What advanced skills should I invest in as a ghostwriter?
You know that feeling when you're trying to get fit? At first, just showing up is a win. But eventually, you hit a plateau. Doing the same old routine doesn't cut it anymore; you need to learn new techniques, maybe lift heavier, or focus on nutrition to see real progress.
I feel like the ghostwriting world is a bit like that right now, especially with AI entering the scene. Just being a decent writer isn't always enough anymore if you want to increase your earning potential and build a sustainable career for 2025 and beyond.
Based on what I'm seeing and experiencing, simply writing good blog posts might not command the rates it used to. Clients have more options, including AI tools. So, how do you stay valuable? How do you ensure you're the one they want to hire, not just the cheapest option?
It comes down to developing more advanced skills. Let's break down what I think really moves the needle.
Getting Inside Your Client's Head: Mastering Voice
This is huge. Honestly, if you can truly nail a client's voice, you're already miles ahead. It's more than just writing clearly; it's about capturing their personality, their way of thinking.
- Beyond Mimicry: It's not just about sounding like them; it's about writing as them. I've heard some folks say it's like acting β you need to embody the character. It sounds a bit dramatic, maybe, but there's truth in it. When the content feels genuinely like it came from your client, that's gold.
- Polishing the Voice: Remember, how someone talks isn't exactly how they should write. Your job is often to take their essence and make it clearer, more polished for the page β like their best, most articulate self.
Shifting Gears: From Selling to Teaching
I've noticed a change. Hard-sell copy just doesn't land the way it used to. People are tired of being sold to constantly. They want to learn something useful.
- Become the Educator: If you can write content that genuinely educates the reader while still subtly supporting your client's business goals, that's a powerful skill. It builds trust in a way direct selling often can't.
- The "No-Sell Sell": It sounds counterintuitive, but often the best way to achieve business goals through content is by focusing on delivering real value and education. When you help people understand something, they're more likely to trust the source.
Expanding Your Toolkit: High-Value Formats
Not all content types pay the same. Standard blog posts are essential, but diversifying into formats clients perceive as higher value can significantly boost your income.
- Email Courses: I've seen people have great success creating short, educational email courses for clients. Businesses often pay well for these because they can be powerful lead nurturing tools. Think 10k per course β that's serious potential.
- Thought Leadership: Executives and founders need content that positions them as experts. Ghostwriting these kinds of articles often commands premium rates, sometimes thousands for a single piece.
- Video Scripts: Video isn't going anywhere. Lots of creators and businesses need help scripting their videos. If you can write engaging scripts, you're tapping into a massive, growing market.
Knowing Your Stuff: Subject Matter Expertise
Being a generalist writer is fine, but niching down often leads to higher pay. If you develop expertise in a specific area, you become much more valuable.
- Pick a Lane: Industries like tech, finance, or healthcare often pay writers well because the subject matter is complex. Becoming knowledgeable in a specific field makes you a go-to person.
- Mastering Research: Even if you don't know a topic deeply yet, being able to research effectively and get up to speed quickly is crucial. It allows you to tackle different projects confidently.
Building the Brand (Not Just the Blog): Personal Branding
More and more, founders and executives understand their personal brand is a huge asset. Guess who can help them build it with content? You.
- Executive Platforms: Helping leaders build their presence on platforms like LinkedIn is becoming a big deal. It's specialized, and businesses are willing to pay well for ghostwriters who understand how to do it effectively, sometimes thousands per month retainer.
Seeing the Bigger Picture: Content Strategy
Don't just think about individual blog posts. Think about how they fit together. Clients value writers who can think strategically.
- Connecting the Dots: Can you create content that works across different platforms β blog, social media, email? That integrated approach is valuable.
- Making Content Work Harder: Help your clients repurpose content. Turn a blog post into social snippets, an email sequence, or key points for a video. Maximizing the value of each piece of content makes you a strategic partner, not just a writer.
Working With the Machine: AI Integration
Look, AI is here. Ignoring it feels like sticking your head in the sand, in my opinion. The key is figuring out how to use it to your advantage.
- AI as an Assistant: Use AI for brainstorming, outlining, or even generating a rough first draft. This can free you up to focus on the parts that require your human skills: refining the voice, adding unique insights, ensuring quality, and strategic thinking.
- Knowing When Not to Use AI: Understand AI's limits. It can't replicate true empathy, deep strategic insight, or nuanced brand voice perfectly (at least, not yet). Your value lies in adding those human elements.
Running Your Show: The Business Side
Being a great writer isn't enough if you don't handle the business side well.
- Price for Value: Stop charging just by the word or hour if you can. Think about the outcome you provide. Are you helping a client generate leads? Build authority? Secure funding? Price based on the value you deliver. A pitch deck ghostwriter might charge $10k+ because the outcome (funding) is worth far more.
- Build Relationships: Good clients are worth keeping. Focus on building strong relationships. Happy clients lead to repeat business and referrals β that's how sustainable freelance careers are built. I saw one writer mention growing from two clients to an agency of over 80 just through relationships and good work.
Crossing the Finish Line Stronger
Think of it like learning to ride a motorcycle. At first, just staying upright and going straight is the goal. But soon, you learn to lean into turns, shift gears smoothly, anticipate traffic β you develop advanced skills that make you a better, safer, and more confident rider.
It's the same with ghostwriting now. The basics get you started, but mastering these advanced skills is what will help you navigate the changing road ahead, lean into the challenges (like AI), and ultimately, not just survive, but thrive.
Developing these areas β voice, educational content, high-value formats, expertise, branding, strategy, AI leverage, and business sense β takes effort, no doubt.
But in my experience, investing in your skills is the surest way to increase your value and build a career you can rely on, come what may. Itβs about taking responsibility for your growth and doing the best you can with the landscape in front of you.