you can begin the hiring process in earnest.

• Look for writing candidates in more than one place: ghostwriting platforms, personal networks, or aggregate sites like LinkedIn. You might be surprised how easily you can find a ghostwriter within your local community.
• Have all candidates complete a test project that mimics future work, complete with deadlines. Note: writers that are not deadline-oriented are more hobbyists than professionals.
• Degrees, titles, and certifications don’t always mean much in the world of writing. Instead, ask writers about their references, previous clients, or general workflows. This will provide you with great insights about what to expect from a long-term relationship.
• Ask potential writers serious questions about your industry or niche. If they don’t answer them to your satisfaction, or if they don’t seem to have a full grasp of the topic, they might not have the experience you’re looking for.

If you want some other tips and tricks to find ghostwriters for hire, start by giving our recent blog a read. It’s jam-packed with all the specifics you need to move forward in confidence.

Do You Really Need A Ghostwriter?

Let’s get down to the heart of the issue. If you’re running a startup, a young business, or a smaller enterprise with limited funds, chances are that a full-time ghostwriter isn’t in your best interests. Not only are they a little pricey for beginning companies, but you can likely handle the majority of projects in-house.

Larger SMEs, though, are a completely different story. If your business is starting to get some real traction, or if you’re growing faster than you can scale, ghostwriting services could be an excellent fit. Freelancers and agencies are all potential options, depending on how you want to scale in the future. For flexibility and onboarding within less than two months, agencies are a splendid alternative.

If you’re looking for technical writing work without worrying about quality, Draft.dev could be a great option. We specialize in helping technology companies find new ways of reaching software decision makers, generating blog posts, tutorials, and even social media content.

Book some time here to chat about your current writing strategy, and learn how Draft.dev can help it grow.

Working with a content writer is one thing, but partnering with a ghostwriter is quite another. In this context, a ghost blog writer is someone who creates a professional blog post without claiming any credit for it. Companies and executives love hiring ghostwriters for their fast, timely, and poignant writing, especially when it can be penned under their personal brand name.

Ghost blog writers can do a world of good for your business. By creating high-quality content with your brand name attached, you can reach customers in your vertical in a whole new way. If you don’t have the time or speed to develop consistent organic content, a ghost blog writer might be able to help.

But how do you set your expectations for ghost blog writers, and what’s it like to work with one? 

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the process of working with ghost blog writers across industries, paying special attention to their actual workflow. We’re covering:

• Setting expectations for your ghost blog writer
• How much do ghost blog writers get paid?
• What it’s like to work with a ghost blog writer
• Where can you find ghost blog writers?
• Save time and spread the message with ghost blog writing

Setting Expectations For Your Ghost Blog Writer

If you’re still on the fence about hiring a ghostwriter, you should be aware of the massive benefits they can provide. According to research, a skilled writer producing work under your name could offer:

• 10 times the number of leads with longer-form content
• Up to 4.5 times more leads with consistent posting
• 300% blog post ROI just from ongoing consistency

If you don’t have the time to create your own written content, or if you find yourself struggling to maintain consistency, hiring a ghost blog writer could be the perfect solution.

Before we spend time talking about the expectations you should have for your ghostwriter, let’s talk about the expectations you shouldn’t have.

1. Ghost blog writers aren’t ‘cheap’ labor. More on that later.
2. Ghost blog writers need at least some direction from you to get started.
3. Ghost blog writers are usually freelancers, which means you’re not their only client.

Remember: a ghost blog writer is just emulating your style; they’re not mind readers. If you aren’t willing to provide at least a little bit of help, it will be difficult for them to develop material that suits your needs.

There are a couple of different materials your ghost blog writer will need to get started, namely:

• The Brief: A short explanation of the project, the work, and the final outcome.
• The Outline: A document with headers, keywords, and any other information your ghostwriter should know about.
• The Notes: Side info or bullet points that your ghostwriter should incorporate into the final piece.
• The Editor: Someone, either yourself or another contractor, who will ensure the blog post reads as desired. Bear in mind that the editor isn’t necessarily a proofreader, but someone who checks the brand voice or tone of the piece.

A good ghost blog writer will create content quickly, accurately, and on-time. However, a great ghostwriter will go the extra mile to include SEO directives. You can expect to spend at least an hour getting to know your writer and their needs, as well as their writing style. If you don’t already have an editor on your team, you may need to spend some time editing or providing feedback yourself. Depending on the experience and camaraderie between yourself and your ghostwriter, you might only spend a half-hour per week polishing the final deliverable.

