The difference between profitable, enjoyable ghostwriting projects and nightmares that make you question your career choice often comes down to one factor: what you asked before saying yes. Professional ghostwriters don't accept every inquiry—they systematically vet prospects using strategic questions that reveal budget reality, timeline feasibility, personality fit, and red flags signaling future problems. Fifteen minutes of rigorous questioning prevents months of misery. Ask these questions before committing, and you'll build a ghostwriting practice filled with great clients paying fair rates for reasonable work.
Budget and Financial Questions
1. "What's your budget for this project?"
Why ask: Cuts through time-wasting. If they say $5,000 for 60,000-word book and your minimum is $30,000, you're incompatible. Better to discover in 30 seconds than after hours of discussion.
What to listen for: Specific number signals they've researched and allocated budget. Vague "depends on the writer" or "what do you charge?" without any sense of range suggests they haven't prepared. Follow up: "Most memoir projects of this scope run $35,000-50,000. Does that align with your expectations?" Their reaction tells you everything.
2. "How are you funding this project?"
Why ask: Reveals financial stability. Corporate client with approved budget? Great. Individual using retirement savings they can't really afford? Risky—they may not complete payments.
Red flags: "I'll pay you from book sales" (translation: no budget), "My rich uncle is funding it but I need to convince him first" (money isn't secured), "I'm taking out a loan" (financial pressure may cause problems if project goes longer than expected).
3. "What's your timeline for payment?"
Why ask: Some clients have approval processes requiring 30-60 days per payment. You need to know this affects cash flow before committing.
What to negotiate: If they need extended payment timelines, adjust payment schedule (larger deposit, fewer milestones) or add delay premium.
Project Scope and Expectations
4. "Why do you want to write this book/content now?"
Why ask: Reveals motivation and urgency. "I've wanted to do this for 20 years and finally have time" is different from "My competitor just published and I need something in 8 weeks." Understanding motivation helps you assess realistic timeline and whether they'll actually complete project.
Green flags: Clear business reason, specific launch date tied to event, long-held passion project they've prepared for. Red flags: Impulsive decision, vague "should probably write a book," or competitive panic.
5. "Have you worked with a ghostwriter before? How did it go?"
Why ask: Previous ghostwriting experience sets expectations. First-timers need education about process. Serial ghostwriting clients either have realistic expectations (good) or have churned through multiple ghostwriters because they're impossible to please (bad).
Listen carefully to: How they describe previous ghostwriters. If they trash everyone who came before, you'll be next. If they speak respectfully even about unsuccessful partnerships, they understand collaboration challenges.
6. "What do you see as your role versus mine in this project?"
Why ask: Reveals expectation alignment. Do they understand they provide raw material (stories, expertise, voice) while you provide structure, craft, and polish? Or do they expect you to be their typist while they micromanage every word?
Ideal answer: "I'll share my stories and insights in interviews, review drafts, provide feedback. You'll organize it into compelling structure and handle the actual writing." Concerning answer: "I have very specific ideas about every chapter and will guide you closely on exactly what to write."
Timeline and Availability
7. "When do you need the final manuscript?"
Why ask: Determines feasibility and whether rush fees apply. If they need 60,000-word manuscript in 6 weeks and your realistic timeline is 5 months, you're incompatible unless they'll pay significant rush premium.
Follow-up: "For a project of this scope, realistic timeline is X months. Is that acceptable?" Get explicit agreement. Don't promise impossible timeline to win project—you'll fail and damage your reputation.
8. "How much time can you dedicate to interviews and feedback?"
Why ask: Projects stall when clients are too busy for interviews or delay feedback for months. If they travel 200 days yearly with no reliable schedule, project timeline becomes unpredictable.
Minimum requirement: 15-20 hours of interviews over project duration, ability to provide feedback within 2 weeks of receiving drafts. If they can't commit to this, timeline will explode.
9. "Do you have a hard deadline (book launch, event, publishing contract)?"
Why ask: Hard deadlines create pressure that may not be realistic. If they've already announced book launch date before securing ghostwriter, you inherit their poor planning as your emergency.
Negotiate carefully: Hard deadlines require rush fees and contract clauses protecting you if their delays (not providing interview time, slow feedback) jeopardize the deadline.
