Ghostwriter's Craft: Capturing CEO Voice

Your ghostwriter interviewed you once. In January. It shows. Your posts sound like someone describing you from memory. After one coffee. Three months ago. (Not their fault. It’s how the industry sold it to them.) You’ve already tried the alternatives. Writing it yourself. Worked for a fortnight. Then the pipeline called and the drafts started dying in Notion. AI tools. Gave you content that sounds like everyone else’s content. Another ghostwriter. Different face. Same embalming. Here’s what I do instead. I stay in the room. Calls. Voice notes. The text you fire off at midnight when a client has wound you up. I catch your voice when it shifts, not when it sits still for a headshot. Voice isn’t a document. It’s a pulse. Pulses don’t survive being photographed. (The midnight ones are where the best lines live. Always have been.) I don’t write your posts. I keep up with you. Two slots open for Q2. If your content sounds nothing like you do over dinner, that’s the brief.

In his first 8 months, this ghostwriter: • Made over $14,000 • Built a 30-day pipeline worth $12,000 • Sold an EEC to a top Substack creator But the most impressive milestone? He was able to quit his job to go all-in on his ghostwriting business. And I thought it'd be helpful to walk through how he landed his most recent $4,000 ghostwriting client. For context: This client was actually referred to him from ANOTHER prospect he reached out to. Which is why it's so important to lead with high-quality outreach. You never know when: • Someone who didn't need a ghostwriter suddenly does • Someone who didn't want to work with you changes their mind • Someone who didn't need any help will connect you to someone who does Quality > Quantity. Anyways, they scheduled a sales call. But before they chatted, this ghostwriter used "AI Cole" to prepare. It's a $25,000 AI Agent trained on: • 4,000,000+ words I've written • 1,000+ hours of my live trainings • Every product & curriculum I've ever created All giving it a tremendous amount of knowledge to pull from. (It's basically 24/7 support & custom advice that responds in 10-15 seconds.) So, this ghostwriter took AI Cole's recommendations to the sales call. And guess what? The client loved them! So they agreed to a $4,000 ghostwriting project. But here's the takeaway from this story: The quality of your outreach is how you build a massive sales pipeline you can leverage for a very long time. This ghostwriter followed up with this client between May 2025 and January 2026. That's 8+ months! Want to use the same proven system this ghostwriter used to: • Quit their job • Make over $14,000 • Build a 30-day pipeline worth $12,000 • Sell an EEC to one of the top Substack creators... ...in their first 8 months ghostwriting? Click here to get instant access (for FREE): https://lnkd.in/ddW4PY6n

Here’s what to look out for when searching for a ghostwriter. This is because not all writers are the same. And in a space where trust matters this much, if you choose the wrong one, it can cost you TIME, MONEY, & your PEACE OF MIND. So here are a few things that actually matter: 1️⃣ Communication You have to pay attention to how they respond before you even start working together. ¤ Do they reply on time? ¤ Do they answer clearly? ¤ Do they ask thoughtful questions? This is because how someone communicates at the beginning is usually how they’ll communicate during the project. 2️⃣ Consistency, not just skill A writer can be talented and still be unreliable. What you need is someone who can deliver consistently as that is what is meant to keep you. You can check out their past works or reviews to guide you. 3️⃣ Ability to understand your voice A good ghostwriter doesn’t just write well, they write like you and they carry out your ideas the way you would have. So, pay attention to whether they try to understand how you think, speak, & what matters to you. If it doesn’t sound like you, it won’t feel like you. 4️⃣ Professionalism This shows up in small things like meeting deadlines, handling feedback well, respecting boundaries, & keeping things confidential. Professionalism is what makes the process smooth. 5️⃣ Proof of work Ask for samples, not just to see if they can write, but to understand clarity, structure, and storytelling ability. Don't just take words for it, ensure you look at the work. Choosing a ghostwriter shouldn’t feel like a gamble. When you know what to look for, it becomes a lot easier to find someone who fits. P.S. If you’ve worked with a ghostwriter before, what’s one thing you wish you had checked earlier? And if you're going to work with one, what's one thing you'll check first?

