How to Hire Top Ghostwriters for Your Business

Ghostwriting is when someone is hired to write something, like a book or speech, but someone else gets credit as the author. Businesses often hire ghostwriters for several strategic reasons:

• Save time.
• Get professional-level writing.
• Leverage specialised knowledge.

So, is it legal for someone else to take the credit for another person’s work? Ghostwriting is generally legal when you have these three agreements in place:

• There’s a contract between the ghostwriter and the credited author outlining payment, content ownership, and confidentiality
• The ghostwriter produces original, non-plagiarized content
• The contract states penalties if either party violates the terms

The cost of ghostwriting services is explained.

When determining the cost of their services, ghostwriters strive to balance the level of their skills and the value they deliver to clients. Rates can vary broadly, but hiring ghostwriters on Rayness Analytica costs $20 to $45 an hour.

A ghostwriter may charge by the hour or a flat fee for the project. Projects that take longer to complete, such as writing a book, are usually charged a flat fee with milestones. A few reasons why a professional ghostwriter’s rate may vary include:

• Expertise and experience
• Project length and complexity
• Revisions and rewrites
• Credits and royalties
• Location

Is it OK to hire a ghostwriter?

Hiring a ghostwriter is OK, as all parties agree to an ethical contract and aren’t trying to deceive anyone. Ethical ghostwriting arrangements have the following characteristics:

• Transparency. Before writing begins, have clear agreements outlining the ghostwriter's and client's roles.
• Confidentiality. Ghostwriters often have access to sensitive information and are asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to protect people’s privacy.
• Integrity. A ghostwriter’s name may not be mentioned, but the person taking credit for content should disclose what a ghostwriter wrote. Ghostwriters should never be used in unethical or illegal situations, such as when writing a term paper.

The ghostwriting process unveiled

The process of working with a ghostwriter is similar to that of most content writers. Whether you’re working with them on an article or autobiography, you’ll generally go through these steps:

1. Have an initial meeting. You and the ghostwriter connect in person or remotely to discuss the project. The writer will craft a project proposal and fee to complete the work based on the project’s scope, deadlines, and deliverables.
2. Prepare and review a project outline. Once you and the writer agree to a contract, you’ll send the ghostwriter all information and documents related to the project. The writer may also interview you for more data to create a project outline.
3. Conduct in-depth interviews. After you approve the outline, the writer gathers more information, if needed. This may not be necessary for some articles. If you’re writing a book, the writer may follow you for months or conduct several interviews.
4. Review project draft. The ghostwriter writes a complete draft, which can take months for more complex projects. You review the draft by making edits, clarifying ideas, and adding stories if appropriate.
5. Edit and publish. The draft goes through a final editing process before it’s prepared for publication.

Identifying your ghostwriting needs

Identifying your ghostwriting needs involves looking at your overall content needs, internal resources, and budget. Start by looking at all the content your team is expected to create. Then, decide which projects are best done by your core writing team based on deadlines and your team’s knowledge and skills.

For instance, some teams offer search engine optimisation (SEO) articles to ghostwriters so that internal writers are freed to work on high-value projects that require a deep understanding of the business. When workloads spike, some companies use ghostwriters to shoulder some of the output and protect their internal teams from burning out.

However you utilise ghostwriters, be sure to set aside enough budget to hire a realistic amount of talent to complete projects on time. Expecting one writer to churn 15 quality blog posts monthly may be unrealistic. However, dividing the workload among six or seven ghostwriters may be doable.

Legal and ethical considerations

Working with a professional ghostwriter is usually a straightforward and smooth process. However, it’s good practice to establish a detailed contract that protects you and the writer. The contract should clearly outline the following:

• Scope of work
• Compensation
• Ownership of intellectual property rights
• Confidentiality
• Penalties for violating the agreement
• Original, plagiarism-free work

Ghostwriting is a respected profession. However, there are situations when you should not hire a ghostwriter. The most common are:

• Ghostwriting for students' academic assignments. Having a ghostwriter pen a thesis, dissertation, or term paper is considered academic dishonesty and fraud.
• Ghostwriting for pharmaceutical companies. Having a ghostwriter craft scientific papers published under a doctor's or scientist's name is seen as deceptive and unethical.

Types of projects suitable for ghostwriters

No matter your organisation, you likely have many types of projects that ghostwriters can do. Since they’re skilled at sounding like someone else, they’re great at:

Content creation. Hire ghostwriters to scale production, save time, and access niche skills for blog posts, articles, and social media content that maintain the brand’s voice.

Memoirs and autobiographies. Ghostwriters can help business leaders write their life stories and memoirs in appealing and inspiring ways.

Speeches and presentations. Instead of spending days writing a presentation, offer the work to a specialist who will craft an engaging one while you focus on other work.

Thought leadership. Many executives use ghostwriters to produce white papers, research reports, and other expert content to position themselves as thought leaders.

Who retains credit? Navigating copyright and ownership

Generally, the person or organisation that hires the ghostwriter owns the copyright and all rights to the ghostwritten content. You may want to review these standard practices to ensure a successful collaboration and smooth rights transfer.

Copyright and Ownership

A ghostwriter is considered a work-for-hire under U.S. copyright law. The understanding is that the writer is producing content for the client, the author. That said, your contract should clearly state that the client owns the copyright and all associated rights and that the ghostwriter relinquishes any claims to the content. If you’re offering the writer coauthor credit, explicitly state their copyright or royalty rights.

Transfer of rights

A detailed contract stating the scope of work and rights ensures a smooth rights transfer. Including an intellectual property clause that transfers all rights from the ghostwriter to the client avoids future disputes over ownership.

You may want to consult an attorney, especially one experienced in intellectual property, to ensure your contract is legally sound and protects your rights.

Termination provisions

Outline the conditions and consequences of terminating the agreement, ensuring a clean break regarding rights and ownership.

Ensuring a fruitful collaboration

Open communication and a willingness to collaborate are the keys to maintaining a productive and positive working relationship. These tips help foster fruitful collaboration that produces the quality content you desire.

Establish clear communication and expectations.

• During the initial meeting, discuss the project scope, timeline, and responsibilities of both parties in detail.
• Agree on communication methods—such as phone and email, frequency, and deadlines—upfront to avoid misunderstanding.s
• Provide a detailed project brief and be open to feedback and adjustments as the project progresses.

Foster a collaborative atmosphere

• Treat the professional ghostwriter as a valued partner and collaborator
• Be respectful of their time and expertise and be open to their suggestions and ideas
• Provide clear and constructive feedback and be willing to make adjustments to the project scope if necessary
• Show appreciation for the ghostwriter's hard work and contributions

Maintain transparency and confidentiality.

• Ensure there is an explicit, written agreement that the ghostwriter keeps all processes and information confidential and private.
• Do not share the ghostwriter's work without permission

Adhere to deadlines and contract details

• Pay the ghostwriter promptly according to the payment agreement
• Complete your tasks by agreed-upon deadlines to avoid disrupting the workflow and straining the relationship