Reasons to Hire a Ghostwriter (and why you should hire me)

One of the services that I am glad to offer to my clients is ghostwriting, which is pretty much just writing content under someone else’s name. At first, it can seem a little shady to have someone else author content that you’re pushing as your own, but I assure you that ghostwriting is a perfectly legal and common practice. Many of your favorite celebrities, business leaders and politicians have hired ghostwriters to help pen books, articles, speeches and more. There are quite a few reasons as to why someone would seek out the assistance of a ghostwriter, so let’s discuss a couple of the most common ones.

Lack of Time
This is probably the most common reason that people hire ghostwriters, and this has been the case for some of my clients. Writing takes time. You could spend hours writing an article, days or weeks writing a speech, and months or even years writing a book. Depending on your schedule between work, family and other commitments, you simply may not have the time to devote to writing content on your own. In that scenario, hiring a ghostwriter can prove very beneficial. You’ll be able to have a skilled writer take your ideas and insights and package them into a compelling piece of copy that conveys your messaging clearly in your voice, and the best part is that you don't have to spend hours laboring over your laptop trying to do it on your own. My ghostwriting clients are smart and capable people who, if they had ample time, could crank out effective and engaging copy for their personal projects. But these smart and capable people are also busy people, so they turn to me to help them with their writing needs.

Lack of Experience or Ability
We all have strengths and shortcomings, and part of being successful is knowing how to capitalize on the things that you do well and how to seek help for the things that you don’t do as well. For some, writing a blog post, a podcast script or a white paper can be a difficult and daunting task. Lacking confidence in your writing abilities isn’t anything to feel bad about. No one is good at everything. While I’m a solid writer, I’m absolutely terrible at science and would definitely need a great deal of assistance if, by some unfortunate turn of events, I was asked to give a dissertation on biomedical engineering. And even with help, I’m sure I’d still fall flat on my face. If you know that writing isn’t your strong suit, there’s no shame in hiring someone to help you. A ghostwriter can help you come across as polished and professional, establishing your credibility as a knowledgeable authority on the subject at hand. 

My Process

When I ghostwrite for a client, I like to involve them in the process every step of the way, so as to ensure that they are actively engaged in the copy that is being produced. It’s a team effort, and in doing so, the client ends up happier with the finished product because their desires are considered from the very beginning. It starts with the initial consultation where the client tells me about the content they need created. We discuss the purpose, the target audience, the voice, and the mode of publication among other things. If the client has authored content before, I like to read it to get a feel for their voice. Then when it’s time to begin drafting content, I engage in an interview process where the client expresses their thoughts and what they want to convey. Here I’m paying attention not only to what they say, but how they say it to pick up on those cues and quirks that make that person sound like themselves. Although I’m ghostwriting on the behalf of my client, the goal is always to ensure that the copy still sounds like them and has their unique style and personality.

From there I transcribe the interviews, organize the thoughts into logical and compelling structure that flows well, and begin the draft, staying true to the client’s voice while also optimizing the copy for clarity and cogency. I send the draft to the client for their feedback and make necessary adjustments. By integrating the client into each stage of the ghostwriting process, it ensures that the resulting product is a collaborative effort that we both feel good about. At the end of the day, the client is happy because they now have a polished piece of content written in their voice that achieves their objective. And I’m happy to help the client by ameliorating the stress associated with writing and crafting up something they can be proud of. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. 

If you have trepidation about writing your own article, speech, book, whatever it may be — barring academic assignments — consider working with me. I would love to help you on your next big project. Complete my contact form on the homepage to get started, and let’s do this thing together!

The Three C’s of Effective Writing

One of my main goals for this blog is to provide relevant, helpful information that you can use to improve your own writing. And that’s what leads me to this post’s topic, what I consider to be the three C’s of effective writing. As my brand name evinces, I’m a fan of alliteration. It’s among my favorite rhetorical devices. And I really love the letter C. Could it be because it’s the initial letter of my name? Possibly, but I try not to be so self-absorbed. I think it’s probably because there are so many great things that begin with the letter C: cake, cats, Christmas — I could go on. But here, we’re examining the three C words that I think contribute to great writing — clarity, conciseness and cogency. Let’s commence ;)

Clarity

Writing that is clear and easy to comprehend is by and large the most effective. The average American reads on an 8th-grade level, so readability is something that you want to strive for in your own writing in just about every case. Unless you’re writing for academic audiences, it’s best to avoid gobbledygook and nebulous verbosity — which is exactly what it sounds like. You should aim to compose copy that is accessible to your audience. Overuse of jargon and long words can muddy up your meaning. Keep it simple and use language that is easily understood by most people. You want your readers to enjoy the act of reading your article, advertisement, email, whatever it may be. Don’t make it prohibitive with overly complicated wording. 

