How to Become a Ghostwriter (with E. Danielle Butler)

In this episode of Entrusted Women, Kia Stephens and I talk about how childhood stories, unexpected detours, and audacious faith shaped my path as a writer, publisher, and ghostwriter. I share the origin story, the season that forced me to write my first book, and the exact process I use to shape leaders’ voices into books. Watch or listen above, read the timestamps below, and download the Take Action Sheet to turn your story into a book.

3 Quick Takeaways

  • Start with what you can tell clearly now. The best book ideas begin with scenes and moments you can describe in vivid detail.

  • Capture voice before you edit. Record yourself telling the story — the phrasing you use is the voice readers will care about.

  • Ghostwriting is process + craft. It’s listening, shaping, and iterating — and the client’s influence determines how you structure sessions and deadlines.

Show Notes

  • 03:30 — Origin story: “I was a storyteller.” Danielle on childhood stages, cornbread paper, and the early habits that built her craft.

  • 08:51 — The detour that changed everything: How a health crisis in 2014 forced a season of rest — and produced her first book.

  • 13:00 — From self-publish to publisher: The moment an indie publisher told her she could manage her own success.

  • 19:16 — First ghostwriting project (2018): How developmental editing blurred into full ghostwriting.

  • 21:04 — Ghostwriting 101: A concise definition and step-by-step process (record → draft → print & review → refine).

I sat at home from July through December of 2014. And that’s when I wrote my first book.
— E. Danielle Butler
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Invisible Ink: A Brief History of Black Ghostwriters in Books and Speeches