15 Types of Ghostwriting Projects

15 Types of Ghostwriting Projects

Almost any kind of written document can be outsourced to a ghostwriter.

Almost any kind of written document can be outsourced to a ghostwriter.

Depending on the type of writing projects you most commonly take on, you may think that ghostwriting is a tad limiting. That is, that you can only ghostwrite, say, books, or speeches, or blog posts.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Ghostwriting allows you to create virtually any kind of document for someone else, in their voice. That list is quite extensive. To give you some ideas, here are 15 types of ghostwriting projects you could tackle for a client:

  1. Articles. From bylined articles your client submits to a magazine, to a website like HuffPo or Forbes, to an internal newsletter, or a number of other outlets, article ghostwriting can be a steady stream of work.
  2. Bios. Everyone needs a personal biography written at some point in their career, whether for a press release announcing a new job, an award application, a book proposal, or LinkedIn.
  3. Blog posts. Companies and individuals with blogs often get overwhelmed with the constant demand for content and attention that blogs require. You can take the pressure off by offering to pen those posts.
  4. Books. Many individuals believe they have a book in them, whether it’s to tell their rags-to-riches story, detail a discovery they made, or help promote their company.
  5. Case studies. One of the most effective sales tools, case studies – also called success stories – are a way for companies and brands to share positive experiences their clients have had with them. Case studies can be used on product packaging, websites, direct mail letters – you name it.
  6. Email newsletters. Many organizations and professionals today send out regular newsletters to their audience. Writing articles, tips, and updates could be a steady gig.
  7. Manuals. Companies that manufacture products – especially tech-related – often need user guides and manuals to explain how to use the item.
  8. Musical lyrics. Many rap and pop musicians today use ghostwriters to create lyrics to accompany music that has been written.
  9. Press releases. Businesses frequently need press releases written to announce new hires, new products, awards, tips, and other information to the media.
  10. Scripts. TV and movie producers often need scripts written by outsiders.
  11. Social media updates. Our constant use of social media to share and gather information has led to an ongoing need for written updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram. Some ghostwriters specialize in this niche.
  12. Speeches. Few executives and government leaders have the time to craft their own speeches, whether it’s a keynote for a trade organization or a quick introduction of a guest speaker at Rotary. This is another potential ghostwriting specialty.
  13. Toasts. Weddings, engagements, eulogies…these life events often call for someone to “say a few words,” and some people are increasingly asking for help in preparing those thoughts.
  14. Video scripts. Thanks to the rise in the use of video for just about everything – product announcements, how-to instruction, website openers – there is increasing demand for ghostwriters to create scripts for the client to follow.
  15. White papers. Formerly common only in technology companies, white papers are now used by a wide variety of companies to educate their target market about industry issues and trends and where their company and its products fit in.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start to help you think about other types of ghostwriting work you could pursue.

What other kinds of ghostwriting projects have you run across?

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Marcia Layton Turner

2 Comments

  1. Dennis Briskin on January 6, 2016 at 6:10 am

    Excellent idea and list. I would add Book Proposals.

  2. Michael on June 24, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Excellent article and a good list! Another point would be scientific texts. Kind Regards from Germany.

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