In this post, I'll explain how to kick off your first ghostwriting project like a pro (so you stand out as a Premium Ghostwriter).

But first, let's recap how you got here.

All your hard work paid off:

• You've created an Irresistible Offer.
• ‍You've done value-first cold outreach.
• You've quoted a no-brainer price by anchoring to outcomes (not other writers).

And you landed your first client!

Congratulations! After coaching hundreds of ghostwriting students (and experiencing this for myself), I know how life-altering this moment can be. There is life before landing your first client, and then there is life after. Your understanding of what’s possible as a writer has just been changed forever.

But, after about 30 minutes of jumping for joy, reality will start to hit home:

• “Do I need a contract?”
• “How do I accept payment?”
• “What’s the first step of a ghostwriting project?”

And tons more questions will come up.

The truth is, how you conduct yourself at the start of a project will show the client a lot about how you work and what they can expect from you in the future. If you nail these first steps, you reassure the client that they’ve just purchased a “premium” service.

So today, I want to help you master the start of your first project so you come across as a reliable and professional contractor.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Send An Onboarding Email (And Ask For The Money)

It might sound simple, but many freelance writers don’t do this.

Sending an Onboarding Email is how you position yourself as a Premium Ghostwriter—it contains two items:

• Your invoice for payment (more on this in a moment)
• A project plan/dashboard (with a Loom walking the client through it)

When you’re asking for a payment, it’s a good idea to bundle something of value (like the project dashboard) in with the message.

Even though the client has just agreed to work with you, nobody likes the feeling of paying a bill. You can “soften the blow” by sending them something else along with it. The project dashboard will get the client excited: they will see what they can expect over the coming weeks and months and it will show them you have ownership of the project. But this doesn’t mean you start work right away.

Back when I worked at an advertising agency in downtown Chicago, my boss and mentor had a rule:

“Work does not begin until payment is received.”

The vast majority of the time, this is the key to making sure you don’t find yourself in a situation where you do a bunch of work only to get screwed in the end. This doesn’t happen as nearly as often people think it does but it is worth protecting yourself just in case it does. So it’s important to only start work when you’re paid and to keep following up until the money hits your bank account.

But how do you receive payments?

There are tons of ways of accepting payments out there:

• Stripe
• PayPal
• QuickBooks

Do your research and find one that works for you. But don’t overthink it. Pick one and get moving.

Here’s a good rule about payment terms when invoicing your client:

• With anything less than $5,000 flat, it’s completely reasonable to just charge for the project in full at the beginning.
• With anything above $5,000 flat, you can also suggest to split the payment in two: 50% up-front, 50% when the project is completed.

You should always “start” with the client paying in full (because most will, and you’d rather get all the money at the beginning—not the end). And for anything on a monthly basis, the retainer should be paid in full at the beginning of each month (or billing cycle).

Now, there is an important nuance to the “work does not begin until payment is received” mantra I live by.

The only time “work does not begin until payment is received” doesn’t end up being true is when you find yourself working with businesses with large accounting teams:

• NGOs or charities
• Heavily-funded startups
• Medium to large-sized companies

In these cases, paying a contractor (like yourself) or vendors (such as agencies, distributors, etc.) isn’t as easy as just “wiring the money.”

When a business has an accounting team, they typically pay out contractors and vendors the same days they pay their own employees (usually every two weeks, or once per month). They do this so they can predict and manage their cash flow.

With clients like this, they’ll introduce you to someone on their accounts / finance team. They explain how you should submit your invoice and give you the payment terms they will be paying you under:

• Net-30
• Net-60
• Net-90

This describes when you will be paid, with the number being the days it will take for them to pay you after they receive your invoice.

While Net-60 and Net-90 are not unheard of, Net-30 is the most common. It’s important not to get on your high horse about your rights as a writer (as tempting as it might be!). Instead, you want to act as if you deal with these kinds of payment terms all the time. After all, this is how you maintain your Premium Positioning as a Premium Ghostwriter.

Simply reply back and say, “OK great, thanks for letting me know.”

Step 2: Sign Contracts

When it comes to contracts, we get these questions all the time in our Premium Ghostwriting Academy:

• “Do I need to get the client to sign something?”
• “How do I write a contract to protect me?”
• “Do I need a lawyer to take a look at this?”

Here’s the brutal reality:

It doesn’t really matter what agreement you have a client sign.

If the client doesn’t want to pay you, they aren’t going to pay you and you aren’t going to sue them. Why? Because it is going to cost you and the client more money to go to court than it would for them to just pay you, or for you to just cut your losses and move on.

For context, out of 300+ clients at my ghostwriting agency, we only had 1 or 2 clients who ended up screwing us out of a final invoice.

It rarely, rarely happens. For anything under $5,000, you usually don’t even need a contract—especially when you are working with creators, solopreneurs, or small business owners. But if it makes you and them feel more comfortable, just write up your responsibilities and deliverables (including a timeline) in a Google Doc and send it over, just to make sure you’re both on the same page.

Here are some other items your client might want you to sign:

• A statement of work
• A non-disclosure agreement
• W-9 form (or other tax-related form—it’s best to send this with your Onboarding Email to show you’re on top of items like this)

Once you’ve received payment and the necessary paperwork is signed, it’s time to kick off the project.

Step 3: Project Kick-Off Call

How you kick off a project is how you maintain your positioning as a Premium Ghostwriter (rather than a “commodity” freelance writer).

You might not always need a kick-off call. If the client says they’re swamped with work or they’re looking forward to reading the first draft, then don’t push for a call. Only ask for a call when you need some input for them (and after you’ve exhausted every avenue yourself).

If the client asks for a kick off call or if they seem unsure about the process or have a ton of questions, it’s best to have a call with them. They might need more hand holding during the project and a kick off call lets them know you have everything under control. Again, it’s about showing you’re on top of the project.

During your kick-off call, here’s what to discuss:

• Ask them if they have any questions about the project plan (including any future follow-up calls).
• Ask them if they have any content ideas top of mind before you dive into your ideas.
• Discuss your first 3-5 content ideas (come prepared!)

Easy!

Throughout this whole process, you’re presenting yourself as a Premium Ghostwriter—a person who has worked with high-paying clients before, managed projects, and knows how to act in a professional manner.