Should You Meet Your Ghostwriter in Person?

Every ghostwriter has their own way of working. Many projects are completed entirely over the phone and via video conference.

The ghostwriter should be willing to meet with you in person if that’s your wish. If the author is available for in-person meetings, I prefer to meet that way and advocate for it.

I often visit authors to discuss their projects in person at the outset of our collaboration. Some clients have come to New York, and we have met in person.

Face-to-face meetings are advisable for a number of reasons.

Writing a book requires more than collecting information. A ghostwriter gradually learns how another person thinks, organizes ideas, tells stories, and emphasizes what matters most to them. Those things are communicated through the conversation itself as much as through the words being spoken. Spending time together in person allows the ghostwriter to observe those patterns from the very beginning of the project.

Having a book idea presages a complicated long-term project; by hiring a ghostwriter, you are entrusting someone else to transform your vision. The ghostwriter needs to know you because so much of what you have to say comes out of things that you do not actually say.

People communicate through far more than words alone.

Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and moments of hesitation often reveal as much as the words themselves. Those cues help a ghostwriter ask better questions, recognize which stories matter most, and develop a deeper understanding of the author’s voice.

Meeting in person makes it easier to understand one another. While virtual meetings are suitable for many projects, writing a book together is a substantial undertaking that often spans months and requires a deeper level of collaboration.

An author is making a significant investment of both time and money in their book idea. That idea deserves to be drawn from the best possible interview and carefully laid out before the writing begins.

I believe it’s worth meeting in person at the beginning of the project to establish the strongest possible foundation for the relationship. The amount of time the author and ghostwriter spend together depends on the scope of the project and the availability of both parties.

Whether meeting for two days or over two weeks, the goal is to approach the initial information-sharing with care and rigor. In many cases, it is neither possible nor advisable to communicate every detail during those meetings. Instead, the focus should be on establishing the strongest possible foundation before the writing begins.

The length of time that you spend in this meeting depends upon the length and complexity of the project, the questions that the ghostwriter has for you, and how well you know and discuss your subject. Having a well-thought-out idea that has been refined for years but exists only in your head is likely to take longer to impart to another person than well-ordered notes for a relatable project.

If meeting in person, expect to spend time together discussing your project to get all its details out. During this conversation, the ghostwriter will take extensive notes and draft a detailed outline of your project from them, then return it to you for your critique and make any necessary adjustments.

That meeting isn’t simply about gathering information. It’s about establishing a shared understanding of the book before a single chapter is written.

The quality of the job depends upon three things: skill, relationship, and time. If the author and ghostwriter have a great rapport, a quick, easy understanding of each other, and like working together, then you can skip meeting in person and still expect a great book from your ghostwriter. If this is the route you’re leaning toward, it’s important to be clear about why you want to skip an in-person meeting.

Helpful but not mandatory, in-person meetings are ideal for building the relationship and can greatly assist the ghostwriter in understanding each nuance of the author’s ideas.

If circumstances allow the author to meet with the ghostwriter, doing so, along with choosing the right ghostwriter to partner with, provides the two strongest supports that the author has to generate an excellent work that fulfills their vision with the fullest clarity of expression before the writing begins.