LinkedIn ghostwriting: what it is and why it’s not cheating

LinkedIn ghostwriting has a reputation problem. Some people assume it’s deceptive, like hiring someone to pretend to be you online. In reality, it’s far less dramatic and far more practical. Ghostwriting isn’t impersonation, and it’s not outsourcing your personality. It’s a way to communicate your thinking with more clarity, more consistency and less stress, especially when your schedule doesn’t give you time to write regularly.

If you’ve ever opened LinkedIn, started drafting something, and then deleted it because it “didn’t sound like you”, you’re not alone. A lot of people slip into vague, corporate or overly polished writing without noticing. That’s one of the reasons posts fall flat. If that feels familiar, you might like is your tone of voice actually just tone of vague.

Let’s get clear on what LinkedIn ghostwriting actually looks like.

What LinkedIn ghostwriting actually is

LinkedIn ghostwriting is a collaboration. You bring the ideas, experience, stories and perspective. A ghostwriter brings structure, clarity and a sharper way to express what you already think. It’s still your point of view. It’s still your voice. The difference is that someone else shapes it into something easier to understand and more consistent to read.

In practice, this means taking your scattered thoughts, voice notes, meeting insights or experiences and turning them into posts that people actually want to read. A good ghostwriter isn’t inventing opinions. They’re drawing out the ones you already have and translating them into something engaging and unmistakably yours. If you’re curious how platforms decide what’s “clear” or not, what AI search actually looks for is a helpful breakdown.

What LinkedIn ghostwriting is not

Ghostwriting isn’t pretending to be you, giving you a “LinkedIn persona”, or inventing hot takes you don’t believe in. It’s not outsourcing your credibility or faking expertise. It’s also not an attempt to make your writing sound like everyone else’s. Good ghostwriting protects your voice instead of replacing it.

Authenticity isn’t about typing every word yourself. It’s about being clear, honest and consistent. And often, consistency is the thing that falls apart first when you’re busy.

Why founders and executives use ghostwriters

Leaders tend to think faster than they write. They’re juggling decisions, meetings and teams, and writing often sits at the bottom of the to-do list. A ghostwriter bridges the gap between having strong ideas and having those ideas articulated properly in public.

People often choose ghostwriting because they want clarity. Or because they want to show up consistently without handing half their week over to content creation. Or because they understand that a visible founder accelerates brand trust. Visibility still matters, and not all content delivers the same impact. How AI rewrote the content funnel explains this shift well.

Another reason leaders use ghostwriters is quality control. When posts sound like a watered-down version of you, or worse, like generic AI content, it works against your credibility. A ghostwriter keeps your content grounded in your real voice and real experience.

“But isn’t it cheating?”

No — and the comparison isn’t even close. Ghostwriting is no different from using a speechwriter, working with a communications lead, having someone edit your reports, or getting strategy support from your team. In all of those situations, the ideas are yours. The expertise is yours. The direction is yours. The writing is simply the craft that makes your thinking accessible.

Ghostwriting only becomes “cheating” when someone fabricates expertise or invents stories. Professional ghostwriters don’t do that.

What good LinkedIn ghostwriting looks like

Good ghostwriting sounds like you on your best writing day. It uses your phrasing, your rhythm and your worldview. It simplifies complex ideas without diluting them. It respects your boundaries. And it avoids the AI-generated tone people are becoming increasingly good at recognising.

It also makes your content consistent. People trust what they see regularly, and clarity is something platforms reward. If you want to understand that shift, SEO isn’t dead — it just grew up walks through it.

How LinkedIn ghostwriting works in practice

Most of my clients follow a simple process:

We start with a conversation about your background, voice, goals and the topics you want to lead with. I look at your existing content, your messages, your internal docs and the way you naturally communicate. From there, we build a content strategy that keeps your themes consistent and focused.

You share ideas, voice notes or rough thoughts. I translate them into drafts. You review and approve (most people barely edit once the voice is locked in). Posts go out consistently. We refine based on what resonates.

If you want broader support beyond LinkedIn, what a content retainer actually includes explains how the ongoing content piece works.

Why having support makes you more authentic, not less

There’s nothing “authentic” about wanting to post for months but never finding the time. And there’s nothing inauthentic about wanting clarity, structure or support.

Authenticity is being intentional about what you share and how you show up. Ghostwriting makes that possible. It removes the friction between knowing what you want to say and getting it written.

When you should consider hiring a ghostwriter

You might be ready for a ghostwriter if:

• you have clear opinions but struggle to get them on paper
• your writing sounds nothing like how you actually speak
• you want to build authority faster than your schedule allows
• you want someone to keep your voice consistent across channels
• you’re tired of AI-flavoured writing but don’t have hours to rewrite everything
• you know visibility matters but don’t want content to take over your week

If that sounds familiar, the Executive Thought Leadership service is built for founders, executives and domain experts who want to grow their influence without sacrificing time.

A better way to think about ghostwriting

Ghostwriting isn’t someone pretending to be you. It’s someone helping you express the thinking you already have in a way that resonates with the people you want to reach. It’s a skillset, not a shortcut. A partnership, not a mask. And for most leaders, it’s the difference between having strong ideas and having those ideas actually understood.

If you ever want to explore it properly, I’m always happy to chat.