How Much Do Ghost Blog Writers Get Paid?

Any question about pricing in the freelance world is bound to leave you with more questions than answers.

The actual cost of a ghost blog writer varies significantly. Some high earners charge anywhere from $1 to $5 per word, or up to $20,000 per project. Others may prefer to work on an hourly basis, which ranges up to $50 to $100 depending on experience level.

Some writers will create a batch of blog posts to be disseminated throughout the year. Others prefer to work on a retainer basis (which costs additional fees). Still, others will create a consistent flow of content depending on your company’s needs.

It is possible to find ghost blog writers charging lower rates, sometimes down to $0.05 a word or less. You would do well, however, to remember that you get what you pay for. If you work in a very technical or research-heavy industry, paying extra for an experienced ghostwriter will always be in your best interests.

What It’s Like To Work With A Ghost Blog Writer

Once you’ve hired a ghost blog writer, you’ll need to create a work pipeline that suits all parties involved.

Choosing topics and titles is often the first step of the process. Create a spreadsheet or Airtable list with topics, briefs, and notes accessible from one location. Be sure the topics you choose are relevant to your industry, as well as your ghostwriter’s repertoire. Depending on the contract signed, your ghost blog writer may also be in charge of topic generation.

But first, a caveat: be mindful of your time (and the time of your ghostwriter). How much content do you want to produce? Now temper that number with the amount of high-quality content you can afford to create. Some writers prefer to work on a one-project-a-week scale, while others would rather pick up the pace to four or five blogs per week.

Your writer will complete the blog before the deadline, and send the finalized piece back for review. You can choose to edit it yourself or outsource the process to another freelancer or in-house employee. Depending on the pipeline you create, it may be easier to provide the edits yourself. Remember: all blog posts will be published under your name or handle. Ensuring the final product reflects your beliefs and opinions is perhaps the most important part of the editorial process.

After everything is approved, it’s ready to be scheduled for publication. It’s best to publicize your blog posts as much as possible, and use them as assets in newsletters, social media posts, and other collateral.

Working with a ghost blog writer can be incredibly rewarding, and an excellent method of streamlining content production. As long as you’re willing to provide some guidance and a little voice or tone direction, you may be able to create a wellspring of content that doubles your exposure in the marketplace.

Where Can You Find A Ghost Blog Writer?

There are thousands of ghost blog writers available for hire, many of them living right in your local community. Internet forums like Reddit, third-party platforms like Writer Access, and freelance job postings also have a chance of connecting you with a few good candidates.

The most effective way to find ghost blog writers is simply by asking around. Get in touch with coworkers, family members, or recent connections who may have some suggestions for you.

We actually did a piece a few months back all about where to find ghostwriters for hire. If you want a play-by-play description of where to find your next writing unicorn, this would be a great read.

Save Time And Spread The Message With Ghost Blog Writing

Creating new opportunities, generating consistent content, and regularly driving traffic to your website, ghost blog writing could be a lucrative opportunity for all parties involved. Partnering with a knowledgeable, experienced writer will give you plenty of flexibility, and decrease the amount of time you have to spend managing background processes.

When the time comes for you to track down a writer of your own, be sure to take all the time you need to uncover the perfect fit. While generalized ghostwriters could help you get the process started, they might not always have the technical expertise you need to develop a long-term pipeline. For this reason, relying on highly experienced, carefully vetted candidates will always be your best option.

At Draft.dev, we provide writing for technical audiences in many niches. By sourcing writers with actionable, hands-on experience in the field, we help brands generate content at a glance. We’ve helped hundreds of customers find sustainable solutions to content production, creating blog posts and technical tutorials designed to provide legitimate value to a technical audience.

Looking to get started ASAP? We’d love to chat. Book a call to discuss the content we create to reach software engineers, data managers, and more.

The writing economy is bigger than ever. According to recent statistics, the writing industry is projected to grow nearly 10% over the next decade, opening 15,400 jobs per year. Freelancers, in particular, are taking over the industry, with more than 57 million gig writers in the United States alone. If you’ve considered joining the ranks, now is the best time to take a leap of faith.

There are many different writing paths to take in the gig economy. From generalized freelancers to technical writers, storytellers from all backgrounds are needed – and paid handsomely. But not every business is willing to sacrifice their image on a byline. Enter ghostwriting, one of the most profitable career choices in the writing industry.

