2 Surefire Ghostwriting Branding Tips

I wanted this post to be about brands. I researched “Personal Branding for Ghostwriters: How to Stand Out in a Saturated Market” and found numerous articles about using a ghostwriter to build a personal brand. But there was very little about a ghostwriter building a brand.

That didn’t work. So, I dug into my memories. 

I recalled conversations I’ve had with my business advisor. He has frequently mentioned how the clients I serve and the manuscripts I ghostwrite—specifically the memoirs in which the author goes on a hero’s journey to overcome some horrible situation—contribute to my brand.

I realized that’s only part of it. Those memories changed my research focus, away from the Internet and toward my own career, and I found I have done a lot of branding. 

Here are some tips ghostwriters can use to help build their brands:

What do you want to write? The old saying applies here: Write what you know. For ghostwriting, that means choosing either fiction or non-fiction, and then the genres. 

My journalism background made it easy to choose non-fiction. And since I as a sportswriter was so adept at writing in-depth, human-interest stories about people overcoming great adversities to excel in their chosen sport, memoirs became a natural fit.

I also was asked to work on a book that became an indictment on how the Los Angeles County Department of Children & Family Services doesn’t always do what’s in the best interests of the kids in their care. The authors were so impressed with my work, they put my name on the cover: “Edited by Lee Barnathan.”

Later, I worked on a book by an author whose premise was that ISIS’ existence proves that Armageddon as described in the Bible is upon us. I helped her make her case.

These are examples of expository essay. That became a second specialty.

Along the way, I marketed myself as a storyteller, and a marketer named Guy Powell who needed a book ghostwritten knew the power of stories over facts and figures. So, we worked together for several months, and the result was The Post-COVID Marketing Machine, about how to market coming out of the pandemic. It included stories about how COVID affected marketing and what successful companies were doing in response.

I realized, I can add business books to my repertoire, provided the author realizes the value of storytelling.

Three specialities.

Show your work. Today, it’s easier to demonstrate your ghostwriting prowess because many clients are willing to give you credit in some fashion, whether by having your name on the cover or by being thanked in the acknowledgments or just letting you use the title, cover art and summary in your marketing.

But there are clients who still insist on you being completely anonymous, and there’s nothing to be done about that. However, you can get around it by writing other content with your name, such as blogs, articles, and thought leadership pieces that earn you credibility and beef up your reputation. By doing this, you’re actually pitching your services. 

Now, take it one step further and focus on what sets you apart. Is it your unique voice, your ability to mimic a client’s style/tone/voice, your extensive experience in a specific genre, or something else? Regardless, make sure your pitches and proposals highlight your unique value proposition.

I have found the best place to do that is writing articles and posting them on LinkedIn and on your blog that can be found on your website—which leads me to…

Develop a professional website. But that’s for next week.

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