The time has come, in our ghostwriting process series, to actually talk about the writing process. While this mostly sits with the ghostwriter, it’s important to know what to expect as the author as well.
The ghostwriter will be doing the bulk of the work here, but the author will have some involvement. It’s also important that the author fully understand what their role is in the process, when they’re expected to provide input, and what type of input is expected at this stage.
Writing is an iterative process and often messy at the beginning. Setting clear expectations helps to make this process more seamless for everyone involved. This blog will discuss some of the high-level aspects of the writing process that are relevant to the author.
Timing
Different ghostwriters have different processes, and even the same ghostwriter may have different processes for different types of books. I’ll speak to my own approach, but each writer is unique. For me, business, personal development, and leadership books will have a different process than a memoir.
For the former set of categories, I will draft the book throughout the interview process. As we complete interviews, I will start drafting the chapters that correspond with their interviews. While I likely won’t be able to keep up in lockstep, we’ll still be working in parallel.
Memoirs are a different ball game. In those cases, all the interviews are completed before the writing starts. Memoir interviews tend to be less straightforward. They entail more vulnerable stories. Deep reflections. New insights. This can cause different topics or stories to come up throughout different points in the process and not necessarily in order. Because there could be game changing revelations throughout the process, the writing happens after all the interviews are complete.
The Preview
As a ghostwriter, it’s imperative to be on point with the author’s voice and tone as well as to be aligned on the desired structure and cadence of the book. To ensure that I’m on track, I give the author a preview of a representative chunk of the first part of the book.
This ensures that the tone, structure, and voice are aligned with the author expectations. Doing a check-in at this point in the process mitigates the chances of having to do major rewrites once the whole book is completed.
While the author can weigh in on content as well, the primary goal of this review is voice, tone, and structure. As such, it’s important for the author to pay attention to word choice, feelings that are evoked, and the cadence at which the book is moving. These nuances add up throughout the book and are important to catch early.
Solitude
While it’s necessary to get author input at the beginning of the first draft, it’s my preference as a ghostwriter to work on the rest of the first draft before the author provides any additional reviews. I’ve tried both processes, and let me tell you why I prefer to only have author eyes on the preview before they see the entire first draft.
Although I’m a professional writer, first drafts are still often messy. It’s easier to see how the book will shape up once it’s all on paper. Sometimes, I’ll write a few chapters, and then realize I need to move things around. Other times, I realize I have content gaps that I want to fill in earlier or later. I might think of a better way to organize things as I work through it.
Furthermore, I have a plan in mind of how I want to cover the content. If the author is reviewing throughout the process, they may feel that there’s content missing that I plan to cover or elaborate on later.
Author reviews in parallel to my writing can also lead to the ghostwriter and the author stepping on each other’s toes. The author will naturally lag the ghostwriter a bit because the ghostwriter is writing future chapters while the author is reviewing earlier chapters. Because of this, the author is lacking knowledge that the ghostwriter has. It’s unfair to them to ask them to review content when I’m the only one with the full viewpoint of the book at this point.
While continuous reviews can be done, it often leads to unnecessary churn and effort for both the author and the ghostwriter. If the ghostwriter is effectively understanding the author voice, it’s best to let them go. There is ample opportunity to provide feedback after the first draft is done.
If you want to author a book but don’t want to do the actual writing, partnering with a ghostwriter is a great option. Let’s chat so you can learn more. Book a free strategy session using the button below!
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