Having your book written for you gives you a competitive advantage.
But most things you've been told about ghostwriting are lies.
THREAD: 6 lies about ghostwriting.
But most things you've been told about ghostwriting are lies.
THREAD: 6 lies about ghostwriting.
Ghostwriting Lie #1: Ignorance is Bliss 🙈🙉🙊
Ever heard an author give an interview and it sounded like they didn't know what was in their own book?
Ghostwriter fail!
Ever heard an author give an interview and it sounded like they didn't know what was in their own book?
Ghostwriter fail!
I've been that ghostwriter.
I did a historical non-fiction book.
I did all the research. I wrote it. Everything.
And then the author was on an interview with NPR and he was asked about his book and it was clear from the interview.
He doesn't even know what his book was about.
I did a historical non-fiction book.
I did all the research. I wrote it. Everything.
And then the author was on an interview with NPR and he was asked about his book and it was clear from the interview.
He doesn't even know what his book was about.
Why is the "hands off" method so popular?
New York city ghostwriting agencies have to get books written quickly.
They write for celebrities and public figures with millions of followers.
New York city ghostwriting agencies have to get books written quickly.
They write for celebrities and public figures with millions of followers.
Their book publishing deadline is tight.
"I need this done in six weeks."
So the ghostwriter starts writing, maybe never even talking with the "author," and you can imagine the result.
1) terrible writing
2) doesn't sound like the author
"I need this done in six weeks."
So the ghostwriter starts writing, maybe never even talking with the "author," and you can imagine the result.
1) terrible writing
2) doesn't sound like the author
But with millions of followers and/or a huge ad budget, no one cares.
Agency gets paid, client gets to say they wrote a book.
No one cares that the celebrity doesn't know what is in their book.
Under a million followers? Don't follow this path!
Agency gets paid, client gets to say they wrote a book.
No one cares that the celebrity doesn't know what is in their book.
Under a million followers? Don't follow this path!
Ghostwriting Lie #2: You Need To Prep
You may think you must have your title, cover art, and outline done BEFORE you talk to a ghostwriter.
Not true friends!
You tell me you need a book.
I help with everything else.
You may think you must have your title, cover art, and outline done BEFORE you talk to a ghostwriter.
Not true friends!
You tell me you need a book.
I help with everything else.
Yes of course you COULD hire a designer yourself and also slave for hours guessing at what your title should be.
But I have a proven team. And a proven process.
If you want the proven path to success, DM me.
But I have a proven team. And a proven process.
If you want the proven path to success, DM me.
Ghostwriting Lie #3: The Book Is The End Goal
You just want to be an author, so all you need is a book, right?
Wrong.
You are building a brand and a business.
That means you need ✨ upsells.✨
You just want to be an author, so all you need is a book, right?
Wrong.
You are building a brand and a business.
That means you need ✨ upsells.✨
What upsells work best?
A successful book tells people what to do.
Successful upsells help them do it better.
Here are my favorites:
A successful book tells people what to do.
Successful upsells help them do it better.
Here are my favorites:
Joshua's Favorite Low Ticket Upsell: Course
Your course helps your readers develop their skills. It costs a couple hundred dollars or less.
Joshua's Favorite High Ticket Upsell: Coaching
Your book is a sales letter for this high ticket coaching. You charge five or six figures.
Your course helps your readers develop their skills. It costs a couple hundred dollars or less.
Joshua's Favorite High Ticket Upsell: Coaching
Your book is a sales letter for this high ticket coaching. You charge five or six figures.
SIDE NOTE
If you aren't willing to offer a course or a high ticket offer, don't get on my calendar.
I only work with authors that I think can make a good ROI on working with me, which means you MUST monetize in the 6 or 7 figure range.
Unwilling to high ticket it, NGMI.
If you aren't willing to offer a course or a high ticket offer, don't get on my calendar.
I only work with authors that I think can make a good ROI on working with me, which means you MUST monetize in the 6 or 7 figure range.
Unwilling to high ticket it, NGMI.
Ghostwriting Lie #4: Stock Interview Questions Don't Hurt
Dirty industry secret: many ghostwriting agencies use the same questions for every client.
They interview you with the same 50 questions as the last guy.
Dirty industry secret: many ghostwriting agencies use the same questions for every client.
They interview you with the same 50 questions as the last guy.
Then they hire the cheapest possible writers to turn your interview answers in to a book.
It's the Chiptole of writing:
What kind of meat do you want?
What kind of salsa?
Guac?
Okay here's your book.
🏁
It's the Chiptole of writing:
What kind of meat do you want?
What kind of salsa?
Guac?
Okay here's your book.
🏁
This is a great formula for maximizing agency profits.
They produce thousands of "books" fast.
But those books?
No fun to read. No originality. No essence.
They produce thousands of "books" fast.
But those books?
No fun to read. No originality. No essence.
You want your book to say something new.
You want your book to say something you.
You can't get that by going to Chipotle.
You want your book to say something you.
You can't get that by going to Chipotle.
