A skilled business book ghostwriter offers several advantages that can determine whether your book succeeds or fails, as well as helping to achieve a positive return on investment at the conclusion.
No ghostwriter can guarantee specific results, but there are certain things you can be sure of.
The first is that you’ll save hundreds of hours by relying on a ghostwriter to help write your book. You can then spend those hours doing something else, such as working or improving your golf game.
You’ll Save time
Although many aspiring authors envision writing their book in the evenings and weekends, it’s often difficult to block out big chunks of time. Which means that making progress on a book typically happens in a few minutes stolen here and there in between conference calls or after dinner.
The amount of time required to outline, research, and write a book draft averages 264 hours, according to Josh Bernoff, author of Build a Better Business Book (which is an affiliate link that could earn me a few pennies if you buy through it).
In reality, for a first-time author, 264 hours is probably low to write an entire business book, which Bernoff admits. He says, “No matter how long you think it will take, it will take twice that long.”
Which means that you should probably estimate that a book project will take you more than 528 hours your first time through, or several months of full-time work.
Most business leaders and executives don’t have the flexibility to just take several months off to devote to the task of crafting a book.
Additionally, you need to consider the value of your time. If you earn, for simplicity’s sake, let’s say $100/hour, at 528 hours, you’re saving at least $52,800 by handing off the writing task. And the higher your hourly rate or wage, the greater your savings. Attorneys, doctors, or CEOs earning $500/hour or more will save $264,000 and up.
Conversely, by working with a ghostwriter, you can expect to spend 1-2 hours per week talking through your content and reviewing drafts.
Your book can also be completed faster. Many ghostwriters estimate that a book project will take anywhere from 4 to 12 months. The speed at which the work can be completed depends a lot on you, though. The more accessible and available you are, the quicker your book can be drafted.
You’ll Save Money
As I said, delegating book-writing work to a professional ghostwriter will save you time and, depending on your equivalent hourly rate at work, it may also save you money.
Yes, you’ll have to pay for a ghostwriter’s services, but by allowing them to assume responsibility for producing a book, you can stay focused on earning money at your day job. It’s very likely you’ll come out ahead money-wise.
Keep in mind that a ghostwriter is more than a writer. They should also be publishing consultants who can point you to potential publishers and explain how each one works. This expertise can save you both time and money, by helping you to zero in on reputable publishing houses and educating you about their business practices and policies.
Finally, by working with a pro from the outset, you reduce the odds of having to pay for a pricey rewrite down the line.
You’ll Enhance Your Reputation
A published book has the potential to increase your visibility, position you as a thought leader, attract more attention to your work or your company, and even generate a little income. However, all of those benefits are predicated on you releasing a well-written book.
If your book stinks, you will garner few positive results.
Professional ghostwriters, who understand how to structure books for maximum readability and impact, who know how to craft compelling narratives, and who can weave together concepts that maintain reader engagement from the first to the last page, help you write a book that is even better than what you initially envisioned or planned.
They rely on well-developed interview and research skills that help pair stories from your life with recently published studies or reports that confirm your insights. Through their questions, they can pull out stories, anecdotes, lessons learned, and even frameworks that may not be obvious to you because you’re so close to the subject.
By working with a ghostwriter from the start, you can also be assured that the voice and writing style throughout will be consistent. Sometimes when you write a draft and then hire a ghost to flesh it out or rework it later on, it’s hard to blend the different approaches.
Finally, a well-written book is more likely to receive five-star Amazon reviews that can catch the attention of other business leaders and potential clients. Of course, one-star reviews will also catch people’s attention, but not in a good way. You want to try to avoid those at all costs.
The investment in a quality ghostwriter often pays dividends in credibility, thought leadership positioning, and business opportunities that flow from having a well-crafted book in the market.