Becoming a ‘ghost’ is a lot less difficult than you might think. If you’re willing to put in the hours and find great long-term clients, your earning potential could go through the roof.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is a ghostwriter?
• Why people choose to ghostwrite
• How to become a ghostwriter
• Ways to grow your ghostwriting business
• Apply to become a technical ghostwriter

What Is A Ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter refers to people who create written work with no official byline. By writing blog posts, tutorials, articles, or technical articles in the style of their employer,ghostwriters produce written work that officially belongs to another person. Ghostwriting work can be full time, part-time, or contractual, depending on your income and time goals. Writers create copy, submit by the deadline, and receive payment once edits are complete.
There are two parties involved:

• Authors: Those who take credit for the work produced.
• Ghosts: Those who write the piece but receive no credit.

Companies prefer to hire ghostwriters for a number of reasons, but primarily because of their industry expertise. Highly skilled experts are hard to find, and experts who can write meaningful, actionable copy is even rarer. Brands looking to scale their content protection often choose ghostwriters to enhance their copy with professional, high-caliber storytelling.

Ghostwriters create many different types of copy, including:

• Thought leadership pieces
• Blog posts
• Tutorials or how-tos
• Books or eBooks
• Company webpages

The actual work depends heavily on the employer or contract in question. It’s a good idea to get all questions answered before signing long-term agreements.

Why People Choose To Ghostwrite

One of the biggest reasons people choose to become ghostwriters has to do with the paycheck. Top earners gross over $99,000 per year, while writers on the lower end of the spectrum make out with a tidy $42,000. Other estimates suggest up to $20,000 per project, with much higher cuts available depending on the nature of the work.

Ghostwriting provides benefits that in-house work rarely offers. For one thing, it’s extremely flexible. Where you work, when you work, and how long you work are all factors controlled on a daily basis. Unlimited sick and vacation time is a definite extra plus. What’s more, ghostwriting gives you the ability to enhance your talents. As you become more comfortable in the writing space, it will be easier to secure full bylines, pitches, and credited publications.

Finally (and maybe most importantly), ghostwriting is fun. It provides a great opportunity to learn new things, take on new clients, and grow your skills to new heights.

How To Become A Ghostwriter

The first step in becoming a ghostwriter is finding a paying client. There are a couple of ways to do this, particularly using gig platforms.

• Upwork is a generalized freelancer platform that has the potential to net short-term projects.
• WriterAccess is great for getting your feet wet without submitting project proposals.
• Fiverr may be a good place to throw a wider net.

If you’re looking for long-term or more sustainable work, consider using a platform that’s closer to home: your personal network. Talk to friends, family members, or coworkers about potential writing jobs in the area. You might be surprised by how many gigs can be found this way.

Should you come up empty-handed on platforms and your personal network, there’s still one more place to look: job listings. Google Jobs, Craigslist, and LinkedIn are all great resources to leverage in the beginning. If you’re really dedicated to finding potential gigs, consider signing up for Writejobs PLUS or Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week. Bear in mind that both of these options are paid.

How To Do Ghostwriting Well

So you’ve landed your first gig. Congratulations! Now comes the hard part: finishing the job well.

Ghostwriting isn’t like traditional blog writing. Depending on the client in question, you may need to adapt to their brand voice, follow set tone guidelines, or use certain words or phrases associated with the business. Finding and keeping your long-term clients depends on a couple of factors, including:

1. Hitting Deadlines: Although the occasional exception could be made, your clients expect you to submit work on or before the due date. Dates can be shuffled or reset ahead of time, but once they’re on the calendar, they must be met – for the sake of your writing career and your client’s goals.
2. Process and Research: Few clients expect you to know everything about a certain subject. For this reason, research is a fundamental aspect of the ghostwriting process. It’s a good idea to start your exploration long before the due date, and take your time putting together more complicated aspects.
3. Use Writing Tools: It might feel silly downloading yet another grammar system or productivity app, but tools like Trello, Grammarly, and other plugins could make a major difference in your writing flow. Language Tool is a great resource for changing American English to British or Australian English, accommodating clients from all over the world.

After your first few gigs, you’ll start to get a handle on the ghostwriting business, and fall into line with its general cadence or rhythm. As you find yourself scaling upwards and taking on new clientele, you may need to start looking for tools to help you grow.

Ways To Grow Your Ghostwriting Business

As your skills grow, so will your client base. If you start running on empty, or if you can’t find any more weekends to sacrifice, chances are you need to start scaling – and fast. There are a couple of ways you can approach this, depending on your industry goals and needs.

