You want to look like a powerhouse: smart, visionary, articulate. But between board meetings, fires to put out, and travels, who’s got time to write all that? That’s where ghostwriting comes in the art of making someone else’s words feel like they came from you.
But fake it ‘till you make it doesn’t work here. If the voice is off by an inch, people notice. If the idea is shallow, critics smell it. Ghostwriting isn’t just writing; it’s ventriloquism with style, strategy, and soul
Here are 5 ghostwriting secrets that let you sound like a CEO without writing a single word yourself.
1. Interview Like a Therapist Then Transcribe Everything
A ghostwriter’s job is more excavation than invention. The best ones get to the raw bones of your thinking through deep conversations. These aren’t “yes/no” briefing calls — they’re wide open, exploratory.
Lewis Commercial Writing describes how ghostwriters begin with recorded conversations, then mine transcripts to capture voice and insight. copywriting Similarly, Nicolas Cole advises always recording the call so you can literally lift speech patterns, filler words, cadence, and idiosyncrasies.
Why it matters is that your natural voice is full of quirks the pauses, the “you know,” the metaphor you always return to. Ghostwriters who rely purely on briefs will sound like clones. Those who work from transcripts get the you in your speech.
Pro move: Do at least two 60–90 minute sessions where you talk unscripted problems, beliefs, stories. Then transcribe. Let the ghostwriter map your tone, phrases, and thought flow.
2. Capture Contradictions & Vulnerabilities
No one wants a cardboard CEO who only speaks in “Vision, Growth, Synergy.” Real leadership voice has tension. It admits uncertainty. It shows cracks. That’s what makes it human.
Ghostwriters who want to polish you into perfection fail they lose trust. As Resch Strategies puts it, one of the secrets is understand the client’s voice deeply — not just their polished public persona, but their hidden edges.
Ghostwriting isn’t about hiding your weaknesses; it’s about weaving them into your authority. You once messed up. You doubted. You pivoted. Those stories make you credible.
Pro move: Share two or three “failures” or doubts from your journey. Let your ghostwriter unearth those in your messaging. Use contrast: “I believed I had it all figured out until the numbers tanked.”
3. Adopt a Voice Framework and Guard It Fiercely
One quick way to lose your voice is to drift toward bland because editors or committees impose changes. To prevent that, establish a voice framework that becomes your ghostwriter’s North Star.
Elements include:
- Tone keywords (e.g. blunt, visionary, electric)
- Phrases you use (metaphors, favorite analogies, expressions)
- Sentence length preferences (short punchy vs layered)
- Do’s / Don’ts (e.g. no corporate clichés, no fluff intro paragraphs)
PRSA’s advice for executive ghostwriting is to “revise without altering voice” that means when edits land, you or the ghostwriter “hand-carry” the voice through every change.
Pro move: Write a 1-page “voice guide” for yourself. Share it with every ghostwriter or editor. Force changes to run through that filter. Voice isn’t optional.
4. Ghostwriters Must Be Co-Thinkers, Not Copy Machines
You don’t want someone who just types your ramblings verbatim. You want a partner who sharpens your thinking.
Lewis Commercial Writing says ghostwriting is part writing, part wrangling pushing clients to dig deeper, to refine ideas. A ghostwriter who echoes your buzzword without critique is worthless.
The best ghostwriters challenge your half-baked ideas, ask “why,” and force clarity. They don’t just mirror illusions, they illuminate insight.
Pro move: In your brief, ask: “Don’t just rephrase me; refine me.” Expect the ghostwriter to deliver two versions: your raw voice + a polished “you” version. Then you choose.
5. Build a Feedback Loop But Don’t Micro-Edit the Voice
Ghostwriting is iterative. After drafts drop, there should be cycles feedback, revision, tightening. But the biggest mistake executives make is micro-editing, i.e., trying to reword sentences for personal preference rather than essence.
PR pros warn: when editors alter style too heavily, the voice erodes. ClearVoice also emphasizes defining roles, expectations, and revision limits in contracts so the voice survives the process.
Instead of rewriting sentences, flag tone issues (“too formal here,” “sounds unnatural”) and ask the ghostwriter to revoice. Trust their craft.
Pro move: After each draft, read it aloud pretending it’s you. If a sentence forces you to trip over words or see a phrase you never use flag it. Don’t rewrite it; request re-voicing.
Bonus Truth: You Still Might Be Found Out
Ghostwriting isn’t magic. If done poorly, readers sense the off-rhythm, the cloned metaphors, the generic slogans. Even internal teams may spot tone drift. That’s how ghostwritten CEOs get caught.
A good ghostwriter keeps you consistent across platforms (LinkedIn, memos, blog posts). They audit past content, keep a style “memory bank,” and never let you drift too far from your established voice.
Putting It All Together
Ghostwriting for a CEO isn’t outsourcing it’s delegation with trust. You delegate the typing, but not the identity.
Here’s your takeaway
- Start with raw, recorded conversation let your speech guide the voice.
- Embrace contradictions; they make you human.
- Create strict voice rules so no one dilutes your tone.
- Demand co-thinking ghostwriters must refine, not echo.
- Iterate smartly feedback loops, not microedits.
If you let the wrong ghostwriter take over, you risk sounding hollow or generic. But with the right one, you look powerful, authentic, and unshakably you without writing a word.
Let me know if you want me to format this with examples + templates you can drop in your next ghost project.
