How I Landed My First CEO Ghostwriting Gig With Zero Memoir Experience And the Lessons I Learned From It

The first time I was hired to ghostwrite a memoir for a CEO, I was totally clueless about how to go about it. One truth you would learn about me as we get to know each other is that more times than not, in the course of my life and my career, I start a lot of things cluelessly and messily, and I build from there. 

So, back to what I was saying, I was referred for this gig by someone I greatly respect. At the time, I was desperate and needed something, so I said yes. Now, bear in mind that I had done a lot of ghostwriting in the past, but this was the first time I was handling the memoir of a high-profile professional. 

The memoir she wanted to write was a professional memoir about how she built her business from scratch, highlighting the important roles of God and family in her journey. Trust me, I was scared beyond reason because it was such a huge project, and in this edition of I Always Have Something To Say, I am going to discuss four lessons I learned from ghostwriting my first CEO story.

Lesson 1: I Had to Learn to Build Trust 

One of the most important things authors look for when they want to hire a ghostwriter is that the person must be trustworthy. 

Now, remember that this is the first time I've written a memoir, not to mention ghostwriting for a top personality. The first challenge I faced was to convince the client that I could actually do the job.

It's worth noting that I did not have a memoir writing portfolio, as I had never created one. The truth is that even if I had one, I couldn't showcase it because ghostwriting typically comes with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Before I tell you what I did, let me first tell you what I did not do.

I did not tell her I hadn't written a memoir before. When she conducted my interview and asked me all the questions and reservations I had, I answered them with confidence. What helped me answer her questions well was that I had been writing for years, and two, my favourite type of nonfiction to read is memoirs. I was familiar with the subject matter.

Now, let me tell you what I did. 

Usually, when I'm meeting someone virtually for the first time, I prefer to use a white background, and subsequently, I don't turn on my camera. For this meeting, knowing I did not have the required portfolio, I positioned my camera in front of my bookshelf. 

This way, my background was the collection of books that I had. That was the psychological angle. I wanted her to trust me to write her book, but I didn't just outrightly say, "Trust me, I can do it." Instead, I showed her that I was an avid reader, writer, and author. 

So when she asked to see samples of memoirs I had written before, I told her, "I can't share them with you because NDAs cover them." 

However, I was able to win over the client despite not having written a memoir before by leveraging my knowledge as both a writer and a reader.  It was a strategic move, and it worked. 

For aspiring ghostwriters, you have to first believe in yourself and your abilities before you can sell your services. 

Lesson 2: I Learned How to Use Empathy the Right Way

By nature, I am a very empathetic person to both real and fictional people. 

Wait, before you get confused, let me explain. 

When I read a book or watch a movie, I get so immersed in the characters that I feel their pain and joys for days after. It's the same with real-life people, too; I can get depressed on someone's behalf, which is why I stay away from really sad literature and stories. 

But now, as a ghostwriter who writes memoirs, I had to learn how to rein in my empathy. Not to shut it out entirely, but to allow it just enough that I can put myself in the client's shoes. 

The reason this is very important is that, as a ghostwriter, I must empathise sufficiently with the client to understand and tell their story accurately while also knowing when to step back, not get carried away, and remain objective because it's the client's story, not mine. 

So, I consciously reminded myself during interviews with my client that my objectivity is just as important as my empathy. 

Lesson 3: I had to Learn How to Sound Like My Client

One of the hardest things for a memoir ghostwriter is writing in the client's voice. Every writer has their own unique tone and style. Words are universal, but how they are written is not. That is why you can always tell when AI writes something; Artificial Intelligence follows a series of patterns as it has been programmed to follow. 

Yes, AI learns from you the more you use it, but no matter what, the first results it gives you will always need to be tweaked. Except, of course, you are a novice who genuinely believes that's how writing should sound. 

To sound like my client, I had to learn to listen attentively during interviews, watch their gestures, and then learn the rise and fall of their tone. 

But beyond that, I learned from my first client that I had to go the extra mile. I read essays they had written, and I listened to speeches they had made. All of that informed the tone and style with which I would write their story. 

As a ghostwriter, you must understand that the story is not yours; you are only helping the author write it. Therefore, it is an important skill for a ghostwriter to write in the voice of the client. 

Lesson 4: I Learned How to Balance Storytelling with Professionalism and Process 

Another important skill I had to put into use was project and client management because when dealing with a busy CEO, you will spend most of your days pursuing them to finish what they have started.

As a ghostwriter, when you are dealing with high-profile clients, your job goes beyond just storytelling. You will have to balance storytelling with process. 

Luckily for me, project management wasn't something new to me. As someone who worked three jobs and still had to write and publish her own books, learning how to balance my projects was something I learned early. 

For my first client, I worked with a synopsis and an outline, and I had timelines to follow for the project. I also scheduled interviews, you know, the whole drill.

One area where I struggled was client management. You see, it's one thing to schedule a meeting; it's another thing to get the client to attend the meeting. I still can't say I've hacked client management, even after working with several clients. But one thing I do now to protect myself is to include a clause in our ghostwriting contract to prevent client ghosting.

Another thing I had to learn how to do was manage the client's expectations. More often than not, clients will come to you with lofty dreams. You have to tell them the truth. For instance, a client can come to you saying, "I want to write and publish this book before my 60th birthday." 

Mind you, the said birthday is only just three months away. That's a highly unrealistic deadline, and short of writing subpar content for the client, there's no way you can meet it, even with the use of AI.

Many of your clients will be first-timers who have never written a book before and have numerous questions. Some even believe that their book will become an instant bestseller upon publication. You must manage their expectations by clearly communicating what is realistic and what is not.

You are the professional in this field, not the client. Always keep that at the back of your mind. 

Conclusion

What ghostwriting my first CEO Memoir taught me is that you have to be prepared in every way—emotionally, mentally, and even professionally. In addition, ghostwriting goes beyond just knowing how to write well; it includes knowing how to listen, how to lead, how to serve, and how to step out of the way so that your client's voice can shine.

To the CEOs, founders, and thought leaders reading this, your story deserves to be told. You don't have to be a writer to write a book. What you need is a partner who understands how to help you bring that story to life with empathy, strategy, and a deep respect for your voice. And that's what I do.

And to the writers who want to walk this path, know that ghostwriting is equal parts skill and surrender. You'll need to master the craft, yes, but also the art of staying invisible while building for someone else.

If this resonated with you and you want to learn more about ghostwriting or how we help people tell their stories professionally, visit AskWords.ng. Whether you're ready to write your book or you're just figuring things out, we are here for you.