• Consider hiring other writers. Subcontractors are a great way to meet deadlines while simultaneously increasing your bandwidth. Just be sure to carefully vet and evaluate your writers before they start submitting work.
• Create some processes for streamlining your work. You may want to funnel new clients through a definitive system, or create spreadsheets that track all elements of a project in the pipeline. If you have subcontractors working with you, this is even more important.
• Begin the process of weeding through your clients. Just like real gardens, getting rid of little plants will make room for much larger, bigger plants. Start looking for bigger clients, and focus on getting rid of those that no longer meet your goals or price requirements.

It’s important to note that growing your ghostwriting business also requires a slew of legal tape. If you want to protect your assets from litigation, you may want to consider incorporating your business as an LLC. It might also be a good idea to open a separate bank account, among other things.

As your business grows, so will demands on other aspects of your life. Outsourcing writing work, developing project systems, and weeding smaller clients are all strategies that get you where you want to go.

Apply To Be A Technical Ghostwriter At Draft.dev

Ghostwriting is a fast-paced, in-demand career with plenty of room for growth. If you like the idea of being your own boss, or if you want a little more flexibility in your lifestyle, ghostwriting might be the perfect fit.

Your best bet for finding work as a ghostwriter is to leverage all your business skills, experiences, and expertise. If you’re a technical whiz with an excellent command of the English language, why not apply to freelance for Draft.dev? We’re always looking for writers with experience in:

• Kubernetes
• Monitoring
• Distributed Tracing
• Telecommunications
• Conversation Intelligence
• Ecommerce

If you want some tips and examples to get started with your application, check out our recent blog on technical cover letters. It’s jam-packed with all the specifics you need to move forward in confidence.

Think you’ve got the chops to start a technical ghostwriting career? We’d love to hear from you. Head over to our application page and shoot us your contact info — we’ll be in touch!

The art of ghostwriting is nothing new. According to recent estimates, roughly 60% of nonfiction books in the marketplace are created by invisible wordsmiths every single year. This number is only expected to increase over time, as thousands of companies prepare to ramp up their digital content efforts.

There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of ghostwriters operating today, each with varying degrees of experience, training, and industry know-how. These specialists operate as freelancers, agencies, and independent contractors, each equipped with unique industry skills. If you’re looking to scale your content creation process to new heights, a professional ghostwriter could provide a great opportunity for growth.

Let’s take a closer look at how to find a ghostwriter for hire, as well as some of the platforms you can use to source them. We’ll cover:

• What is a ghostwriter?
• Where can you find ghostwriters for hire?
• Tips for finding and maintaining a professional ghostwriter
• The value of a good ghostwriter

What is a ghostwriter?

Ghostwriters are professional writers that sell their uncredited intellectual property for money. Unlike traditional writers, who may receive bylines or other publication credits, ghostwriters perform their duties entirely without recognition. Their primary job is to emulate the voice, tone, or style of the client in question, allowing the recipient to act as the original author.

Today, there are several types of ghostwriters and content services available for hire, particularly including:

• Ghost blog writers
• Books or ebooks
• Agency ghostwriters
• Speech writers
• Nonfiction biographies
• Technical case studies

The benefits associated with hiring a ghostwriter for business cannot be overstated. For one thing, ghostwriting can save hundreds of hours’ worth of your professional time. Instead of laboring over a creative work for weeks or month, you can hire a ghostwriter to create quick, clean, efficient copy that perfectly captures your voice and brand.
Ghostwriting also introduces a level of professionalism to your work. Highly experienced ghostwriters easily incorporate best industry practices, SEO elements, and competent lingo that makes your final product stand out among the rest. This factor alone is enough to spread your message by a large degree.

Finally, ghostwriters are an objective force in the creative process. Unlike in-house employees, they have no emotional connection preventing them from generating good, clean, honest copy. This makes them an invaluable asset in any content marketing program.

If you have the space in your budget to support a high quality ghostwriter, now is a great time to start exploring your options.

Where can you find ghostwriters for hire?

Ghostwriters usually operate in one of three capacities: freelance, agency, or in-house. Freelance ghostwriters work on a contractual basis, while agencies find and retain ghostwriters according to industry niche or technical experience. Finally, in-house ghostwriters create a regular stream of content as a formalized member of your team.