So, what does working with a ghostwriter actually look like? When you're in the ghostwriting bubble, reading posts from fellow ghostwriters all day, it's easy to think that everyone knows what we do. But it turns out that's not the case at all. So this is what working with me looks like: It starts with a call. This usually turns into something more like a free consulation, but the aim is to work out whether we're the right fit. If we are, we move to the next stage. The interview. I hold 60-90 minute interviews with my clients once a month. These are fairly casual, recorded chats, where I'll ask you questions to help get the thoughts out of your head. Or you'll just tell me what you want to post about during the month. Everyone has a different take. You might have ideas that come up during the week, in which case you can send them over or record voice messages, and I'll adapt them into your posting schedule. The end result is a transcript that I will use to create 12-20 posts per month in your voice. Posting. Finally, you check the content to give it the go ahead or ask for edits, and it all gets scheduled in. I can do this for you. Then it all starts again the next month. So, if you're in the climate or sustainability space and you're wondering whether a ghostwriter can help, send over a DM and let's chat.

I almost didn't become a ghostwriter. Because I believed every myth about it. "It's dishonest." "People will find out." "The content won't sound real." I was wrong about all of it. And so are the executives who use these same objections to stay invisible online. Here's the truth behind every myth: The Ghostwriting Misconception Map. Myth 1: "It's not authentic." Reality:  ↳ Your ideas go in. Your words come out.  ↳ The ghostwriter extracts, not invents.  ↳ A speechwriter doesn't make the President less authentic on stage.  ↳ The thoughts are yours. The polish is theirs. Myth 2: "People will find out." Reality:  ↳ Every CEO book you've admired: ghostwritten.  ↳ Every keynote speech that moved you: ghostwritten.  ↳ Most Forbes bylines from executives: ghostwritten.  ↳ Nobody found out. Because there's nothing to find. Myth 3: "AI can do it cheaper." Reality:  ↳ AI can write words. It can't think like you.  ↳ AI has no memory of your 3am decisions.  ↳ AI has no scar from the deal that fell apart.  ↳ AI has no syrup.  ↳ Your expertise is irreplaceable. AI just generates. Myth 4: "I should write my own content." Reality:  ↳ You should build your own products too.  ↳ And manage your own finances.  ↳ And design your own website.  ↳ You don't. Because leverage exists.  ↳ Content is no different. Myth 5: "It won't sound like me." Reality:  ↳ A bad ghostwriter won't sound like you.  ↳ The right one will sound more like you  ↳ than your own first drafts do.  ↳ Because they're trained to listen  ↳ for what makes your voice yours. Here's what I've learned after years of ghostwriting for founders, executives, and experts: The myth isn't about ghostwriting. It's about fear. Fear of being seen. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Fear that the expertise you've built isn't interesting enough for a feed. It is. You just need someone who knows how to show it. DM me PROFITS and let's clear up whatever myth is keeping you invisible.

Most clients come to a ghostwriter with a "brief" that's really just vibes. "Write like me." "Make it professional but casual." "You know what I mean." No. I don't. And neither do you — which is the actual problem. A bad brief doesn't just slow the project down. It guarantees at least two rounds of revisions that could've been avoided, a ghostwriter guessing at your voice instead of channeling it, and content that sounds like you had help. Here's what a good ghostwriting brief actually includes: 1. A reference point, not a mood board. Don't say "I want it to sound like [big name author]." Say: here are three things I've written that I actually liked. Here's one I hated. Concrete examples beat aesthetic inspiration every time. 2. The one thing you want the reader to walk away believing. Not the topic. The thesis. Most clients brief the subject. The ghostwriter needs the argument. 3. Who you're NOT writing for. Knowing your audience is table stakes. Knowing who to ignore? That's what gives copy its edge. 4. What you've already said publicly on this. If you have existing content, social posts, interviews, or talks — share them. A ghostwriter's job is to extend your voice, not invent one. 5. The outcome you want, not just the word count. "1,500 words" is not a goal. "I want this piece to start a conversation that positions me as the go-to voice on X" — that's a goal. Most clients get the brief wrong because they've never had to articulate their own thinking out loud before. That's not a flaw. It's literally why they hired a ghostwriter. But the ghostwriter can only work with what you give them. The brief is the blueprint. A vague blueprint builds a crooked house. I work with founders, consultants, and personal brands to turn their thinking into content that actually sounds like them — not AI, not a template, not a committee. If you're ready to stop guessing and start building a content system that works — let's talk.

