reaperinvest Ghostwriter Brief
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Onboard a ghostwriter or freelance writer with a clear brief
- Document your brand voice, tone, and style preferences for a content hire
- Create a reusable brief template for recurring content assignments
- Ensure content produced by others sounds like you
DO NOT use this skill to write the content itself. This produces the brief that guides someone else to write it.
Core Principle
A GHOSTWRITER BRIEF MUST BE SPECIFIC ENOUGH THAT TWO DIFFERENT WRITERS WOULD PRODUCE SIMILAR-SOUNDING CONTENT — VAGUE BRIEFS PRODUCE VAGUE CONTENT.
Phase 1: Brief
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Content type | "What will the ghostwriter produce? Blog posts, social media, emails, all of the above?" | Blog posts |
| Voice samples | "Share 2-3 pieces of content you've written that represent how you want to sound." | No default — strongly recommended |
| Audience | "Who is reading this content?" | Solopreneurs and small business owners |
| Topics / niche | "What topics will the writer cover?" | No default — must be provided |
| Publishing cadence | "How often will they produce content?" | Weekly |
| SEO targets | "Are there keywords or SEO goals for this content?" | None — writer can suggest |
| Content they should NEVER write | "Any topics, tones, or positions that are off-limits?" | None stated |
GATE: Confirm all inputs before building the brief.
Phase 2: Outline
Brief Sections
1. Overview — who you are, what the writer is producing, and why
2. Audience Profile — detailed description of the reader
3. Voice & Tone Guide — how the content should sound
4. Style Rules — grammar, formatting, and structural preferences
5. Topic Guidance — what to write about and what to avoid
6. SEO Requirements — keyword targets and technical SEO rules
7. Workflow — submission process, revision expectations, deadlines
8. Examples — annotated samples of good and bad content
GATE: Confirm outline structure before writing full brief.
Phase 3: Write
Section-by-Section Guide
1. Overview (100-150 words)
- Who you are and what your business does
- What the ghostwriter will produce (type, frequency, length)
- Where it will be published
- The business goal of the content
2. Audience Profile (150-200 words)
- Demographics: age range, role, industry
- Pain points: what keeps them up at night
- Goals: what they are trying to achieve
- Content preferences: how they consume content, what resonates
3. Voice & Tone Guide (200-300 words)
Provide concrete characteristics with examples:
## Voice Characteristics
**We sound like:** A smart friend who runs a business — direct, practical, zero fluff
**We do NOT sound like:** A corporate press release or an academic paper
| Trait | What This Means | Example |
|-------|----------------|---------|
| Direct | Get to the point in the first sentence | "Here's how to fix your pricing." NOT "In this article, we will explore..." |
| Conversational | Write like you talk | Use contractions, fragments are fine, ask questions |
| Confident | State opinions without hedging | "This is the best approach" NOT "This could potentially be a good approach" |
| Specific | Use numbers and examples | "We grew from $5K to $50K/mo" NOT "We experienced significant growth" |
4. Style Rules (150-200 words)
| Rule | Preference |
|---|---|
| Paragraphs | 2-4 sentences max |
| Headings | H2s for major sections, H3s for sub-sections |
| Lists | Use bullet points for 3+ items |
| Oxford comma | Yes / No |
| Numbers | Spell out under 10, use digits for 10+ |
| Links | Descriptive anchor text only |
| Formatting | Bold key phrases, no italic for emphasis |
5. Topic Guidance (150-200 words)
- List 5-10 core topics they should write about
- List topics that are off-limits
- Specify any positions or opinions the brand holds on controversial topics
- Note any competitors they should or should not mention
6. SEO Requirements (100-150 words)
- Keyword placement rules (H1, first 100 words, etc.)
- Meta description format
- Internal linking expectations
- Target word count range
7. Workflow (100-150 words)
- Submission format (Google Doc, Markdown, CMS draft)
- Revision process (how many rounds, turnaround time)
- Deadline expectations
- Communication channel (email, Slack, etc.)
8. Examples — Annotated (200-300 words)
- Include 2-3 paragraphs of content that nails the voice (with annotations explaining WHY it works)
- Include 1-2 examples of content that misses the mark (with annotations explaining what is wrong)
Phase 4: Polish
1. Brief Checklist
## Ghostwriter Brief Checklist
- [ ] Overview clearly states what the writer will produce
- [ ] Audience profile is specific enough to picture a real person
- [ ] Voice guide includes concrete examples (not just adjectives)
- [ ] Style rules cover grammar, formatting, and structural preferences
- [ ] Topic list has both "write about" and "never write about" sections
- [ ] SEO requirements are specific and actionable
- [ ] Workflow section covers deadlines, revisions, and submission format
- [ ] Good and bad examples are annotated with explanations
- [ ] Brief is written clearly enough that a new writer could start immediately
2. Onboarding Suggestion
Recommend a paid test assignment: one piece of content (500-800 words) on a specific topic, using the brief, with a 5-day turnaround. Evaluate before committing to ongoing work.
Example: Brief for a Weekly Business Blog Ghostwriter
## Voice Characteristics
We sound like: A mentor who's done the thing — not lecturing, but sharing what worked
We do NOT sound like: A textbook, a hype-y marketer, or a Silicon Valley thought leader
Good: "I tested 4 pricing models last year. Here's the one that stuck and why."
Bad: "In today's competitive landscape, leveraging optimal pricing strategies is essential for sustainable growth."
## Style Rules
- Short paragraphs (3 sentences max)
- Oxford comma: yes
- Bold key phrases for skimmers
- Every post opens with a personal anecdote or specific data point
- No "In today's world..." or "As we all know..." openers
Anti-Patterns
- Vague voice descriptions — "Professional but fun" means nothing. Give examples of sentences that nail the voice.
- No examples — a brief without sample content forces the writer to guess. Always include annotated examples.
- Over-constraining — 40 pages of rules paralyze writers. Keep the brief to 2-4 pages that cover the essentials.
- No off-limits list — ghostwriters will accidentally write about sensitive topics if you do not explicitly say what to avoid.
- Skipping the test assignment — never commit to ongoing work without seeing how the writer interprets your brief.
Recovery
- No voice samples available: Interview the user with 5 questions about their voice preferences. Write 3 sample paragraphs in different tones and have them pick the closest match.
- Brief is too long: Cut to the 4 most critical sections: voice guide, style rules, topic guidance, and one annotated example.
- Writer keeps missing the mark: The brief likely has a gap. Ask which specific elements feel off and add a "common mistakes" section.
- Multiple content types: Create a master brief with shared voice/style sections, then add content-type-specific appendices.