Content and Material
10. "What existing material do you have?"
Why ask: Starting with organized notes/rough draft saves time versus starting from zero. Also reveals their preparation level.
Best case: "I have 100 pages of rough draft, detailed outline, and supporting documents." Worst case: "I have this idea in my head." Adjust pricing and timeline based on starting point.
11. "Are there sensitive topics or confidential information this touches?"
Why ask: Legal review requirements, NDA complexity, and potential controversy affect timeline and your liability. If book discusses ongoing litigation or names living people negatively, you need lawyer review and possibly professional liability insurance.
Deal-breakers: If they want to publish content that's legally problematic (defamatory, breaches confidentiality, violates non-compete) and won't get legal review, decline. Liability falls on you as writer.
12. "Who's your target audience?"
Why ask: Vague audience understanding signals unclear project vision. If they say "everyone" or "anyone interested in business," they haven't thought it through. Clear audience ("mid-career managers transitioning to leadership") suggests focused, achievable project.
Working Relationship
13. "How do you prefer to communicate and how often?"
Why ask: Sets expectations upfront. If they expect daily updates and you work in two-week sprints, mismatch will cause friction. If they're terrible at email but good on phone, knowing this prevents communication breakdowns.
Negotiate explicitly: "I provide written updates every two weeks and respond to emails within 48 hours. Does that work for you?" Get agreement on communication patterns before starting.
14. "What concerns do you have about working with a ghostwriter?"
Why ask: Surfaces anxieties you can address upfront. Common concerns: "Will it sound like me?" "How do I know you won't steal my ideas?" "What if I don't like what you write?" These are all addressable with contract terms and process explanations.
Red flag version: If their concerns reveal distrust ("How do I know you'll actually do the work?" "What stops you from just disappearing?"), they may be difficult client projecting previous bad experiences onto you.
15. "Why are you considering me specifically for this project?"
Why ask: Reveals whether they've researched you or mass-emailed every ghostwriter they found. Best answers reference your specific expertise, relevant portfolio work, or personal recommendation. Worst: "I contacted 20 ghostwriters and you're the first to respond."
What you're assessing: Do they value you as professional with relevant expertise, or do they see ghostwriters as interchangeable vendors competing primarily on price?
Red Flags That Mean Decline
Certain answers should trigger immediate decline:
- No budget, expecting payment from book sales: This means free work with possible future payment—no professional accepts this
- Unrealistic timeline they won't adjust: 60K words in 4 weeks, non-negotiable—you'll fail, damaging reputation
- Speaking poorly of all previous ghostwriters: The common factor in their failed relationships is them
- Requesting spec work: "Write a sample chapter so I can evaluate you"—free work masquerading as audition
- Vague scope with pushback on contracts: "Let's just start and see where it goes"—scope creep nightmare waiting to happen
- Hostile or entitled tone: Rudeness during inquiry predicts worse during project
- Wanting to skip contract: "We don't need formal agreement, let's just shake on it"—huge legal risk
The Follow-Up
After asking these questions:
Sleep on it: Don't commit during initial conversation. Say "Let me review everything and send you a detailed proposal by [date]." This gives you time to assess answers objectively.
Trust your gut: If something feels off despite good answers, decline. Your intuition catches subtleties conscious analysis misses.
Send comprehensive proposal: If moving forward, proposal should address everything discussed: specific scope, timeline, pricing, terms. Written proposal prevents "but I thought you said..." misunderstandings.
The Power of Strategic Questioning
Asking these 15 questions takes 20-30 minutes. That half-hour investment saves you from six-month nightmares with clients who can't pay, have impossible expectations, or make your life miserable. Professional ghostwriters screen clients as carefully as clients screen them. Your capacity is limited—fill it with great clients who respect you, pay fairly, and make the work enjoyable. Every nightmare client you avoid creates space for dream client you'll love working with.
Systematic client vetting separates sustainable ghostwriting businesses from burnt-out freelancers constantly fighting difficult clients. Use River's Client Onboarding Questionnaire Generator to create comprehensive intake forms that surface red flags early, ensuring every project you accept has high probability of success and satisfaction for both parties.