How do we prevent this boringfication in my shop?
I interview you.
Me.
I grill you on every part of why what you have to say MATTERS.
You'll hear new questions that I think up during our talk because I am listening to YOU.
THAT'S a proper interview.
I interview you.
Me.
I grill you on every part of why what you have to say MATTERS.
You'll hear new questions that I think up during our talk because I am listening to YOU.
THAT'S a proper interview.
Ghostwriting Lie #5: Manuscript Means Job Done
Amateur ghostwriters hand you a manuscript then peace out.
Professional ghostwriters:
Interview you at great length
Write your book
Publish your book
Market your book
Craft upsells for your book
Build your brand
Amateur ghostwriters hand you a manuscript then peace out.
Professional ghostwriters:
Interview you at great length
Write your book
Publish your book
Market your book
Craft upsells for your book
Build your brand
Most of the time, when you hire a ghostwriter, they'll give you a word document.
You don't know what to do with the word doc.
Good luck!
You don't know what to do with the word doc.
Good luck!
At my shop we go beyond ghostwriting to also ghostpublishing, ghostmarketing, and ghostbuilding your course.
At every stage we ask ourselves and you - how can we use this to build your brand?
We don't ghostwrite books, we build businesses using books as the tool. ⚡
At every stage we ask ourselves and you - how can we use this to build your brand?
We don't ghostwrite books, we build businesses using books as the tool. ⚡
Ghostwriting Lie #6: Consistency Sells Books
The #1 thing that sells books is not "consistency."
If you consistently do the wrong things every day for 3 months, you'll be exhausted (and broke). 😢
The #1 thing that sells books is not "consistency."
If you consistently do the wrong things every day for 3 months, you'll be exhausted (and broke). 😢
Think posting on Twitter once a day will sell your book?
Lol, NGMI
While my clients do post on social media a bunch, that is a supporting tactic, not the main strategy.
Lol, NGMI
While my clients do post on social media a bunch, that is a supporting tactic, not the main strategy.
Our main strategy is podcast interviews.
Not 10 or 20 interviews.
100 or 200 or 500 interviews.
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️
Not 10 or 20 interviews.
100 or 200 or 500 interviews.
🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️
You show up for 20 minutes to an hour.
You talk about your book and why people should buy it.
The host of the show then says, okay, go buy their book on Amazon.
Repeat.
Hundreds of times.
You talk about your book and why people should buy it.
The host of the show then says, okay, go buy their book on Amazon.
Repeat.
Hundreds of times.
After hundreds of interviews you've spoken to tens of thousands of buyers.
You sell a lot of copies from a single process.
Consistent high leverage activity!
You sell a lot of copies from a single process.
Consistent high leverage activity!
"But Joshua that sounds like too much work!"
Yes my friend, lining up that many podcast interviews is a big job.
That's why I have people on my team who help our clients do this.
Yes my friend, lining up that many podcast interviews is a big job.
That's why I have people on my team who help our clients do this.
We identify hundreds of podcasts that are a high leverage fit for the client.
Then we share our process for getting those interviews booked.
We hand the client scripts, we even train their team on getting these interviews booked.
Then we share our process for getting those interviews booked.
We hand the client scripts, we even train their team on getting these interviews booked.
Because our clients are following a proven process, they get results far in excess of the work they put in.
RECAP
Ghostwriting Lie #1: Ignorance is Bliss
Ghostwriting Lie #2: You Need To Prep
Ghostwriting Lie #3: The Book Is The End Goal
Ghostwriting Lie #4: Stock Interview Questions Don't Hurt
Ghostwriting Lie #5: Manuscript Means Job Done
Ghostwriting Lie #6: Consistency Sells Books
Ghostwriting Lie #1: Ignorance is Bliss
Ghostwriting Lie #2: You Need To Prep
Ghostwriting Lie #3: The Book Is The End Goal
Ghostwriting Lie #4: Stock Interview Questions Don't Hurt
Ghostwriting Lie #5: Manuscript Means Job Done
Ghostwriting Lie #6: Consistency Sells Books
Now you can quiz the ghostwriter you are thinking of hiring on each of the 6 Lies.
If they spout off any of these lies, you run.
🏃🏃♀️
If they spout off any of these lies, you run.
🏃🏃♀️
Getting sick of chasing "budget" and "affordable" and "book done in 3 weeks" people on Upwork?
Maybe you are ready for the Joshua Lisec experience.
Maybe you are ready for the Joshua Lisec experience.
We're not fast (6+ months!) and we're not affordable (5 figure investment!).
We focus on a proven process to convert book sales in to high ticket purchases that generate 6 to 7 figures of revenue.
If that is what you MUST HAVE, get on my calendar here: entrepreneurswordsmith.com
We focus on a proven process to convert book sales in to high ticket purchases that generate 6 to 7 figures of revenue.
If that is what you MUST HAVE, get on my calendar here: entrepreneurswordsmith.com
Retweet this thread because you want to save your friends from hiring crappy ghostwriters.
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