Being a content writer sometimes feels like you’re a mind reader, doesn’t it? You’ve got a client sitting across from you—maybe in person, maybe over Zoom—who’s bursting with passion about their project. They’ve got this big, beautiful vision, but when it comes to putting it on paper, they freeze. Nada. Zilch.
It’s like their brain’s a vault and the words are locked inside. That’s where you swoop in, pen in hand, ready to crack the code. Collaborating with someone who can’t write themselves isn’t always a walk in the park, but it’s doable. And it can be pretty rewarding once you figure out how to make it click.
Who am I?
Michael McKown, nice to meet you. I’m the co-founder and president of Ghostwriters Central, Inc. We’ve been providing copywriter and ghostwriting services to clients worldwide since 2002.
We can help with developing a tagline for your business, we can write marketing materials, and we can assist with posts, and write the content for each page of your website. Find out more, just click the link. Your first consultation with a qualified writer is free.
Let’s move on.
Table of Contents - Quick Look At What's Inside
Cozy but cool
First off, you’ve got to get good at playing detective. These clients aren’t holding back because they’re shy; they just don’t know how to spill the beans. Take Sarah, a small business owner I once worked with. She ran a quirky bakery and wanted a website that screamed “cozy but cool.” The trouble was, she couldn’t string two sentences together to save her life.
So, we sat down with coffee. Her black, mine loaded with half-and-half and sugar, and I started asking questions. What’s the vibe when someone walks in? How do you want them to feel biting into your cinnamon rolls? She lit up, talking about warm lights and gooey frosting. Bingo! I had my hook. You’ve got to dig for those nuggets, the little details they don’t even realize matter.
Keep it conversational
It’s not enough to just listen, though. You’ve got to keep the conversation loose, like you’re chatting with a buddy at the bar. If you come in all stiff with a clipboard and a “tell me your mission statement” vibe, they’ll clam up faster than a kid caught sneaking cookies. With Sarah, I tossed out casual prompts, stuff like, “What’s the one thing you’d brag about if you were on TV?” She laughed and said her secret weapon was a recipe from her grandma that made people line up around the block. That’s gold right there. Your job is to tease out the story without making it feel like an interrogation.
Part of your job is being able to recognize the gold. It’s possible that your client may not have a clue.
Get to the heart of it
Once you’ve got the raw material, the real magic happens. You’re not just transcribing—you’re translating. They hand you a messy pile of thoughts, and you turn it into something that sings. Picture Mike, a guy I wrote for who sold handmade leather wallets and belts. He couldn’t write a lick, but he could talk your ear off about the smell of the leather, the way his hands ache after a long day.
He’d ramble, jumping from how he picked the perfect thread to why he hated cheap zippers. I used to buy belts from a department store but they didn’t last. The belt he made for me 9 years ago still holds up my pants. Indestructible. That belt cost more than the department store variety but in the long run, it saved me money.
My task? Sift through that chaos and pull out a tagline: “Crafted tough, built to last.” He grinned when he saw it, like I’d read his soul. You’ve got to find the heart of their jumble and polish it up.
A team effort
Of course, it’s not always smooth sailing. Some clients think they’re Hemingway trapped in a non-writer’s body. They’ll hover, second-guessing every word because it’s not “them” enough. I had a guy, Tom, who ran a landscaping business. He’d say, “Make it punchy,” then frown at my draft because it didn’t sound like his gruff voice. Frustrating? Believe it. But here’s the trick: throw them a bone early. Give them a rough snippet — like a headline or an opening line — and let them tweak it. Tom grumbled, “Too fancy,” so I handed him, “We mow it, you grow it.” He loved it. Get them in on the ground floor, and they’ll trust you to build the rest.
Expectations can trip you up, too. They can’t write, but they’ve got Pinterest boards and vague dreams of going viral. You’re not a miracle worker, and you’ve got to level with them. I tell clients straight up: “I’ll make this shine, but I need you to meet me halfway with the details.” Like with Lisa, who wanted a blog for her candle shop. She’d say, “Make it cozy,” and I’d push back. “Cozy how? Fireplace vibes or rainy-day-reading vibes?” She’d pause, then describe her favorite scent wafting through a quiet room. That’s the stuff you need. Set the ground rules so they know it’s a team effort.
Patience and some stubbornness
Sometimes it feels like herding cats, wrangling their ideas into shape. But there’s a thrill in it, like solving a puzzle where the pieces don’t quite fit until you tilt your head just right. Take Jake, a fitness coach with zero writing chops. He’d text me voice memos, rambling about sweaty gym sessions and protein shakes. I’d listen, scribbling notes, and churn out a post that made his gruff energy pop: “No excuses, just reps.” He’d call me, all hyped, saying, “That’s me, man!” Seeing their vision come alive through your words? That’s the payoff.
The key is patience — and a little stubbornness. You’re not just a writer here; you’re a guide, coaxing them out of their shell. It’s messy, sure. You’ll hit dead ends, chase tangents, maybe even rewrite a paragraph five times because they suddenly remember some random detail. But when it works, it’s amazing. You’ve turned their fuzzy dream into something real, something they can hold up and say, “Yeah, that’s mine.”
They can’t write it themselves, but with you in their corner, they don’t have to. You’re the bridge, and that’s a pretty cool gig to have.