Ghostwriting Companies Are the Secret Weapon Behind Business Bestsellers

Writing a Business Book? Here’s How to Put a Ghostwriter to Work for You

Behind every great business book is a ghostwriter.

Well, that’s half right, at least.

Publishing experts estimate that anywhere from 50% to 60% of all business books (and non-fiction books in general) have been touched by a ghostwriter, including high-profile titles that might surprise you:

• Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”

• “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki

• “Jack: Straight From the Gut” by G.E. Chairman and CEO Jack Welch

• Auto executive Lee Iacocca’s “Iacocca: An Autobiography”

• Sam Walton’s “Made in America”

• Howard Schultz’s “Onward”

And those are just the authors who acknowledged their ghostwriters. Thousands of other books — including best-sellers, required reading for business students, hardcovers on your nightstand, and e-books in your reader — are the product of partnership with an anonymous writer or two.

Why do so many business leaders use ghostwriters?

Ghostwriters bring their ideas to life without putting pressure on tight schedules.

Writing well isn’t easy, even for people who are accomplished public speakers.

Collaboration makes the final product stronger.

If you’re thinking of writing a business book with the help of a ghostwriting service or copywriting agency, you’re in good company, and plenty of it.

Your business book can help:

• Expand your brand

• Attract new customers

• Find new partners

• Train employees on company culture

• Guide future business leaders

• Leave a legacy

Your Story is Just That: Yours

As ghostwriters, we often hear something along these lines: I want to write a book, and people tell me I should, but how can I be sure people will want to read it?

We get it. Putting a lifetime of experience onto paper isn’t simple. You want your words to have value, and that’s the same whether you’re hoping to sell your book to the public or planning to give it to customers, friends, and family.  

That’s why, long before your ghostwriter taps out a single sentence, their first job is to help you articulate the book’s core purpose, refine your concept, and develop main points and important lessons. They’ll ask astute questions — something writers with journalism backgrounds excel at — to understand what makes you, your business, and your story unique.  A good ghostwriter won’t enter the conversation with preconceived notions, but they will ask you to consider different perspectives.

As a result of brainstorming and research (ghostwriters are innately curious) the story that makes it to print might be vastly different from what you first had in mind.

But whatever we land on together, your book will be beautifully written, fuller, richer, more engaging, and more compelling than you might have imagined. In every sense, though, it will be your story, true to your voice, start to finish. Working with a ghostwriter doesn’t diminish your authenticity. It’s not cheating.

As for intellectual property rights, they’re all yours. So are all the royalties.

What can a business book ghostwriter do for you?

• Help you clearly define your book’s purpose and audience

• Provide competitive and background research

• Create a roadmap and outline that ensure an organized, logical flow of content

• Capture your voice

• Limit self-promotion

• Develop a high-impact introduction

• Use effective storytelling techniques to keep readers engaged

• Support key points and takeaways with facts and data

• Share how readers can apply your strategies

• Ensure readability

• Minimize jargon and buzzwords

• Edit, revise, and proofread

Time Well Spent

Now, what about that time factor?  

One reason people hire business book ghostwriters is because they’re too busy running their company to spend hours turning rough ideas into polished content. Your writer will whittle down your business book workload, but you’ll still have to set aside time for strategizing, idea generation, interviews, and reviewing outlines, drafts, revisions, and the final manuscript.

Our experience is that the average author spends just 35 to 40 hours on their book. That’s a fraction of the 300 or so hours your ghostwriter will tally on a 100-page manuscript. (By the way, shorter books are better. You’re not writing an encyclopedia, you’re providing focused information that readers can relate to, learn from, and use immediately.)

Showcase Your Expertise

Another concern we’ve encountered is this: I’m not running Walmart — is my business too small for my ideas to matter?

The short answer: not at all. Regardless of the size of your operation or how many employees work for you, if you’ve got big ideas to reveal, writing a book demonstrates your expertise and commitment to a topic. Sharing your personal journey can help you connect with customers and prospects on a deeper level. Your book can be an excellent marketing tool and the springboard to speaking engagements, podcast tours, and media coverage.

Key Takeaways

• You’ve got a story to tell. Ghostwriters help you tell it better.

• Ghostwriters preserve your voice.

• Ghostwriters let you concentrate on running your business but keep your project on track

• No business is too small for a book.

Ghostwriters are the secret behind many great books – why not yours?

Copybrighters, a Texas-based writing agency, specializes in nonfiction ghostwriting and book editing. Our leadership team brings more than 70 years of combined experience in journalism, marketing, and public relations.

Contact us to learn how we can support your book project.