Tired of losing potential clients even though you know you're a great ghostwriter? Or maybe you're landing them but spending hours explaining your process over and over? You've got the writing skills, and you understand how to adapt to different voices, but something's missing in how you present yourself to clients.
It’s frustrating, and we get it.
That’s where a professional ghostwriting proposal can level things up for you.
If you’ve been wondering how to get started with a ghostwriting proposal that saves you time, money (and sanity!), this article is for you. We cover everything from the basics and share an easy-to-use ghostwriting proposal template you can make your own!
But before we dive deeper, let's cover the essentials.
What is a ghostwriting proposal?
A ghostwriting proposal is a document outlining the terms and details for hiring a writer to create content on behalf of another person or entity without getting writing credits.
Simply put, someone hires you to amplify their story and message in their voice because they lack the time or writing expertise to put them on paper.
For example, your outreach pitch (even before you send a proposal) to a sales leader might read:
"We'll develop a LinkedIn thought leadership series that highlights your proven sales processes. This content will demonstrate your expertise in crafting unbeatable sales proposals, show other sales leaders how you consistently close enterprise deals, and attract companies seeking high-ticket sales consulting”.
From there on, a well-structured proposal will organize everything your client needs to know, and it typically includes:
- Project overview and goals: Spell out your client's ultimate goal, not just what you'll write, but what that writing will help them achieve
- Deadlines: what they'll get and when
- Payment terms: Clear pricing that matches the value you're providing
- Confidentiality clauses and ownership rights: How you'll protect their ideas and reputation, and clear terms about content ownership
When you start with a clear proposal, clients see you as a professional who knows how to deliver results, plus it puts a full stop to misunderstandings down the line.
How to write a ghostwriting proposal: 7 key elements to include
Decision-makers get dozens of proposals, so what makes them stop and read yours?
While standard elements like executive summaries and introductions matter in a ghostwriting proposal, they really want to see whether you understand their goals and have a clear plan to achieve them.
Step #1 Start with the vision and goals
By now, you've had detailed conversations with your client and understand exactly what they're aiming for. Your proposal's vision section is where you mirror this back to them, showing you truly get their goals.
Start by laying out what they've shared: Maybe they want to be known as the go-to expert in sales transformation. Perhaps it's about creating a book that lands them those $50K speaking gigs. Reference specific points from your discussions—it shows you've been listening.
Then, break down how these goals cascade into real business outcomes:
- Short-term wins: Those immediate gains like more quality leads and media features
- Medium-term impact: The natural progression into consulting work or regular speaking engagements
- Long-term vision: Their bigger play—whether that's reshaping their industry or building a lasting legacy
Show how your writing connects directly to each of these goals. When clients see their exact vision reflected in your proposal and a clear path to achieving it, signing that contract becomes easy.
Step #2 Define your strategy
After showing you understand their goals, break down exactly how you'll capture and amplify their voice. Skip the writing jargon—instead, outline your practical approach. Maybe you start with deep-dive sessions to capture their speaking style or review their best content to understand their unique way of explaining things.
Map out your method simply:
- How you'll capture their voice and expertise
- Your process for developing content
- Your quality checks to maintain consistency
- Your revision system to nail the final piece
Show them you have a reliable system for making this happen, and you'll ease any worries about whether you can truly capture their voice.
Step #3 Spell out your service and support framework
This is where you get specific about exactly what your client is buying. No fluff, no maybes—just clear deliverables that show the value they're getting for their investment.
Break down your service into concrete elements:
- Communication setup: Weekly check-ins? Slack access? Response times? Quarterly reviews?
- Content deliverables: Number of articles, word counts, or book chapters
- Revision rounds: How many rounds are included (and what counts as a revision)
- Rush requests: Your process for handling urgent content needs
- Extra support: Things like content calendars or social media snippets
Then outline what might cost extra. Maybe it's additional revision rounds, weekend work, or rush delivery. Being upfront about these prevents awkward conversations later.
Don't just list features—connect each service element to their goals. Show how your weekly check-ins keep projects on track or how your revision process ensures their content hits the mark every time.
Step #4 Add your implementation timeline
Here's where you show clients exactly how their project will unfold— realistic deadlines that keep everyone on the same page.
Map out your project phases with specific timeframes:
- Kickoff phase: When you'll have those deep-dive sessions to capture their voice
- Development phase: How long you'll need for first drafts
- Review cycles: Clear windows for their feedback and your revisions
- Final delivery: When they'll get the polished, ready-to-use content
Be super clear about what you need from them and when. Maybe it's "two hours for our initial deep-dive" or "48-hour feedback windows on drafts." This helps them plan their time and keeps the project moving smoothly.
