Interview With The Ghostwriter

(Beth Turnage Blog)
I’m typing this from my bed at 2 a.m. with a deadline looming. By morning, I’ll have turned someone else’s rough idea into 5,000 words of polished prose they’ll publish under their name. And that’s exactly how I want it.

For many, ghostwriters are shadowy figures who spin words for cash. You don’t know who they are unless they tell you what they do for a living. They might not, because it avoids uncomfortable questions at parties, such as “What are you working on now?”

“Well, conservative Sis, I’m writing a reverse harem with three men and a woman who find love and spicy romance in an unconventional relationship structure.” I smile. She walks away.

You can see why I don’t stay long at parties.

Let’s Get Serious

In this post, I’ll address questions about the profession, ethics, and the realities of writing under someone else’s name shaped by years in the trenches of commercial storytelling.

Is It Fair to hire a Ghostwriter?

If you’re asking whether ghostwriting is ethical, ghostwriting has existed since at least Ancient Greece and has continued to the present day. Authors hire ghosts not because they can’t write, but because they don’t have the time or skills to write enough. Publishing is a hungry machine. One author might produce one, maybe three, books a year. But readers binge. If the next book isn’t there, they move on. So, publishing houses and indie brands use ghostwriters to build the inventory.

You’ll know if a writer might use a ghost if their Amazon listings show a book a month released. Often, these authors are brands, not individuals. Sometimes you’ll see bylines like ‘with [ghost’s name]’ tucked under the big-name author.

Hiring a Ghostwriter

Hiring a ghostwriter is easy. Hiring a good ghostwriter? That takes a little more effort—and budget.

Before you start your search, it helps to be honest with yourself about what you’re looking for. How much are you willing to spend? How fast do you need the finished manuscript? Do you want to be hands-on during the process or trust the writer to run with it? What’s your backup plan if the ghost bails halfway through the project? And yes—you absolutely need a contract.

Now, let’s talk money. Sure, you’ll find ghostwriters charging a penny a word. But at that price, you’re shopping at the literary equivalent of Walmart. Don’t expect a polished product. In fact, where you save on the writer, you’ll likely end up spending on editing—and good editors are expensive. Bad editors? They’ll cost you even more in negative reviews.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to more experienced writers. Just remember, this is how they make a living. If you want quality work, you have to pay for it.

The better the ghost, the more likely they’ve got a few projects on the stove. That’s just how freelancing works. Reliable clients get priority. I have one client who regularly sends me 3,000 to 6,000 words to turn around the same day. She pays immediately and communicates clearly. So, I always show up.

The better ghostwriters are often booked weeks or months in advance. Want to secure your slot? Pay a deposit. They’re in demand for a reason.

Timelines vary. A good ghostwriter can usually knock out a 50,000-word novel in about four to six weeks. Longer books take more time, naturally. If you want something finished faster than that, expect to pay more—and make sure your expectations are clear from the start.

As for how you’ll work together, there are generally two paths. Either you’ll hand the writer a detailed outline and expect them to follow it closely, or you’ll sit down and toss ideas around—talking about story, characters, tropes, tone, POV, and what you absolutely do or don’t want.

Some clients want to be involved at every stage. Personally, I don’t work like that. Tell me the vision, and I’ll keep you posted at key points.

Deliverables vary by writer, but I usually provide a fleshed-out outline (mine, not necessarily one the client gives me), sample chapters to test tone, the project in chunks of 10K to 20K, and the finished manuscript in one clean Word file. Of course, not everything goes smoothly.

Life happens. Writers get sick. Schedules slip. That’s why I always advise clients to keep a shortlist of people who impressed them during the hiring process. If your chosen ghost can’t finish the job, you’ll want to pivot quickly without starting from scratch.

And yes, you absolutely need a contract. That contract should protect your identity and outline the scope of the relationship. I include a clause for what counts as “reasonable rewrites” and specify that Grammarly sets the standard for grammar and spelling. Your contract might look different. The point is, get everything in writing so expectations are clear, and no one ends up surprised.

Why Don’t Ghostwriters Publish Their Own Books?

For some, it’s called a mortgage. For me, it’s called disability. I write from bed on a laptop because I can’t do traditional work anymore. Writing pays the bills. Yes, I could self-publish, and I do when the work means something to me. But most of what I ghostwrite isn’t my legacy—it’s theirs.

Traditional publishing isn’t as lucrative as you think and most titles don’t earn out their advances. Unless you’re the 1%, you hustle for every royalty check. Ghostwriting lets me get paid now.

Is Ghostwriting Plagiarism?

No. Plagiarism is theft. Ghostwriting is a transaction. It’s original work, created under contract, for pay.Y ou’re not stealing it—you’re buying it.

The ethical gray area appears when someone uses a ghostwritten book to claim they’re a writer when trying to sell the book to a publisher. That’s deception. And it catches up fast. If you can’t discuss your book intelligently, editors and agents will notice. Publishing is a small world. They talk.

How Do Ghostwriters Work With Clients?

Clients vary. Some bring detailed outlines; others give me just a trope or a vibe. A typical brainstorming session might go like this:

Client: I want a fake marriage romance.

Me: Fake fiancé or fake marriage?

Client: Maybe fake fiancé… and he’s her best friend’s brother.

Me: Cool. Let’s build in a manipulative boss and high stakes.

From there, I build the outline, the characters, the setting—and submit chapters and/or an outline for approval.

People think ghostwriting is formulaic. It’s not. It takes real craft to make familiar tropes feel fresh. One client said, ‘These characters breathe. I loved every word.’ That’s the win.

Sometimes I write full novels. Other times, I punch up 18 chapters overnight to make a heroine more badass. I also do story audits and write missing scenes. It’s all about what the client needs—and what they pay for.

Do You Care That No One Knows You Wrote It?

It doesn’t bother me when someone else’s name goes on my words. They aren’t really mine. I was paid to give them up. That’s the deal. And I don’t resent it. My clients know how to market books. That’s a separate skill set. I write, and they sell. I don’t get the credit, but I also don’t want my writing legacy to be pegged on some of the books I write for clients.
I care about the quality, not the credit. A lot of what I ghost isn’t work I want tied to my name anyway. And when I do have a story that matters to me, I write it under my name.
Until then? The mortgage money spends just fine.

The Care and Feeding of Your Ghostwriter

Time is money for your ghostwriter, so they appreciate it when you don’t waste their time. Answer questions as quickly as possible and pay promptly and you’ll have a ghostwriter that is eager to work for you.

Ghostwriting isn’t glamorous, and it’s not mysterious. It’s a business relationship built on clear expectations, mutual respect, and yes, prompt payment. Master those basics, and you’ll have writers lining up to make your ideas shine.

If you have any questions, drop them in a comment.

FYI, This post is a mash-up of several of my Quora posts.

Ghostwriter image generated by Dall-e