If you don’t have time to write content for your business blogging initiative, can you hire a ghostblogger?

Ghost writing has been along since the time of the Bible. Even today, biblical scholars are arguing about who wrote the passages in the New Testament. Some scholars suggesting that Scribes were used. The ancient version of what could be today’s ghost blog writer.

Now, I am not here to debate biblical scholars. If what they say is true, ghost writing has been around for some time.

There’s a bit of debate about whether or not to hire ghost writers for a business blog or, as I like to call them, “phost writers“. And while I understand the arguments against it, especially those focusing on transparency and sincerity, I think the people making them don’t have a firm understanding of the amount of time that goes into writing a good blog post.

They also don’t have a firm grasp on a simple economic concept: Some people’s time is worth lots of money. If you or your potential blogger bills or earns over about $50 per hour, you are probably not making a wise decision to strictly blog in house.

Here’s another important point. Ghost writing is an accepted practice.

Take a look at speech writers. President Obama’s speeches are crafted by Jon Favreau, a 27-year-old whiz kid from Massachusetts. McCain’s were written by long-time friend and adviser Mark Salter. It’s an accepted (and expected) practice in both the political and corporate world.

I would not expect Bob Crandall, the former CEO of American Airlines to always sit down and type out his own blog posts, but I would like to hear what he has to say. In his New England fashion, he really tells it like it is. If it takes someone else to get those thoughts into a post then please, Mr. Crandall, have them do it.

The way I see it, ghost writing for a blog is no different than a speech writer save one thing. A speech writer writes the words that a person will say. A professional “phost writer” writes the words a person has said.

How do we do it?

Simple, we interview the would-be post author, take their spoken words and turn them into written words. However, we don’t transcribe. We cull the best points from each recorded interview and craft posts using their expressions, their “way of speaking”.

Just like speech writers, we provide a personalized service to those who may not have the time, resources or blogging skills needed to do it themselves.

So, tell me, what’s all this ghost writing fuss really about?

photo credit: jdebner