Add some buffer time for unexpected changes. Better to deliver early than miss a deadline. Always highlight when you need their input—this prevents those awkward "waiting for feedback" delays.
Step #5 Break down the investment
Instead of just dropping a price, show clients exactly what they're getting for their investment.
Split it into clear chunks:
- Project phases and what you deliver in each
- Payment schedule (like 40% upfront, 30% midway, 30% on completion)
- What's included in your base rate
- Common add-ons and their costs
Be clear about payment terms. When do you need deposits? How do you handle extra revisions? The more upfront you are about money, the smoother your project will run.
Also, clients aren't just buying your writing—they're investing in results. Show them how your pricing connects to their business goals.
With Qwilr’s proposal software, you can embed interactive quote blocks and pricing tables for clear cost breakdowns.
Step #6 Laydown the metrics
When it comes to metrics, our advice is to focus on results, not just deliverables. Every piece of content you write should move your client closer to their goals, and this section shows exactly how you'll track that progress.
Map out the key indicators that matter:
- Brand visibility: LinkedIn engagement rates, article shares, media mentions
- Business growth: Inbound leads, consultation requests, client conversions
- Industry authority: Speaking invitations, podcast requests, partnership opportunities
- Content performance: Audience growth, time spent reading, response rates
Keep it simple: Pick 3-4 key metrics that directly connect to their success. You're not writing a data science report—you're showing them you care about delivering content that actually works for their business. When clients see you're committed to measuring impact, they trust you're invested in their results.
Step #7 Share your success stories
This is where you show that you've done this before and done it well. But skip the boring portfolio stuff—share quick stories that relate to what your client wants to achieve.
Keep each story short and focused:
- The client's starting point
- What you helped them create
- The actual results they saw
- How long it took to get there
Maybe it's how you helped a client land three speaking gigs from their book or how their LinkedIn posts started bringing in real business leads. Pick examples that match your current client's goals.
While confidentiality is key in ghostwriting, you can share results without naming names. Focus on outcomes that show you can deliver what you promise.
And when you’re done, make it easy for them to jump on the next steps by quickly signing the attached agreement and accepting payment. (Shameless plug: you can do all of this from within your ghostwriting proposal with Qwilr.)
Ghostwriting proposal template
Writing ghostwriting proposals shouldn't take hours. Whether you run a ghostwriting agency, work as a freelance ghostwriter, or offer this service as part of your broader content writing services, with a good template, you can quickly put together something that shows clients exactly how you'll help them succeed.
Qwilr’s ghostwriting proposal template comes armed with just the right sections to keep things moving and is intentionally designed for clarity and impact. It includes detailed sections such as:
- Executive summary
- Introduction
- Vision and goals
- Strategy
- Service and support framework
- Metrics
- Investment
- Success stories
- Implementation timeline
- Get started
- Next steps
But that’s not where it stops! We have gone a step ahead to ensure that you aren’t just stuck with basic ghostwriting proposal template features that focus only on brand consistency and a professional presentation. With Qwilr’s ghostwriting proposal, you have the added advantage of:
- Adding interactive components such as videos, images, and links to demonstrate your creative abilities and portfolio.
- Looking at views and time spent on each section, With our latest product update you can also stay on top of every project milestone with instant alerts for transactions, signatures, and workflow updates. Get notified when buyers return to your proposal, even months later.
- Streamlining communication and feedback by getting comments directly in the proposal, thus saving you valuable time.
- Showing interactive pricing plans and quotes so your prospects can make a decision quickly.
- Ensuring every part of your business is connected via various integrations from CRM to productivity tools to even team communication platforms.
The best bit, though, remains the ability to add a formal agreement to your proposal, get it e-signed, and accept payments from within the same platform.
Win more ghostwriting clients with Qwilr
Ready to transform your ghostwriting game? Qwilr’s battle-tested ghostwriting proposal template takes the guesswork out of landing clients, helping you pitch like a pro in minutes. And it’s as simple as 3-2-1! Simply sign in to your Qwilr account, select the template, and customize it to your needs.
Skip the blank page anxiety and let our template do the heavy lifting—because winning that next ghostwriting gig should be the easiest part of your day.
If you don’t have a Qwilr account, sign up for free and get started.
About the author
Brendan Connaughton|Head of Growth Marketing
Brendan heads up growth marketing and demand generation at Qwilr, overseeing performance marketing, SEO, and lifecycle initiatives. Brendan has been instrumental in developing go-to-market functions for a number of high-growth startups and challenger brands.