How ghostwriting works when your name is on the cover

Ghostwriting is a long-established part of publishing. Many memoirs, business books and expert guides are written with professional help. If you have the story or the expertise but not the time or the writing practice, a ghostwriter can turn it into a manuscript, with you as the author.

How it usually works

1. Discovery

You talk about the book: who it is for, what you want readers to take from it, and what you want it to do for you. A good ghostwriter will ask a lot of questions at this stage, and will want to hear how you speak.

2. Planning

Before any chapter is written, you agree a chapter-by-chapter outline. This is the point to settle the reader, the promise of the book and the shape of the story or argument.

3. Interviews and research

For most projects, the ghostwriter interviews you, usually in a series of recorded conversations, and supplements them with your notes, existing writing and research. The interviews are where your voice comes from.

4. Drafting in your voice

The ghostwriter writes the manuscript chapter by chapter, matching your vocabulary, rhythm and tone, so that it sounds like you at your best.

5. Review and revision

You read each chapter and say what is right, what is wrong and what is missing. The draft is revised until you are happy that it is yours.

What you stay in charge of

• The ideas and the content. The book is about your life or your expertise.
• The approvals. Nothing should move on until you have signed off.
• The credit. Your name goes on the cover. Some authors add an acknowledgement or a "with" credit, and that is a choice for you and your writer to agree.

Rights and confidentiality

Because the writer creates the text, the ownership of the copyright in that text needs to be dealt with in writing. In the UK, copyright in a work is generally first owned by the person who writes it, unless it is assigned in a written agreement. A proper ghostwriting agreement deals with this, as well as confidentiality, so make sure it is in place before work begins.

What it asks of you

Ghostwriting saves you the writing but not the thinking. Expect to spend time in conversation, to give honest feedback, and to answer questions promptly. The more of yourself you put in at the start, the better the book.

Questions to ask before you hire a ghostwriter

1. Can I see samples, or speak to the person who will write my book?
2. How do the interviews work, and how much of my time will you need?
3. How many revision rounds are included, and what happens if I want changes after approving a chapter?
4. Who owns the text, and when does the ownership pass to me? This should be in writing.
5. How will you protect my story? Ask for a confidentiality agreement.
6. What credit do I want? Some authors name their writer in the acknowledgements, and others do not.

What a good brief looks like

Bring a clear reader, a clear promise and a few examples of books whose voice you admire. Gather the material you already have: notes, talks, articles, journals, photographs. The more raw material you can offer, the closer the draft will be to you on the first pass.

If your project is a memoir, writing a memoir will help you find its thread. If it is non-fiction, see how to plan a non-fiction book.

What the first month looks like

In the first weeks, expect a discovery conversation, an agreed outline and the first interviews. By the end of the month you would normally have a sample chapter to read, which is the best test of whether the voice is right. Tell your writer what works and what does not, and ask for changes early, because it is far easier to adjust the voice in chapter one than in chapter ten.

Common misunderstandings

• "The ghostwriter will invent my story." A good one works from your interviews and your material, not from imagination.
• "I will not need to be involved." You will be in conversation, reading and giving feedback throughout.
• "It is a shortcut." It saves the writing time, not the thinking. The ideas and the decisions remain yours.

Is it right for you?

If you have a story to tell and a clear reader in mind, it is worth a conversation. Our book writing service covers ghostwriting and manuscript development: we do the writing, and you stay the author.