How I Accidentally Became a Six Figure Ghostwriter Without a Niche, a Face, or a Single Zoom Call

Author has chosen to publish under an alias: Phantom Scribe.

Photo Credit: GuerrillaBuzz

I never planned to become a ghostwriter. It was not part of some grand blueprint or even something I thought would be possible. It started with one project, then another, until one day I looked up and realized I had built a six figure business without ever posting my face, declaring a niche, or sitting through a single quick Zoom call.

There are so many rules people say you have to follow if you want to make it as a writer.

Find your niche.

Build a personal brand.

Show up everywhere online.

Be constantly available.

I have done none of those things. And yet this work supports me.

I do not have a niche. I have receipts. I have written for a founder in the mental health space, an author untangling a memoir draft, a startup newsletter that became a long-term relationship. Every assignment stretched my skills and added to the steady stack of invoices that kept me going. Over time I realized my strength was not staying in one lane. It was in listening closely, adapting quickly, and delivering work that felt alive no matter the subject.

I do not show my face. I do not curate a grid or post photos about my writing day. Some of my clients would not recognize me on the street. But they know what I can do with their words, and that has always been enough.

I do not pretend to love calls. My best work comes from focus, not meetings. I have learned to ask good questions over email, to set expectations clearly in writing, and to show clients they can trust me without needing to watch me nod along on video.

Instead of spending hours on a personal brand strategy, I focus on the page in front of me. I focus on being sharp, dependable, and willing to dig deeper than most. Clients learn quickly that I am not just typing for them. I am protecting their voice, shaping their message, making sure what they share carries weight.

I still could not tell you what my brand is supposed to be. But I know how to invoice. I know how to ask for rates that match the value I bring. I know how to keep going even when a project feels impossible in the beginning.

What started as a few scattered assignments has turned into a living. One that supports me fully without demanding that I fit into someone else’s mold of what a writer should look like.

You do not need to follow every rule you have been told. You do not need to make yourself constantly visible. You do not need to contort yourself into a niche that does not feel right. You need skill, patience, and a willingness to do the work in a way that honors both you and the people you are writing for.

I am proof of that.

No niche.

No face.

No endless calls.

Just words, delivered well, and the steady proof of payment to show for it.

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