What the First 30 Days of Working With a Ghostwriter Look Like

People are often unsure what working with a ghostwriter involves day to day. A typical first month is more straightforward than most expect.

The first week is for getting acquainted. We talk about your goals, your audience, and the kind of work you want to publish. You share samples of your writing and anything the writer should read, and the writer asks questions. By the end of the week, both sides should agree on what the first piece will be.

The second week brings the first draft. Many clients are surprised by how much they can react to once something is on the page. A draft gives you something concrete to mark up, and the notes you give, even small ones like "this is too formal" or "I would never say that," teach the writer a great deal.

The third week is for revision. The writer folds in your notes and sends a second draft that is usually much closer. This is also when you check the facts, names, and figures, since you know them best, and when you approve what goes out under your name.

By the fourth week you should have a finished piece and a working rhythm. You know how much time the process asks of you, which is usually less than you feared, and the writer knows how you think. From there, new pieces tend to move faster.

Your schedule may differ, especially if the project is a longer one such as a series of articles or a book chapter. But the pattern holds. Early on you invest a little time so that later you can spend almost none. If you would like to talk through what a first month might look like for your project, I am happy to start that conversation.