We wanted to get get to know Claudia Suzanne, NAIWE’s Ghostwriting Expert, better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some things she shared about her craft of ghostwriting.

What is one thing that you learned about your craft the hard way, and what benefits have you received from it? Can these benefits be broadened to include marketing?

The one thing I learned about my craft the hard way is how little my personal accomplishments matter. Coming to terms with that and letting it go elevated my standing from freelancer to professional, changing both my and potential clients’ perspectives and allowing me to command (not just charge) serious fees for my services. How can that be broadened to include marketing? With that revised stance—which, of course, requires a handful of other mindset transitions and self-perception adjustments—I no longer compete with the vast market of editorial freelancers. I’m in a high-end class of my own.

What has been your most rewarding marketing avenue, and how was it rewarding? Self? Monetary? Clients?

My goal was always to attract clients, not have to seek them, so I developed the Ghostwriting Professional Designation Program theories, psychology, skill sets, knowledge base, and mindset transitions to not only achieve that, but also teach it to other aspiring ghostwriters so they can do the same. As a result, my previous career (I am now retired from active ghostwriting) helping authors fulfill their literary dreams was personally and financially rewarding as well as satisfying for my clients.

What do you associate with marketing?

Everything, from casual emails, LinkedIn responses, myriad web presences, personal and online appearances, and all the myriad things one does every day when one is running their own business. A more succinct answer might be in that comment, in fact: everything changed when I stopped freelancing and started running my own business. It may seem like a subtle change, but it’s not as easy as it sounds, and the ROI can be profound.