The best place to start looking for a ghostwriter in your niche is through freelancer platforms. Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com are just a few examples to pick from. Of course, if you’re looking for highly experienced ghostwriters with specific expertise, you may want to rely on niche platforms with a history of results.

• WriterAccess is a great place for hiring ghostwriting experts with specific experience, particularly within healthcare, finance, and legal industries.
• Contently is a platform with access to thousands of highly experienced authors from around the world. You and your ghostwriters will be matched through an advanced AI system that pairs experience and writing style with your budget requirements.
• Toptal only accepts the top 3% of all freelance applicants. Their careful vetting process reduces the time between sourcing and hiring the perfect ghostwriter for the job.

Hiring freelance ghostwriters may be the most time-consuming process on this list. Not only does it require extensive research on your part, but it may be more difficult to find freelance writers with specific industry experience.

You may prefer having more long-term ghostwriters on your team. For this reason, asking people in your network for leads or advice is a great place to start. Coworkers, business peers, and even friends and family members could have ties to the perfect ghostwriter in your industry. Who do they recommend? Who do they not? Paid trail articles are a great way to vet potential sources, as well as any websites or online reviews. Bear in mind that this option still requires research on your part, even if the leads are already sourced.

The last and most efficient way to find ghostwriters in your niche is through an agency. Although there are generalized businesses that provide basic ghostwriting services, finding a specialized agency option is your best bet for creating sustainable, high-quality copy. Some of the best technical writing agencies are located right here in the US, including Draft.dev, Walker Sands, and the Skyrocket Group. Of course, it’s always a good idea to chat about content needs and industry experience before signing any long-term contracts.

Tips for finding and maintaining a professional ghostwriter

As anyone with writing experience can tell you, not all ghostwriters are created equal. Finding the perfect fit for your company is already quite the process, but maintaining and retaining your writers over time is more than half the battle.

To find the perfect fit, start with the basics:

• Look for writers who have expert specialization in your industry. The more your ghostwriter understands your industry, the more their content will produce authentic value. Bonus points if your ghostwriter has spent a few years working within your niche.
• If the ghostwriter in question doesn’t have relevant samples or referrals, consider using a paid trial article to assess their expertise. This proves to the writer that you value their time while simultaneously kick starting your content marketing campaign.
• Ask for references from the ghostwriter’s previous clients or coworkers. How long did they work with this particular writer? What did they think about the experience? Remember to ask specific questions about workflow, cost, and speed, which will help to avoid any polite or overgeneralized responses.

Now that you’ve (hopefully) found the right ghostwriting fit, your final task will be to maintain your working relationship over time.

• Understand the limitations of your ghostwriters. Even if these writers have decades of experience in their craft, they won’t be able to create the work you want without some guidance. Do what you can to prepare outlines or keyword banks for your writers, maintaining an open line of communication throughout the creation process. Your ghostwriter (and your final product) will be much better for it.
• Be prepared to pay a decent rate for your ghostwriters. Although these professionals may not necessarily be taking credit for the final product, they still charge for the creation of their IP. Ghostwriter rates vary wildly, falling anywhere between $30 to $200 an hour, or $.10 to $3 a word. Be sure the subject of rates is an open discussion; better to eliminate any potential surprises before settling on a final hire.

Remember that no two workflow processes will ever be an exact match. Understand the ghostwriter you choose to hire may not necessarily resemble previous contractors, although the basic principles still remain. Adaptability and flexibility are your greatest weapons while finding ghostwriters for hire. The results will speak for themselves.

You can also read our blog post on working effectively with ghostwriters to learn more.

The value of a good ghostwriter

Ghostwriters are valuable industry partners that increase content production, enhance your lead funnels, and generate legitimate value for customers and stakeholders alike. Great ghostwriters may be hard to find, but the value they generate for B2B and SaaS business models are absolutely worth the effort.

Finding writers for hire begins and ends within your personal network. Use freelance platforms and job postings to track down freelance writers in your area. Spend some time chatting with friends and coworkers for insightful referrals and recommendations. Finally, use agencies or professional content writing companies to source ghostwriters with specific industry experience.

If you’re interested in getting some agency style technical writing for your company, Draft.dev can help. Offering blog posts, tutorials, and other technical formats for complex subject matters, our writers are vetted with the skill and experience you need to get seen in the marketplace. We handpick our writing talent, matching your needs with writers holding legitimate industry experience. Using an airtight editing process, we create valuable content for software engineers, technical decision makers, and more.

Learn more about the Draft.dev writing process by booking a half hour Discovery Call.