Many famous CEOs have written books. You may have even read a few of them. Maybe you were even motivated.

But have you ever stopped to wonder how they managed to find the time?

Surely their schedules are crazy busy, and writing a whole book is no small feat.

Their name is on the cover, they're said to be the author, so, naturally, you assume that so-and-so wrote the book themselves. They find a sliver of time in between board meetings to pour their genius onto the page and, after a while, the book is done.

It almost never goes like this. Most of those bestsellers you read were written with the help of a ghostwriter. The reason behind it is that the person with the idea or the person who has something they want to share with the world doesn’t necessarily have the skillset or the wordcraft required to write those ideas in a way that will inspire and engage readers.

Plus, that person is likely busy doing something else; they don’t have the time to write an entire book and then do everything else that’s required (e.g., editing, proofreading, publishing, sales, etc.).  Leaders have A LOT to share with us. What they don’t have is time. Time is the only resource that’s completely limited, and they know it.

Besides, to them, a book isn't usually a passion project but a tool. It's an extension of their strategy and vision.

Let's see how this actually works.

 

The Time Problem

When you're a leader/executive, time is a precious commodity, and you’re careful on how you spend this resource.

Each decision carries a lot of weight because you need to think about the risks, about coordinating teams, managing capital, making sure the company is going in the right direction, etc. Your focus is all over the place every single day, and that focus is your most valuable asset.

So, where do you find the time and place for quiet thinking? How do you make sure nobody interrupts you?

It's almost impossible.

And even if you decide to write it on weekends, it's not like a few productive ones will allow you to finish the book. Writing a book is a marathon that involves a lot of structuring and revising, and when you have back-to-back meetings, you can't fit that marathon anywhere.

Still, if you really want to do it, it's possible, but you'll need ghostwriters to help you.

Don't mistake a ghostwriter for someone who works for you because they don't. They're your partner who helps capture the ideas and give them structure. Thanks to them, your insights have a chance of becoming clear and engaging.

You're still the one with all the experience, that doesn't change, but this way, your book gets the time and attention it needs.

 

Writing Is Just Another Thing Executives Delegate

Many people hear the word 'writing' and think of the physical act of sitting down and putting the words on a page.

If that's you, too, you're missing the point.

Typing is a lot of work, sure. But the real work is thinking.

If you have 20 years of experience, digging out core lessons from that is a decent amount of work. Two decades is a mess of complicated experiences, and you need to find the simple story in it. This is the actual hard part, and it's one that an executive has to do all on their own.

Translation is the part where they can get some help, so those insights become well-structured and clear.

So, don't think that CEOs delegate the writing of their ideas because that's not the case. They work with a ghostwriter, but only in the sense of shaping ideas for the reader. The heart, the voice, the mind, it's all theirs.

Besides, more than half of nonfiction bestsellers are written by ghostwriters, so that should tell you what an established practice this is.

 

Executive Books Are Written for Influence, Not Expression

When you look at books written by CEOs, where are they? In the poetry section? Children's books? No.

Executive books are written to build influence.

Once the book is written, everyone in that company, from new hires to senior managers, has a clear sense of how things are done here. Naturally, the influence goes well beyond the company – out in the industry and the people who write the checks.

When an executive has an idea in their head, that idea doesn't do much. Now take that same idea and write it down in a book. That builds credibility and starts the conversations the executive wants to have.

For all of this to happen, the message has to be crystal clear, not in the sense of writing beautiful sentences.

The purpose is to be understood, which is why getting a ghostwriter is the smartest idea possible.

 

Conclusion

Can one person write a book? Yeah, it’s possible. But not likely. This is a team effort.

Think about it – you’ve got the person that’s doing the storyline and story idea, then you’ve got the person that’s doing the writing, then the book illustrator, the cover designer, the proofreader, editor, translator, and then you’ve got the entire marketing/promotional and sales aspect of it all. It’s usually a whole team.

And one extremely important part of that team is the ghostwriter – the person who’s going to write the entirety of what fans will later be reading, and will take no credit for it, just the payment.

And sure, it’s a fair trade, but think twice the next time you read a great book.

Did the person on the cover write it, or was it a mystery person you’ve got to thank for the perfectly crafted words that have inspired you?