So, you have an idea for a book, content, a course you would like created, or maybe a presentation that you need to deliver very soon – should you hire a ghostwriter or create/write it yourself?
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to figure it out!
What is my deadline, and how does it align with my other priorities?
Consider when you need the content created and what else is happening in your personal and professional life. Ghostwriters can help you to organize and convey your ideas in much less time than it would take you to do so on your own.
Will, I enjoy creating the content?
Content has energy, and what you put into it will show. Maybe you have a very creative mind and can come up with ideas and articulate them well verbally, but writing is something that you do not enjoy at all. In this case, you should strongly consider hiring a ghostwriter to support you. Delegate the writing to someone passionate about it, and spend more time focusing on other aspects of your business!
Do I have sufficient experience writing to create the impact I desire?
Consider your experience writing the type of content you want to create. If you are unsure, you may be able to leverage feedback others have given you or the response you received to previous pieces of work you have written.
How your content is written will influence how it impacts your audience. Therefore, this is a time to be honest with yourself – for the sake of your story and readers!
What is my budget?
Rates for ghostwriting services are highly variable depending on the type of content being created as well as the experience of the ghostwriter.
Your budget will be a factor of a few things:
- The amount of money you currently have or are expecting to have
- How much are you willing/able to spend on ghostwriting services?
- Do you believe you will benefit from the ghostwriting services (either through direct profit from work or the extra time you will have to devote to your other projects and priorities)
- How much do you want the ghostwriter to do?
Remember that some aspects, such as content creation, may provide payback over the long term, which is why it’s essential to understand your own income goals.
If you are unsure what the cost will be for the ghostwriting services you desire, you can always contact a ghostwriter to discuss your needs and find an option within your budget.
Still Unsure if you should Hire a Ghostwriter?
Maybe the example of bestselling author and speaker Lisa Nichols will help you decide.
Lisa hired a ghostwriter to help finish two of her bestselling solo books (No Matter What and Abundance Now), which took six months each to complete.
She recognized that while she loved orating (verbally sharing her stories and speaking), the process of writing didn’t feel as natural.
Lisa had publishing companies that were willing to pay seven figures for her to tell her story, and she recognized that hiring a ghostwriter would help her write and shape her story better than she could on her own, all while meeting the timelines of the publishing companies that were eager to work with her.
Remember that you don’t need to hire a ghostwriter to do everything! Even if there are just a few aspects that you want support with (such as creating the outline for your content), a ghostwriter can serve you well.
Resources
What type of Content Creator are you? Take the Quiz! – 4 different types of creators, which one are you?
Email: catherine@catherinenikkel.com
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Catherine Nikkel is a content creator, ghostwriter and the founder of Mindful Media. She specializes in helping CEOs, entrepreneurs and influencers create copy that engages and converts. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Yahoo!, Authority Magazine, FemFounder and more.