Conciseness

You can blame it on texting or TikTok or any scapegoat of your choosing, but the fact remains that the human attention span is short, and studies show that it’s getting shorter. Couple that with another fact — that reading is becoming increasingly less popular among Americans — and you’ve got some problems to consider when it comes to your writing. The key to overcoming these issues is to make your writing concise. Use the fewest amount of words that it takes to effectively communicate your message. Trust me, no one wants to read a dissertation, so you’ll do yourself and your readers a favor by being brief. Comb through your copy for filler and fluff and get rid of anything that doesn’t contribute to your main point and purpose. You want your writing to be punchy and to the point, so again keep it simple, and keep it short. 

Cogency

Cogent copy is compelling and convincing. It’s effective in its ability to persuade, whether your goal is to entertain, present an argument or spur action. There are things you can do to promote cogency in your writing. One is to prove your credibility on a subject by presenting relevant research, examples or experience to support your argument or main idea. Another is to think about the organization of your piece of writing and ensure that the ideas presented flow logically. Doing so will create a more seamless reading experience for those consuming your content. The most important thing you can do to make your writing cogent is to consider your audience. Your content is more engaging to your readers when they know it’s specifically tailored to them, their interests, their pain points, their unique experiences. Writing from the beginning with your intended readers in mind, and keeping these readers at the forefront during your editing process, will help you craft copy that is impactful and appealing to your audience.

Put these three C’s into practice for your writing. Whether you’re crafting an Instagram caption, a cover letter, or an annual report, writing that is clear, concise and cogent will always be effective. 

The Write Path for Me

Through the years, I’ve written for numerous blogs, but this is the first time in nearly a decade that I’m creating content for my own. My first blog was a college project-turned-passion about the local food economy in Savannah, Georgia. This blog won’t be like that, but the excitement I feel as I pen, or more accurately, type, these words is much the same. I thought I’d use this initial entry to further acquaint myself with you. If you read my brief bio, you know a little bit about me, but I’d like to take the opportunity to pull back the curtain and properly introduce myself and, hopefully, establish my credibility and provide you with more insight as to why I’m the right person for your writing needs. 

I have loved words and rhetoric since grade school. Growing up I was a voracious reader. I was also quite lonely as an only child army brat who had to start over and make new friends every two to three years, so I’d fill my journals with fanciful tales and sometimes poignant poems that I would read and rework and reread all throughout my younger years. I excelled in the language arts in school and aced my writing assignments. I won several writing contests and was published for the first time in my high school’s art and literary review. Despite my prowess and passion for prose, it didn’t occur to me that I could really make a career out of writing.

So in college, I majored in something medical at the behest of my family, and I did not fare well, to put it lightly. At the end of my sophomore year, I switched my major to English and professional communications, and I thrived, being named the outstanding English major of my graduating class. It was the last two years of my undergraduate that I began to understand how I could turn my passion into a profession. I graduated with my B.A. in English in 2015, and commissioned into the U.S. Army Reserve as a 2nd Lieutenant. 

My first writing gig out of college with a now-defunct food magazine based in Savannah. I also did freelance work for Visit Savannah and Visit Tybee Island. I didn’t earn much, but I got to write about the food, faces and places I loved in the Hostess City - experience that proved valuable as I built up my portfolio. A marriage and a move took me to El Paso,Texas, where I parlayed my experience into writing jobs with another now-defunct magazine — please support your local publications — and Visit El Paso along with Texas Lifestyle Magazine, which is still in circulation today. 

After another move prompted by Uncle Sam, I found myself in East Alabama. I did freelance work for a local marketing company promoting hospitality businesses on the Gulf Coast through engaging social media posts, newsletters and blogs. I also completed a very rewarding internship with The Borgen Project, and landed a job as a communication specialist in the marketing office of my local Goodwill. During that span of time, I was able to attend the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Maryland and reclassify myself as Public Affairs Officer. I then coupled my writing skills with my education in military communication strategy to lead teams of soldiers to tell the Army Reserve story.

I honorably separated from the military (and from my ex-husband) in the middle of the pandemic and relocated to the city of my youth, sweet home Savannah. I worked for a local arts and entertainment magazine for about two years, covering everything from food and fine art to music and museums. I met a lot of interesting people during those years, one such individual being the president of the Greater Savannah Black Chamber of Commerce. After seeing my work, he invited me to join the board — and subsequently convinced me to start this business. I currently serve on the marketing committee as the editor-in-chief of the chamber’s monthly newsletter. At present, I also work as a copy editor at one of the top art and design universities in the world. And I will soon begin my M.F.A. in writing there. 

As you can see, and as my portfolio can evince, I have a diverse body of work and years of experience in a variety of rhetorical contexts. However, that on its own isn’t why you should consider working with me. You should work with me because I am as committed to my clients as I am to my craft. I strive for excellence in every clause and am adept at communicating in a way that is clear, concise and compelling. I take pride in my work and I meticulously pore over sentences until they’re as effective as they can be. I understand voice and how to adapt it for diverse audiences, and I’ll use my skills to help you shine in your bio, brochure, billboard — whatever you need. I’m very responsive and can complete projects with a quick turnaround. If you need further convincing, feel free to complete my contact form to shoot me a message so we can jump on a call to discuss your needs. I look forward to working with you!