For the most part, everybody has a reason they don’t write as much as they like to.

267 people on Twitter told me that when it comes to reasons for not writing, they fall into one of four main buckets:

Writing takes too long
Not sure what to write
I’m not good at writing
No time

Time was an issue for nearly half (48%) of the people who responded: A few said they just lacked the bandwidth to take their thoughts + subject matter expertise and put it down into a thoughtful, well-written piece.

Even professional writers themselves said they struggle with this: Bogged down with client work, they never get around to writing their own pieces.

When I asked a few people if they’d ever considered bringing on help to build these out, almost every single one said the same thing: No.

Why? Because:

“I don’t have the time to train a writer; it’d be faster just to do it myself and I don’t have time for that either.”
“I don’t know how to fully explain my ideas and distill my expertise for someone else. The info is locked inside my brain, and only I can communicate what’s in there.”
“I don’t know how to teach someone else to sound like me.”

But guess what? There’s a solution to all of these objections.

It’s hiring a skilled ghostwriter.

What is a ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter (or ghost writer) is a writer hired to write pieces that are officially credited to another person as the author.

They’re the invisible, skilled communicators working behind the scenes to translate the thoughts and ideas of another into well-structured and engaging stories. Armed with a bit of direction, they can build out a piece of quality writing in the voice of the person they’ve been hired to write for.

Many people use ghostwriters—it’s a pretty common practice. Even a good chunk of your favorite books on the NYT Bestseller list were written by ghostwriters.

But people don’t always disclose/share when they’ve worked with a ghostwriter...because that’s kind of the point. Another Twitter poll I did showed that about 2/3 of people know someone who use a ghostwriter.

So how can you work with one to build your thought leadership, share your original ideas, and become a more prolific publisher?

How to find a ghostwriter

First things first: You need to find a quality ghostwriter.

The best way to find a great ghostwriter is to ask around. Referrals are always the way to go. That said, there are a few I can personally recommend that are affordable, do great work, and are currently taking new clients (just tell ‘em I sent you):

I recommend the writers above because of their attention to detail and their ability to be chameleon-like, taking on the voice of the person/brand they’re writing for.

In general, your ghostwriter needs to be able to adapt your writing voice and willing to do some reading/listening to get familiar with how you should sound on the page.

Working with a ghostwriter

Once you’ve found your writing partner, it’s time to get to the nuts and bolts of working together.

Here’s what I recommend:

Fill out a writing brief. Your ghostwriter needs direction on the audience he or she is writing for, insight on what the goal of the piece is, and details on length, writing style, voice/tone, etc. Set your ghostwriter up for success by providing some basic context for the piece. (This template bundle has everything you need to execute this step with ease.)

Do a brain dump. You want to be as efficient as possible here, so think about how you’d be best suited to pass along the information stored inside your brain. Maybe it’s an audio recording where you talk through the idea and the key points to touch on. Maybe it’s a (fairly messy) Google Doc with bullet points and notes on some examples to include. Maybe it’s a video recording where you walk through the concept via screen share. Your call.

Note: Audio recordings of you talking through the idea are especially helpful, as the writer will then be able to pick up on how you speak and incorporate that into the writing voice.

Request an outline first. Having an outline to approve before the writer dives into a full first draft ensures you’re both on the same page (and saves you both lots of time in the editing phase.)

Build upon your foundation. As with all things, the process gets easier and more efficient with time. Working with a single ghostwriter long-term means they can get deeply familiar with your voice, and in time, they sort of become an extension of your brain. It’s like cloning yourself, but without the weird science and ethical dilemmas.

As you work with a ghostwriter, keep in mind:

Costs: Because you’re not giving the ghostwriter a byline or publishing credit, you can expect to pay slightly higher than normal rates. It’s only fair: They’re missing out on the SEO juju, forgoing the chance to include the work as a portfolio example, and are essentially a silent, invisible partner to you. As such, many upcharge for that (as they should, you know?)

Communication: You also need to be willing to iterate with your ghostwriter and available to answer questions. Open communication is essential to this type of working relationship, so keep the dialogue flowing. Speaking of...

Inclusive editing: When it comes to the editing process, include your ghostwriter. Resist the temptation to make edits in private. Instead, allow him or her to see the changes you’re making and explain why so they can incorporate that feedback into the next assignment.

While it requires some up-front work, this step is an important part of the learning process as your ghostwriter gets up to speed. It’ll ultimately make things more efficient moving forward.

Publish more, build authority

With the right ghostwriter on board as a partner in publishing, you can scale up your ability to teach what you know (which will position you as the subject matter expert you are.)