We ask every new client the same first question. Most of them go quiet for 10 seconds. That silence tells us everything. The question isn't "what do you want to post about?" It's "what do you actually stand for?" And almost every time, the founder on the other side of that call pauses, laughs nervously, and says: "That's a good question actually." Here's what that silence means: It's not that they don't have anything to say. It's that nobody has ever asked them to get specific about it. And you can't write a compelling post about who you are if you don't know who you are yet. You can hire the best ghostwriter. Buy the best course. Post every single day. Still won't work. Because unclear thinking becomes unclear content. Every time. No exceptions. Before the post comes the person. → What do you actually stand for? → Who are you specifically talking to? → What's the one thing only YOU can say? This is where we start with every client. Not content. Not a strategy. Not hooks. Clarity first. Everything else follows. Try this right now. One sentence. What do you stand for? Write it below. It's harder than it sounds. 👇 P.S. Still figuring out your X? DM us "CLARITY" and let's find it.

You're about to fire your ghostwriter. You've done it before. Different writer... Same result. At what point does the pattern become the problem? That question is uncomfortable. It's supposed to be. Because the founders who ask it... are the ones who finally stop changing writers and start actually fixing the problem. Before you send that message. Before you start another search. Here are 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥 questions. Answer them honestly. 1. Are you actually showing up? Ghostwriting is not a subscription you set and forget. If your writer is working from a monthly brief and two weeks of silence... the content will reflect that. Empty input. Empty output. Every time. 2. Is your feedback specific? "This doesn't sound like me" has ended more ghostwriting relationships than bad writing ever has. It tells the writer nothing. It changes nothing. And it happens again next month. "I will never use leverage as a verb. I'd lead with the failure before the lesson." That is feedback. That is something a writer can actually use. The difference between those two responses is the difference between a relationship that moves onand one that slowly dies. 3. Is this a content problem or a positioning problem? Say in one sentence what you uniquely believe and exactly who it helps. If you can't, no writer can save you. Not this one. Not the next one. Writers amplify positioning. They don't create it. That part was always your job. 4. Have you given it enough time? Ninety days feels long when you're paying monthly. In thought leadership terms, it's barely a start. Six months of consistent, specific content will outperform two years of irregular perfect posts. The founders who understand the truth stop measuring by the month. They start measuring by the body of work. Replace the writer last. After the brief. After the feedback. After the positioning. After the time. Most founders who work through these four questions arrive at the same quiet realisation. The writer was never the problem. The most expensive mistake is not hiring the wrong ghostwriter. It is what founders do. And once they see that, everything about the way they work changes. That is exactly where we end this series tomorrow. What thought leadership is and why the founders who figure it out stop chasing writers entirely.

