Who is a Non-Writer?
Not all authors are writers, and not all non-writers want to outsource the writing. Here's what all of that means.
On the heels of ghostwriting nearly thirty books for professionals and thought leaders, I casually mentioned to a friend that I “am not a writer like you are.” And then the lightbulbs went off.
Few of my clients see themselves as writers first, and fewer still aspire to become writers. They are coaches, consultants, entrepreneurs, and engineers.
In other words, they are people who think creatively to solve complex problems, push boundaries, and deliver innovative results. They have developed one-of-a-kind perspectives and are masters of their craft.
They are exactly who we need to hear from in book-length, nonfiction works.
But not all masters are writers, which means that actually writing that book can feel like an impossible lift. And while they could hire a service to do the writing itself, not all non-writers can or should outsource their project to a ghostwriter.
Here’s the reality: The process of writing is one of the most effective ways you can translate your complex, deeply personal knowledge into a form that resonates with others.
It’s a way to bridge the gap between what you know and how that knowledge can inspire, educate, or provoke change in your audience.
And some of us cannot approach it in the same way that writers approach their books.
Writers and Non-Writers
Let’s get some quick definitions out of the way. Because the last thing I want to imply is that being a non-writer is somehow a downgrade from being a writer.
When I talk about writers and non-writers, I often use the cheeky format of WritersTM, or I’ll say “writers by trade.”
By this, I mean the profession of writing, or the calling to be a writer. The archetype of a person who has so many ideas they want to bring into the world, specifically in written form. They’re in love with language and a good turn of phrase. They’re drawn to the craft of writing and inspired to hone it.
For writers, the dream is often to be able to give up their “day job” and focus their time solely on writing.
Non-writers, on the other hand, couldn’t give up their primary work if they wanted to. Whether that work is their day job or the next stage in life that they’re working toward, they are on a mission that cannot be ignored. Writing can only happen if it adds to their purpose and doesn’t distract from it.
Where writers come up with idea after idea and want to make time to get to them all, a non-writer might think “now is not the time” when a book idea bubbles up and won’t leave them alone.
In fact, if we find that someone else has written the book we have in mind, we tend to be relieved more often than we’re disappointed. Oh, thank God. Now I don’t have to write it.
And while non-writers might grow into writers over time—since we frequently pivot paths when a new way to realize our purpose becomes clear—it doesn’t change our non-writer core when we do. We dive in purpose-first, forever and always.
Note that I’m saying “we” here, because I mean it.
On the heels of ghostwriting nearly thirty books for professionals and thought leaders, I casually mentioned to a friend that I “am not a writer like you are.”
Cue confused looks from both of us.
Being a writer felt so different to me than the act of writing that I could not tell why she was staring at me.
My work in the world is to help others bring their vision to life on the nonfiction page, and that’s what I was doing as a ghostwriter and editor. The book ideas that came to me felt like necessary parts of my work, not a body of work I wanted to create to stand on its own.
As soon as I saw the subtle difference between folks who are writers and folks who are writing, I realized something else.
No one is helping non-writers write.
Writing for Non-Writers
When people do talk to non-writers, it’s usually from one of two perspectives: assuming you want to become a writer or providing you a shortcut to get around the writing.
In both cases, it begins by making the case that you need to have a book.
Language like: “books are the ultimate calling card,” “books establish your authority” “if you want to level up, you need to become an author.”
None of this is entirely wrong (though I have a bone to pick with anyone who treats books like they will do anything on their own). But it only goes so far for the person whose time and energy is already devoted to a specific path.
The solution, in that case, tends to be ghostwriting. And cases where you already know what you want to say and have said it a thousand times over, that’s absolutely fine. Or you can work with a ghost who is going to be a serious thought partner, but that’s not within everyone’s budget.
Plus, some of us need to “think through our fingers”—meaning, there’s enough to sort through that we need to be the ones typing and sorting content and refining it, for at least some of the project.
Enter the “learn to write” perspective.
This approach makes the case for writing as an important thought exercise (it is), then offers templates, formulas, timelines, accountability, and community as an attempt to simplify the process (they won’t).
I’m a big fan of a good process, but I’ve also led incredible authors into unnecessary frustration by thinking that a good process was enough.
Both of these approaches fall short for the person who:
doesn’t care whose name is on the cover as long as someone writes the book they know needs to be written
feels worse when they hear how important a book is because they already know that’s true but can’t figure out how to make it happen already
has tried the templates and communities but get distracted working with people who see themselves as writers or lost trying to force an unformed idea into a cookie-cutter format
appreciates the craft of writing but needs to be heard long before they can shift their focus toward learning yet another skill
needs to work through the process of writing anyway, without diverting energy away from their deeper work
In fact, the non-writers I’ve seen try to become writers—to shift their focus toward learning the skill of writing, committing to timelines and practices, and hold their book back until they get it “right”—have burned out.
The ones who want more than just a calling card book but outsourced to calling card ghostwriting companies wound up unsatisfied with both the investment and the outcome.
On the other hand, non-writers who hold their focus on their work, who show up as themselves, who dive in as deep as they can to work out their message and reach up for help before they get too far?
Their books are absolutely transformative, for them and their readers alike.
Want to dig into this topic further in a workshop? Comment or reply to let me know!