You're not failing because you're a bad client—you're failing because no one ever told you how to be a good one. Here's how to fix it.

Most writing partnerships don’t break because of bad writing.
They break because nobody said what needed to be said.
Timelines get vague. Scope gets murky. Feedback gets buried in silence.
If you want strong content, build a strong relationship first. Start by not screwing up the basics.

1. You Don't Talk Enough

Silence kills more deals than bad drafts.
Too many founders assume their ghostwriter just “knows what they mean.” They don’t. That’s not an insult—it’s reality. They're not in your head.

Why this matters:
Clarity beats cleverness. You want a voice that sounds like you? Then speak up. Often.

What to do:
Can’t write long emails? Cool. Record a voice memo. Drop a Loom. Sketch it on a napkin. Whatever gets the idea across.

What to stop doing:
Don’t assume they’re a mind reader. Assume they’re not. You’ll be right 100% of the time.

📚 Recommended Resource:
Radical Candor by Kim Scott. This book is gold for learning how to say what needs to be said—without turning into a tyrant.

2. Your Scope Is a Black Hole

“Can you just whip up a quick 5,000-word brand story?”
That’s not how it works. Vague direction leads to vague drafts, and then everybody gets frustrated.

Why this matters:
If you don’t define the win, nobody knows when you’ve won. Or worse—you don’t even know what you’re building.

What to do:
Write a one-pager. Include format, platform, audience, tone, goal, and how you’ll measure if it worked.

What to stop doing:
Don’t throw random ideas at your writer and expect consistency. Strategy is your job. Writing is theirs.

📚 Recommended Resource:
Start With Why by Simon Sinek. No fluff—just a straight path to figuring out your actual purpose.

3. You Treat Timelines Like Suggestions

“Can we have it by end of day?” is lazy and annoying.
Unless you’re paying them to sit by the computer 24/7, don’t expect instant turnaround. You want quality? Plan for it.

Why this matters:
Writers juggle clients. They have deep work windows. And good writing doesn’t pop out of nowhere—it’s shaped, sharpened, refined.

What to do:
Agree on a clear timeline—draft dates, review windows, delivery goals. And build in breathing room.

What to stop doing:
Don’t make them chase you for edits, feedback, or approvals. That’s how projects go stale.

📚 Recommended Resource:
Essentialism by Greg McKeown. If your calendar is chaos, this book will help you cut the noise.

4. You Give Feedback Like a Vague Fortune Cookie

“Can you punch it up a bit?” means nothing.
Most people give feedback that sounds nice but solves nothing. If your writer doesn’t know what to fix, they’ll just guess.

Why this matters:
Writing is a loop. No feedback = no improvement. Half-baked notes = half-baked content.

What to do:
Be specific. “I don’t talk like this” is helpful. “This sounds too formal—I’d say it more casually” is even better.

What to stop doing:
Don’t ghost your ghostwriter. Silence after a draft is worse than bad feedback.

📚 Recommended Resource:
Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen. It’s not just about giving feedback—it’s about receiving it without being a baby.

5. You Don’t Trust the Writer You Hired

Micromanagement kills creativity.
If you’re changing every sentence to match your internal monologue, just write it yourself.

Why this matters:
You hired a writer because you needed help. Let them bring something new. That’s the point.

What to do:
Before making a change, ask: “Is this about clarity… or control?” If it’s just preference, let it go.

What to stop doing:
Don’t edit their voice out of the piece. You didn’t hire a transcriptionist.

📚 Recommended Resource:
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Helps you respect the creative process—yours and theirs.

Here’s the Real Game:

If you want standout writing, be a standout client.
The ghostwriting process can be powerful—if you treat it like a relationship, not a transaction. Respect timelines. Communicate like an adult. Give feedback that helps. Trust the process.

You’ll get writing that sounds like you—on your best day.

And if you’re trying to build a brand that lasts, that’s the kind of voice you need.

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