8 Questions Every Ghostwriter Should Ask Before Saying Yes to a Book Project

We’ve been having discussions in the Association of Ghostwriters (AOG) about prospect red flags, likely because our colleagues have run across some challenging clients.
It’s easy to get stuck with a client who has unrealistic expectations regarding what you can do to help write their book. In many cases, it’s not their fault if we haven’t done a good job of explaining the process and timeline associated with writing a book.
To prevent that from happening, here are eight questions you’ll want to be sure you ask before you ever send a prospective client a proposed agreement to consider. Without these answers, you may be setting yourself up for frustration or scope creep that can cost you big bucks.
First Interview Questions
Ask these broad questions early on to help you recognize whether to gather more information or refer the prospect elsewhere. Your prospect will have questions for you, and you should consider asking them for:
1. Project details
Before you even agree to take a call or schedule a Zoom meeting, it’s a good idea to ask about the basic project parameters. The more information you can gather in advance, the more time you can save yourself.
These early questions should include what the book is about, when the author would like it done, how long they’re expecting it to be (in terms of pages or words), whether they have a publisher lined up, and what their budget is.
Typically, the answers to these questions will help you determine right away if you want to learn more.
For example, if you specialize in trauma memoirs and this book is a how-to real estate guide, this is probably not a good fit for you. Or if the author has a big speech they’re giving in two months and they want a book in their hands then, you may shy away because it would be extremely difficult to meet such a timeline (unless you’re available and ready to jump right in).
2. How they found you
Although not every ghostwriter asks this question early on, finding out how your prospect discovered you can be very useful information. Their response may help you decide if this is a project you want to pursue.
For example, if they were doing some Google research and came across your website, that’s useful information for you to have and suggests they know enough about you to have determined you may be a fit. On the other hand, if they tell you your worst client ever referred them, you may decide to decline the opportunity. Or you may decide to continue exploring, but at least you’ll have your guard up from the start.
3. A description of their ideal ghostwriter
Many aspiring authors don’t know enough about the process yet to know what characteristics or experience they want their ghostwriter to have, but those who have thought about it can share information that may be useful to you.
For example, if they believe they need a ghostwriter who has written multiple NYT bestsellers, has 15+ years of experience, has worked with celebrities, and is in their neighborhood, you may opt to back away slowly unless you like working face-to-face with local clients and are comfortable quoting a very high fee. We know that bestselling ghostwriters typically charge a higher fee, but not all authors do.
You can also take the opportunity here to educate them on what you bring to the table and why that is more important than the characteristics they have mentioned.
For example, what if they have a big idea book they want to work on, and you have that expertise? You’ll want to explain that experience in their genre is more relevant than a NYT bestseller count, which frequently has more to do with the marketing budget than the ghostwriter’s skill.
Share the type of client you like working with, too, so they can assess if that sounds like them.
4. What is their “why”
An important early question is why the author wants to write this book. What is their motivation? What do they hope to have happen once the book is released? These responses can help you identify potential red flags regarding expectations or simply alert you to an important event that should drive your schedule.
Many authors share that their circle of friends and family have encouraged them to write a book, and you may want to press them on why they would want to undertake such a big project. They need to be invested, no matter what their friends are pushing them to do.
In addition to understanding the book’s purpose, you should also ask about what success looks like for them. Are they expecting a massive advance from a traditional publisher? A New York Times bestseller? A big promotion at work? Since you have no control over any of those outcomes, it’s helpful to understand their expectations and address them now.

5. Books they’d like to emulate
Asking your prospect to list books they enjoyed or that they consider to be close in message or style to their book is also instructive.
Knowing titles that they admire or want to emulate helps you assess if you have the skills to deliver that — or if you even want to try.
For example, if your author mentions several parables they loved, you’ll need to decide how confident you are that you can shape their book into a parable. Or if they mention a tear-jerker of a memoir and you know you don’t want to write depressing or long-drawn-out books, this helps you provide feedback and determine if you want the work.
If not, you can refer them to a colleague.
6. Their availability
When you begin to discuss your work process, it is important to ask about your potential client’s schedule.
Some clients are under the impression that they can give you a few words of inspiration and then leave you to it; they don’t understand that they need to stay involved in shaping the book until the end. So, ask about their calendar and availability for regular meetings. If they have a good bit of travel coming up, you’ll want to be aware so that you can work around it or at least plan for it.
You’ll also want to inquire about other decision-makers who will be involved in the process. Working for a single client is very different from working with a committee, and you’ll want to price accordingly if you’ll effectively have five supervisors instead of one.
Ask about their preferred form of communication. If you rely primarily on email to set up meetings and they are more used to regular phone calls or texts 24/7, you need to decide if that is acceptable.
Finding out how comfortable or familiar they are with technology is also helpful. If they have never used Track Changes in Word, for example, you’ll know in advance that receiving feedback may be more time-consuming. Or if they love Google Docs and you don’t, it’s smart to find that out early on.
7. Any existing materials
During your first conversation(s), it’s smart to ask about where the content for their book will come from.
Is the material in their head waiting to be expressed on paper? Is it in the form of printed-out notes and journal articles they have been saving in a box? Do they have lots of background filed away in Evernote?
Obviously, some of these situations are more time-consuming than others to deal with. Having to review and sort paper files stowed in boxes is very different from perusing electronic file folders, for example. Neither is a problem, but one will require more time to get up to speed than the other.
8. Use of outside sources
Although this is getting a little more detailed than you may need at the start, it’s helpful to know if this book will be research-heavy and filled with article citations listed in footnotes or if a bibliography at the back will be sufficient. Again, the response helps you more accurately assess your workload and an appropriate fee.
Red flags to watch for
You can’t always recognize clients who turn out to be problematic, but some of the situations to be on alert for are:
- Asking you to split the revenue or profits on the back end rather than being paid as the work is completed
- An unrealistic schedule, reflecting that they think the work to be done is easier and simpler than it actually is
- Lack of clarity about the book’s subject matter
- Requests for meeting after meeting to discuss the project when they have enough information to make a go/no go decision after one or two
- Treating you poorly at any stage — they’re giving you a glimpse of what they would really be like to work with.
Early interviews with prospective clients are as much an opportunity to assess if they want to work with you as they are for you to decide if you want to work on this project with them. Pay attention to both the information they share and the way they share it before agreeing to give them any more of your time.
The best clients recognize the value ghostwriters bring to the project, appreciate your hard work, and don’t push the boundaries that you establish regarding your time or availability.
The good news is that there are a lot of them out there, you just need to ask these questions and others to find them.
What other questions do you ask potential clients early on?