Svenja Hirsch: Why write (or have written) a book?

Ghostwriting – the very term is enough to send shivers down your spine. If you enter it into a search engine, the first suggestion you get is "caught ghostwriting," and you can't help but think of Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. But why does ghostwriting have such a bad reputation that even Google criticizes this service?

This stems from experiences like that of one of my clients: She was looking for a ghostwriter and stumbled across one of those agencies that offer ghostwriting like paid work. On the phone, she was given a dismissive reception; they were curt and showed no real interest in her topic, only in the job. This is quite inappropriate when the book deals with something very personal, like one's own story or business. Consequently, she felt very uncomfortable with the experience.

This isn't the first time ghostwriting has made negative headlines. There's a good reason why even Dr. Google initially focuses on the negative aspects. However, this isn't justified. The pandemic has actually led to a surge in ghostwriting requests. Perhaps because we're reading more again? Or because we finally have more time to dedicate to writing our own books?

The ultimate marketing tool

Perhaps this is simply happening because what's already common practice in the American market is finally catching on here: publishing a book for personal branding is practically de rigueur for entrepreneurs there. Why? Because a book is the best marketing tool of all. It underscores your expert status and offers the chance to reach a wide audience – if you do it right! By 'reach,' I mean truly touching readers and making them remember you.

Because a book can't be presented on large platforms, it functions just like a print book: it also offers space for all your own expertise, but above all, personal experiences and stories. It might sound strange, but these are precisely what readers remember. It's this personal focus that makes potential customers perceive a book less as marketing and more as a product that gives them something like knowledge or inspiration. They're happy to take it with them and put it on their bookshelves. Imagine: you're in your customers' homes without having to do anything. You're present without being physically there: on a multitude of platforms, even in the living rooms of strangers.

Ghostwriting – the best thing that can happen to an entrepreneur

Ghostwriting makes the process easier for anyone who wants to write a book. It's simpler when you're not alone. Plus, you don't necessarily have to write; the most important thing is being able to tell a story – and anyone can do that!

For me, writing or commissioning a book is an emotional and exciting process: the author or client experiences and clearly defines their own message, their mission, and the story behind it. Personal growth is included! This brings much more depth than, for example, texts on a website.

I thought for a long time about whether there was a term that could capture it, and now I call myself a co-author. Basically, I do what a really good ghostwriter should do: I write my clients' books as equals. I develop the concept and the story together with my clients and am in constant communication with them. These conversations form the basis for what I write.

Quality instead of bargain bin

I've always loved hearing and reading stories, especially true ones. For a long time, I primarily wrote them in an editorial capacity, in the form of portraits, for example. But books create worlds and bring us truly close to a person. This is also true of my genre: biographical self-help books and biographies. They tell the stories you might not otherwise dare to ask. Anyone who truly wants to reach people writes exactly this kind of book! Doing so is intense and beautiful. That's precisely why this work has so much to do with trust and time. At least, if you intend for it to be a good book and not just some bargain-bin hodgepodge.

Therefore, the highly popular term "ghostwriting" definitely needs a makeover. Ultimately, this service enables everyone—regardless of writing talent or time constraints—to publish their books. Wouldn't such a task benefit from greater appreciation? Perhaps then search engines might even suggest "ghostwriting game-changer" next time.