As a recovering hyperachiever, ghostwriting has tested me. I’ve always been someone who wants to get a task or a project near perfect on the first try, but that all goes out the window when you’re writing a book. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your own book or someone else’s… It’s not going to be perfect on the first try.
What I’ve learned is that it’s important to keep in perspective that feedback doesn’t indicate failure. Instead, it shows engagement from the author and is a sign of collaboration. In fact, I make sure to push my authors for feedback to make sure we create an environment where they don’t feel like they need to tiptoe around it.
As a ghostwriter, the book is not about you. It’s about the author. It’s a highly personalized project, from their voice to their stories to their teachings. Feedback helps ensure that you hit the mark as a ghostwriter and that they get a book that they love (which is the true sign of success).
Common Types of Feedback
There are so many different types of feedback that an author can provide, but they typically fall into some common categories. One of the most prominent types of feedback is the voice of the author. As a ghostwriter, you’re writing as the author would, from word choice to sentence structure and beyond. This can sometimes take some fine-tuning, so early feedback is crucial.
While a nuanced difference, tone is another common area of feedback. This typically relates to the lens that is put over the author’s writing. It is a major factor in how the reader feels while they’re reading the book and when they finish the book. It can even impact the actions that the reader takes after they finish the book. This relates heavily to the author’s intention.
And of course, there are content edits. One type of content edit is clarifying stories or teachings from the original interviews. As the ghostwriter, you are not the expert, so there may be some fine-tuning needed once it’s seen in the rest of the context of the book. It’s also quite common for the author to want to fill in some content once they see how the book came together, or to remove some content that no longer feels important.
There’s one other common type of feedback that we’ll touch on, and that’s positive feedback! Authors often recognize the efforts of the ghostwriter on the book and will call out positive feedback as well, such as nailing the voice and framing a story beautifully.
Removing the Ego
As a ghostwriter, the book is not your book. It’s easy to get heavily invested in the book; you probably took on the project because you were on board with the impact it would make and the intentions of the author. But we must always keep in mind that bringing the author’s vision to life in a way that they love is the priority. We also must recognize our own limitations.
While we are experts on writing books, we are not the expert on the topic that is being written. The author is writing a book on that topic for a reason – they are the expert. They know that the nuances of what they’re talking about and what they teach can make a big difference, and as ghostwriters, we recognize that too.
When an author provides feedback, it helps to ensure that both parties are in alignment to make the intended impact. It’s not a personal attack.
Accepting Feedback
Receiving feedback doesn’t always feel great at first. As the writer, you’re pretty heavily invested in the book as well. It’s important to remember everything discussed so far, and I’ve found some other tips to be helpful as well.
Most of the time, the first feedback that I see from authors is via comments and suggestions in the Google doc. I ask them to do this ahead of time so we can have a more productive conversation. But as with most forms of written communication, it’s important to reserve a reaction to the feedback until a conversation is had. A comment alone often doesn’t convey the whole tone and context of the feedback.
Another important tactic is to ask clarifying questions. This creates a better product and gives more context to the true feedback. This is another reason that discussing comments is so important. Often, the collaboration of this discussion leads to the best outcome.
Finally, as the expert of writing a book, sometimes it’s appropriate to gently push back. It’s important to pick and choose your battles on this and only do it on truly impactful issues. When I do this, I always explain the “why” but ultimately leave it up to the author’s discretion. After all, it is their book!
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Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences with those who may find them relatable and helpful.