8 Reasons Not to Hire a Ghostwriter

We have a new and better way to create and tell your story. If you are looking for a ghostwriter, think about the 8 reasons we have for not hiring one.

Support team

How we discovered ghostwriting doesn’t work for everyone who wants to write a book.

I hired ghostwriters ten years ago when my clients—CEOs and thought leaders—wanted to find a ghostwriter to write their book. After working with dozens of ghostwriters, I transformed my book writing and book publishing model dramatically. Read below why we think hiring a ghostwriter isn't the best option for the writing of your book. Then read my recommendations for an alternative approach to getting started.

— Corey Blake, Founder of Round Table Companies

  • 1

    Hiring a ghostwriter is like hiring a hitman.

    A ghostwriter is kind of like the hit man: they both walk away when the job is over. And they both want the money up front.

  • 2

    Hiring a ghostwriter may be a waste of time and money.

    Most of our clients first tried hiring a freelance ghostwriter and wasted time and money (as much as $50,000!) before they found us. We don’t want that to be you.

  • 3

    A ghostwriter may not capture your voice.

    How is your voice captured? When you work with a ghostwriter, the two of you naturally lose objectivity about your product, working in a vacuum.

  • Start With Your Personal Purpose

    Writing the book you were born to write begins with recognizing how the universe has prepared you to champion the conversation you're about to have the world.

  • 4

    You will need to closely manage a ghostwriter.

    Because that’s part of the role you play when hiring an expert to provide you a service. The nature of the relationship makes you the “boss” and not the “client” to be served.

  • 5

    Hiring a ghostwriter can be a conflict with your business culture.

    All of these pop up from time to time in any business relationship. But ghostwriters don’t have an HR department so that drama gets in the way of your writing.

  • 6

    Ghostwriters leave when the book is finished.

    Yes, because he’s a ghostwriter. That means you’re going to be alone after your book is finished.

  • 7

    Ghostwriters don’t have great expertise...

    ...in platform building, brand building, and marketing, so you’re going to need to hire and manage an entire team.

  • 8

    Hiring a freelance ghostwriter is a one-and-done experience.

    Once they are done with your book, they are going to move onto the next one.

If you’re an entrepreneur, a business owner, an artist, or an author, you can learn from Corey’s story of creativity and innovation.

Tony Hsieh
Tony Hsieh
CEO, Zappos.com; New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness

Before you start writing

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