How to Prepare for a Ghostwriter Discovery Call
Written by ebookwriters.us Editorial Desk. Reviewed by Sophia Parker, Editorial Director. Published . Updated . 5 min read
A ghostwriter discovery call is short, so the preparation you do beforehand decides how useful it is. Our discovery calls are free and run 30 minutes, which is enough to judge fit if you send a one-page brief first. You need three answers to start: who the book is for, what it should do for you, and how many hours a week you can give it. This guide covers what to prepare, what the call should settle, and what should follow in writing.
Send one page before the call
The most useful thing you can do is send a short brief a day or two ahead, so the whole call goes to your book rather than to background. "Not sure yet" is an acceptable answer to any of these points.
For the reader, describe one specific person. If you are a physical therapist writing about knee pain, that might be a 40-year-old runner who has already tried rest and ice. Your brief should cover:
- Working title, or just the topic
- Type of book: memoir, business or expert book, how-to guide, lead-magnet ebook, or something else
- One specific reader, and what they should be able to do by the last page
- What the book should do for you: clients, speaking, credibility, sales
- A rough length, or "recommend one"
- What you already have: talks, posts, notes, recordings, an old draft
- Hours per week you can give to interviews and chapter reviews
- Your deadline, and whether it is fixed
- Anything off-limits: people, topics or stories
- What you think you need: writing only, or writing plus editing, cover and KDP setup
Keep confidential material until the NDA is signed
Leave sensitive material out of the brief. We work under NDA on every project and send it before anyone shares source files, so patient or client notes, customer data and private family papers can wait until it is signed.
On the call itself, describe your idea in broad strokes. That is enough to scope the project.
What a ghostwriter discovery call should settle
The first question is what the book has to do for you. A 15,000-word guide to bring in clinic leads and a 50,000-word memoir for your family need different structures, interview plans and packages, so expect to be asked about your reader and your goal before anything else.
Next comes what you already have and how much needs to come out of you in interviews. Our packages run from up to 15,000 words to up to 100,000, and each timeline assumes a defined brief and a typical interview load. Short nonfiction often takes only a few hours of your time over the whole project. A memoir or interview-heavy book takes more, and you should be told how much before you sign.
The writer should also tell you whether they have someone who knows your subject. If they do not, a good studio says so on the call. By the end, you should know whether you are getting a standard package or a custom scope, and what is still needed from you.
Gather material that fits your kind of book
For a business or expert book, the best raw material is usually what you already say out loud: recorded talks, webinar slides, podcast interviews, the email every new client receives. A writer learns from these how you explain things and which examples you reach for. It also helps to name two or three books your readers already buy, with a line on what you like or dislike about each.
For a memoir, prepare a rough timeline of the years it covers, a list of the people who appear, and a note on which letters, journals, photos or recordings you would share once the NDA is signed. Flag anyone still living who may not like how they come across, because that changes how some scenes are written.
If you have almost nothing written, that is normal. A list of the ten stories you always end up telling is enough to start.
Questions to ask us, or any writer
The call is your chance to test the writer as much as they are assessing your project. For a longer list, see our guide on what to ask a ghostwriter before hiring. If you are still unsure whether you need a writer at all, book coach vs ghostwriter covers that choice.
On the call itself, ask every writer you speak to:
- Who owns the copyright, and when does it transfer to me?
- Which files do I receive, and whose KDP account does the book go up on?
- How many revision rounds are written into the agreement?
- Will I learn the writer's name after the NDA, and see a sample chapter before the full draft?
What should happen after the call
If the call goes well and both sides want to proceed, this is the order we follow, and it is a fair standard to hold any ghostwriter to:
- An NDA, before you send any source files, if it is not signed already
- A fixed quote and written scope covering length, package, revision rounds, and what is in and out
- Payment only after you have approved that scope
- A rights-transfer agreement signed before writing begins, so the book is yours
- Interviews, followed by a chapter outline you approve
- A sample chapter before the rest is drafted, rewritten at no cost if the voice is not right
Warning signs after a discovery call
Be cautious if a writer asks for full payment after a friendly conversation with nothing in writing. Our ghostwriter contract checklist and our guide to who owns a ghostwritten book cover what the paperwork should say.
To see how a full project runs from outline to final files, read our ebook ghostwriting services page.
FAQ
How long does a ghostwriter discovery call take?
About 30 minutes, if both sides have prepared. That is enough to cover your goal, a rough length, what material you have and your timeline, and to decide whether a written quote makes sense. Calls that run long usually mean the one-page brief was skipped.
Do I need a finished outline before the discovery call?
No. Bring your one-page brief and that is enough. The outline is built together later, as part of the paid project.
Is a discovery call free, and is my idea safe to share?
Good studios do not charge for it. On the call you only describe your idea in broad strokes, and client stories and drafts stay with you until the NDA is signed.
What should I have in writing after the call?
You should receive an email that sets out the scope, a fixed price or a range with a ceiling, a rough timeline and the next steps. If a writer will not put that in an email, treat it as a preview of how the project would run.
Ready to book the call?
When your page is ready, send it to us through the contact page and ask for a discovery call. Tell us the one question you most want answered in those 30 minutes, and we will start there.
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