Here are 4 questions to ask a ghostwriter you are thinking about working with.  1. How do you plan to use this project in your portfolio? Ghostwriters are in the tricky situation of needing to attract clients, but sometimes not being able to take any credit for the work we do. Therefore, we often have to share portfolio pieces privately with prospects, if we can at all.  If you want your ghostwriter to remain fully anonymous, you will want to check how they share their work with prospects. (Like, is there an NDA involved?) And if you don’t want your project to be shared, it behooves you to make sure that is in your contract. Note that it could be a dealbreaker for the ghostwriter, though.  2. What interests you about this industry/fiction genre? Having experience writing about a certain industry or in a specific fiction genre can obviously be helpful, but it’s not necessary. What is necessary, in my opinion, is an interest in said industry or genre. The more interest you have in something, the easier it is to write about it. At least that’s been my experience. I’m one of those fortunate people who love learning about virtually anything. Life is so varied and learning is a gift we all have the ability to take advantage of, so why not learn about something? 3. What is your research and writing process? You want to make sure your ghostwriter’s process matches up with what you envision when working with them. Sometimes ghostwriters like to have structure and plan meetings in advance (that’s me) while others may be more open to impromptu phone calls whenever you feel inspired to chat. You’ll also want to ask what they charge for these impromptu calls/meetings. They aren’t free.  Discussing how they perform their research will also give you insights into their process. You may want to talk about the sources they use and how they cite those sources, or where they plan to get information from concerning something specific. It definitely helps to work with somebody who’s in sync with your working style. So spend a little bit of time with your prospective ghostwriter finding out how they work to assess whether it’s something that you would feel comfortable with. 4. What do you require in a ghostwriting brief? A lot of ghostwriters will have their own templates for briefs, but even if they don’t, they should be able to give you a rundown of what they prefer to see in a brief. This will act as a guide or set of instructions for the ghostwriter to follow to be able to do the best job possible on your project.  Note that this isn’t the same as an outline for the book or other project you’re writing. A brief summarizes the info you want to include while an outline gives structure to that information. Your ghostwriter will likely work with you to create an outline for your project if you don’t already have one to give them. If you have an idea for a book, email me at contact@robswystun.com. Thought leadership, business, entrepreneurialism or fiction

Here are 4 questions to ask a ghostwriter you are thinking about working with.  1. How do you plan to use this project in your portfolio? Ghostwriters are in the tricky situation of needing to attract clients, but sometimes not being able to take any credit for the work we do. Therefore, we often have to share portfolio pieces privately with prospects, if we can at all.  If you want your ghostwriter to remain fully anonymous, you will want to check how they share their work with prospects. (Like, is there an NDA involved?) And if you don’t want your project to be shared, it behooves you to make sure that is in your contract. Note that it could be a dealbreaker for the ghostwriter, though.  2. What interests you about this industry/fiction genre? Having experience writing about a certain industry or in a specific fiction genre can obviously be helpful, but it’s not necessary. What is necessary, in my opinion, is an interest in said industry or genre. The more interest you have in something, the easier it is to write about it. At least that’s been my experience. I’m one of those fortunate people who love learning about virtually anything. Life is so varied and learning is a gift we all have the ability to take advantage of, so why not learn about something? 3. What is your research and writing process? You want to make sure your ghostwriter’s process matches up with what you envision when working with them. Sometimes ghostwriters like to have structure and plan meetings in advance (that’s me) while others may be more open to impromptu phone calls whenever you feel inspired to chat. You’ll also want to ask what they charge for these impromptu calls/meetings. They aren’t free.  Discussing how they perform their research will also give you insights into their process. You may want to talk about the sources they use and how they cite those sources, or where they plan to get information from concerning something specific. It definitely helps to work with somebody who’s in sync with your working style. So spend a little bit of time with your prospective ghostwriter finding out how they work to assess whether it’s something that you would feel comfortable with. 4. What do you require in a ghostwriting brief? A lot of ghostwriters will have their own templates for briefs, but even if they don’t, they should be able to give you a rundown of what they prefer to see in a brief. This will act as a guide or set of instructions for the ghostwriter to follow to be able to do the best job possible on your project.  Note that this isn’t the same as an outline for the book or other project you’re writing. A brief summarizes the info you want to include while an outline gives structure to that information. Your ghostwriter will likely work with you to create an outline for your project if you don’t already have one to give them. If you have an idea for a book, email me at contact@robswystun.com. Thought leadership, business, entrepreneurialism or fiction