How I Make Money Ghostwriting & Copywriting for Startups

 In a world of pitch decks, seed rounds, and product launches, there’s one thing startups can’t live without: good content. Startups move fast and often don’t have time (or budget) to hire a full marketing team early on. That’s where ghostwriters and copywriters come in.

I stumbled into ghostwriting for startups almost accidentally—but now, it’s become one of my most consistent sources of remote income. In this article, I’ll walk you through:

• The difference between ghostwriting and copywriting

• What startups typically need

• How I landed my first few clients

• What I charge

• Tools I use to write faster and better

• And how you can turn this into a full-time gig

Ghostwriting vs. Copywriting: What’s the Difference?

Let’s clear this up:

• Ghostwriting: Writing thought leadership content (blogs, LinkedIn posts, Medium articles) under someone else’s name. Great for startup founders who want to build personal authority.

• Copywriting: Writing marketing copy—landing pages, product descriptions, emails, ads, and sales pages—designed to convert.

Most startups need both. They want the CEO to look smart on LinkedIn and their product pages to turn clicks into customers.

Why Startups Need Writers

Startups are under pressure to:

• Attract investors

• Grow their user base

• Stand out from competitors

• Publish content consistently

They often can’t hire a full-time content team early on. Hiring freelance writers lets them scale content without the overhead. That’s where I come in.

What I Write for Startups

Here’s a mix of projects I’ve done:

• Blog posts (800–1500 words) to boost SEO

• LinkedIn posts for founders (3–5x/week)

• Website copy for landing pages

• Case studies and testimonials

• Email sequences for product launches or onboarding

• Product descriptions and how-to content

• Investor update emails (ghostwritten)

How I Got My First Clients

1. Twitter & LinkedIn I started sharing writing tips and commenting on startup founder posts. I also wrote 1–2 threads about what I do and pinned them.

2. Job Boards

   • Superpath

   • Content Writing Jobs

   • We Work Remotely

3. Cold Outreach I found early-stage startups on Product Hunt or AngelList, reached out via email or DM with:

• A short intro

• 2–3 writing samples

• One free content idea personalized to them

How Much I Charge

Pricing varies depending on:

• Word count

• Turnaround time

• Research involved

• Whether it's ghostwritten or under my name

Here’s a rough breakdown:

Service	Rate
Blog post (1,000 words)	$150–$300
LinkedIn post (ghostwritten)	$75–$100 per post
Landing page copy	$300–$600
Email sequence (5 emails)	$250–$500
Case study	$400–$800

Tip: Charge more for ghostwriting. It builds their brand, not yours.

Tools I Use to Write Smarter

• Grammarly (for editing)

• Notion (for organizing briefs and client notes)

• Hemingway App (for simplifying content)

• Copy.ai / Jasper / ChatGPT (for brainstorming or rewriting rough copy)

• Surfer SEO / Clearscope (for SEO optimization)

• Loom (to send quick video updates or walk through copy drafts)

My Client Process

1. Discovery Call
15–30 minutes to understand their goals, tone, audience, and what they want.

2. Research & Brief
I create a brief with:

• Target keywords (if SEO)

• Goal of the piece

• Links to competitors or similar content

3. First Draft
I deliver the first draft via Google Docs or Notion, usually within 3–5 days.

4. Revisions
1–2 rounds of edits based on client feedback.

5. Final Delivery & Invoice
I use PayPal, Wise, or Stripe to invoice internationally.

Ghostwriting in the AI Age

Some might say AI is replacing writers. In reality, it’s augmenting us.

Startups still need:

• Human nuance

• Founder voice

• Strategic messaging

• Industry insights

I use tools like ChatGPT to speed up research, ideation, or to generate variations—but the final voice, emotion, and clarity comes from me.

If you can use AI and write with personality, you're 10x more valuable.

How to Scale This

Once you’ve done 3–5 projects and have strong samples:

• Build a one-page portfolio

• Ask for testimonials

• Offer retainers (e.g., “4 blog posts/month for $1,200”)

• Partner with marketing agencies or content studios

• Niche down (e.g., SaaS, fintech, wellness startups)

Eventually, you can create:

• A personal brand

• A content agency

• A writing course

• Or stay a high-ticket freelancer

Final Thoughts

Ghostwriting and copywriting for startups is an underrated, high-paying remote side hustle. It’s perfect if you love writing, learning about new products, and helping founders grow.

You don’t need a journalism degree or years of experience—just good samples, a sharp eye for clarity, and a bit of hustle.

So whether you're a student, remote worker, or digital nomad—this hustle might just be your ticket to financial freedom, one blog post at a time.