What are the differences between hiring a ghostwriter and a copywriter?
Before we get into the differences between ghostwriting and copywriting, it’s important to note that there’s no stigma attached to hiring someone to write for you. People have hired ghostwriters for decades to help bring their book ideas to life.
Recent advancements in AI programs have made it easier for some people to turn their book ideas into a book, but it’s important not to lean too heavily on AI. As a tool to flesh out ideas, create broad outlines, and support other novel planning and drafting, AI can be extremely useful. However, we don’t recommend simply copying and pasting AI-generated content and publishing it.
In the following article, we’ll look at the difference between ghostwriting and copywriting.
Simply put, if you’re a business or author looking for someone to write content for your website, blog, social media, or newsletter, you’re looking for a copywriter. If you’re an author, or potential author, with a book idea but don’t have the skill or time to write it yourself, you’re looking for a ghostwriter.
Let’s take a closer look at the difference between ghostwriting and copywriting!
If you’re currently considering self-publishing and you’re not sure which is the best self-publishing platform for you, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark Publishing, or others, check out The Best Self-Publishing Platforms to Publish Your Book! We cover the pros and cons of Australia’s most popular self-publishing platforms.
What Is Copywriting?
Copywriting is written content designed to promote your brand, website, or business, usually in the form of blogs, articles, service pages, email marketing, and newsletters.
When you hire a contractor to create website content or provide copywriting services, you typically provide a scope of work that includes the content you need, the target audience, and SEO information, including potential keywords and key phrases.
The goal of copywriting is to increase website or online traffic, and drive leads or customers to your website, where they purchase your product or service, while also increasing brand awareness.
If you want to learn more about why copywriting is so important, check out Professional Website Content Is Digital Marketing Gold, where we did a full breakdown of the advantages of copywriting website content.
It’s essential to remember the 4 Cs of copywriting:
Clear > Concise > Credible > Compelling.
What Are the Benefits of Copywriting?
The goal of good copywriting or content is to get a specific reaction from the readers. This could mean purchasing a product, signing up for an email list, buying a sponsored or affiliate product, or bookmarking the website and keeping reading.
If you run a business and have an online presence, you want to attract more traffic to your website or e-commerce platform. The next goal is to convert this traffic into leads, who will then take the next step to learn more. Ultimately, the final goal is to convert a lead into a sale.
Traffic > Leads > Conversion > Sale.
What Is Ghostwriting?
Ghostwriting is typically done for both fiction and non-fiction books. Ghostwriting could also be done for reports, but when someone talks about ghostwriting, or ghostwriters, they’re typically referring to books.
We have written several detailed guides about ghostwriting, including:
Writing a book is hard. Really hard. If it was easy, everyone would have written a best-selling book. But just because you can’t write a book, or don’t have the time to write one, doesn’t mean your book idea can’t happen.
This is where a professional ghostwriter could step in. If you have a fantastic, never-before-done book idea but need help writing it, a professional ghostwriter can fill that gap. They’ll write your book, following your guidance and concept, and you can publish it under your own name. You retain 100% of the rights, own the copyright, and it’s up to you whether you credit your ghostwriter.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Ghostwriter?
Below are some of the benefits of hiring a ghostwriter:
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- A ghostwriter often has a lot of experience in specific genres.
- If you don’t have the writing skills to convert your book idea into a book, a ghostwriter can take the next step for you.
- If you’re limited by how much time you have to write, or if you’re currently working on multiple projects, a ghostwriter could help.
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Ghostwriting FAQs
Some of the most commonly asked questions about ghostwriting and hiring a ghostwriter
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- Do ghostwriters work on fiction and non-fiction books? ~ Yes. While some ghostwriters specialize in a specific genre, such as sci-fi, romance, or action and adventure, others have experience across multiple genres.
- Do I need to credit a ghostwriter? ~ No. While you can credit your ghostwriter, and most writers would appreciate the acknowledgement, it’s 100% up to you if you credit or acknowledge your ghostwriter in the finished book.
- Who owns the rights to the finished work? ~ Once you have paid your ghostwriter, you own the rights to the completed work and intellectual property. Ghostwriters operate under a work-for-payment model.
- Is ghostwriting an ethical writing practice? ~ Yes. Ghostwriters have been around for hundreds of years. You are providing the core concept and ideas. Your ghostwriter is simply putting your ideas into a novel format because you lack the time or experience to do it yourself.
- How much does ghostwriting cost? ~ Ghostwriting costs can vary depending on the scope of the project, the genre, the amount of research required, and the ghostwriter’s rate per word or per project. Payment is typically done in stages.
- Is ghostwriting confidential? ~ Yes. How much you share with anyone about your book, ghostwriter, and process is up to you. Many authors choose to use an NDA when working with a ghostwriter.
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The Difference Between Ghostwriting and Copywriting | Conclusion
There you go! The difference between ghostwriting and copywriting explained. If you have a great idea for a novel or book, but don’t have the time or experience to write it yourself, a professional ghostwriter could be perfect for you.
If you have any questions about the self-publishing process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
At Author Services Australia, we support Australian and New Zealand self-published authors and writers with a full range of affordable self-publishing services, including ghostwriting, copyediting, developmental editing, proofreading, ebook and paperback formatting, book cover design, children’s book illustrations, graphic design services, Amazon KDP Keyword and Category Research, animated book cover reveal videos, beta reading, and social media and marketing.
Clayton Hobbs, owner of Author Services Australia, has over a decade of experience in the self-publishing industry, assisting Australian authors with self-publishing services such as editing, cover design, formatting, and ghostwriting. Starting out as a freelance writer specializing in website content, articles, and guides, before switching to children’s picture and chapter books, Clayton is the author of the best-selling books Hockey Wars, Softball Strikeout, and The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey, writing under the pen name Ben Jackson, along with many other children’s books.
