How Do You Write Your Articles For Clients If You Are Not Familiar with Their Industry?

StephanieP · #10 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009

I'm somewhat amazed at the client's desires (a non-generic article with no required input from them). I fully understand the concept of ghostwriting and wouldn't mind doing some myself; however, in order to be a good ghostwriter, you have to be able to develop their "voice" for it to be believable (just my HO. I could be totally wrong about that...lol). How are you supposed to do that if you don't even know the client well enough to know their personality (even just a little bit) or have no input from them. To me, some of the best blogs out there are blogs that the writer obviously has an interest in or ones that discuss/solve issues that they themselves are dealing with. So, how can you write about topics that you really have no idea whether or not the client even has an interest in and make it believable to their audience?

As for suggestions, I agree with what everyone else has said. Maybe you can come to a compromise with your client. You could do some initial research about her industry and what other writers are doing and then brainstorm some ideas (on your own) that you think might be good to write about and then share them with her for her input (or him?). How does she feel about each topic or which topics interest her the most (if she was the audience, which topic would she click on to read more about).

As far as trying to find her "voice", maybe you could put a questionaire together and then request just 30 mins. or an hour of her time to really talk to her on more of a non-business level to try to gauge her personality a little bit. The questionaire might contain just general personality stuff (likes/dislikes, how she would react to certain situations) and then also how she acts in the business world (some people may be uptight in the office but more relaxed and fun once they leave).

So, with just an hour of her time and maybe a few minutes every month to rate your topics (unless, of course she chose a few that will keep you going for a while), you may find it a bit easier to do what she's asking with very little input from her in the future. Not quite sure how this would really work but it's an idea. Good luck!