Inside the Mind of a Ghostwriter: What Clients Say vs What They Mean

When people ask me what I do, I usually say, "I write for founders and investors."

But that’s only part of the story.

A big chunk of my job is translating what they say into what they actually mean

Because most people don’t have the language to express their ideas clearly the first time. Especially when it comes to their own story, their own value, their own brand.

Over the years, I’ve learned to listen between the lines.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the things clients say to me... and what they actually mean.

Client says: "I just want to be authentic."

What they mean: "I want to sound smart and credible, but I don’t want to come off as fake or full of myself."

This one comes up constantly. Most founders want to share their story, but they’re scared of looking self-promotional. So they hide behind vague content or write like a corporate LinkedIn post.

When I hear "authentic," I don’t just think "real." I think: warm, clear, useful, honest. I try to strip out buzzwords and let their voice breathe. That’s where the real connection happens.

Client says: "Can we make this a little more professional?"

What they mean: "This feels too casual and I'm nervous people won’t take me seriously."

Professional is one of those words that doesn’t mean much until you unpack it.

What they usually want is polish, not distance.

A lot of my job is helping founders see that simple language doesn’t equal sloppy. In fact, the most confident leaders communicate with surprising clarity. They don’t hide behind big words.

So when someone asks for more professionalism, I ask: do you want to impress people or impact them?

Client says: "I want to tell my story, but I don’t want it to be about me."

What they mean: "I want people to understand why I do what I do, but I’m scared of sounding self-centered."

This is one of my favorite challenges. Because the founder is the story.

Nobody remembers the mission statement. They remember the human who had the crazy idea, took the risk, and kept going when it got hard.

When a client says this, I look for a turning point. A story with emotion. Something only they can tell.

It always works. People engage with people.

Client says: "I want to go viral."

What they mean: "I want people to finally notice what I’m building."

I get the impulse. When you’ve spent years in the trenches, it’s tempting to want one big breakout moment. But the truth is: most great content careers aren’t made in a day.

They’re built post by post. Comment by comment. Thought by thought.

So instead of chasing virality, I help them chase consistency. It’s slower, but it’s real. And it actually works.

Client says: "This doesn’t sound like me."

What they mean: "This doesn’t sound like how I want to be perceived."

Voice is personal. But perception is even more personal.

Sometimes I write something that sounds exactly like a client’s real voice... but it doesn’t match the brand or image they want to project.

That’s where ghostwriting becomes psychology. I ask more questions. I listen harder. I adjust the tone until they see themselves in the mirror.

The goal isn’t to mimic. It’s to reveal.

Client says: "I just want to help people."

What they mean: "I want to lead with value, but I don’t know how to do that without giving away everything."

This one’s tough. Founders have so much knowledge locked up in their heads, but they’re afraid to share it because they think it will sound too basic or give away the secret sauce.

What I try to do is find the 10% they can give away freely... the stuff that builds trust, helps others, and still leaves room for curiosity.

Good content helps people solve a problem or think differently. It doesn’t have to include your entire playbook. Just a page.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Most of the work isn’t writing. It’s translating.

My job is to decode the gap between what someone says, what they mean, and what their audience needs to hear.

It’s not always easy. But when you get it right, it clicks.

You see the DMs. The connection. The traction. The brand that finally feels like them.

So if you’re trying to find your voice online, ask yourself:

Are you saying what you actually mean?