Hi! Marjorie Roberson here.
I’ve been helping Kevin write his blogs since his very first post in September of 2016.
The industry term for what I’ve been doing is called ghostwriting, but today I am stepping out from behind the curtain to share a little about me and a few things I’ve learned while working in this role for the last four and a half years.
You may be wondering why I have taken over Kevin’s blog today. Well, the short answer is because he asked me to, but it’s also because this is the very last blog I will help write for kevinpaulscott.com. After this blog, I am stepping away from my writing jobs to focus more of my energy into my work at home caring for our two daughters, Evelyn and Lola, and our son, Jay, who is due in August.
When I tell people that I am a ghostwriter, the most common response is a confused look or the obvious question: “What is that?” With the word “ghost” in the title, people naturally speculate I am writing in the voice of a dead person or about some kind of ambiguous supernatural beings.
Allow me to clarify.
Ghostwriting is simply writing on behalf of another person. Kevin comes each week with his own personal ideas, insights, and anecdotes that he shares verbally, and I craft these thoughts into organized blogs. I never start with a blank page, and I enjoy the creative challenge of writing in another person’s voice.
To be honest, I didn’t know much about this world before this opportunity. Previously, I had done editing work for a ministry called Desiring God, a little content writing for ADDO, and shared creative pieces on my personal blog—but writing on behalf of another person was new. I’m so grateful Kevin took a chance and hired me anyway. It has been a joy to work with him, to learn from his insights on life and leadership, and to grow as a professional writer.
So today, for my final blog with Kevin, I want to leave you with three lessons this process has taught me about work and life. I trust that even though most of you (maybe all of you) will never work in a role like mine, you will be able to appreciate and apply these principles to your own experience.
1. Let go of your ego.
You don’t need to receive credit for your work to be meaningful. I knew that writing for someone else meant my name would not be attached to the things I was writing, and in theory, I was OK with this. But in practice, it was more difficult than I thought it would be. All of us do things that matter that go unnoticed. Whether you’re bearing the weight of a big project for your team or folding your family’s third load of laundry today, the level of affirmation you receive does not reflect the impact of the work you’re doing.
As a Christian, I’m reminded of Jesus’ charge to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. He encourages his followers not to give or pray to be seen by others but to do these things in secret and trust that their Father who sees in secret will reward them (Matthew 6:4; 6). I trust that if I’m trying to do the work God’s called me to do as a disciple of Christ, a wife, a mom, and a freelance writer, he sees it, he cares, and he will help me do it. His approval of me matters infinitely more than the temporary praise of others.
2. Embrace creative challenges.
The prospect of writing in the voice of another person felt daunting at first, but I wanted to give it a try because I knew working with Kevin was a great opportunity. Most of us shy away from creative challenges because we don’t want to fail. But we shouldn’t fear failing. Failing is inevitable—we’re human! Instead of fearing failure, we should fear missing out on the important opportunities that come our way.
I’m not suggesting we should say yes to everything. We all need discernment in saying yes to the right things. But if we feel drawn to pursue a creative challenge and experience the encouragement of the people who know us best, we should go for it! The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work out—and then you’ll know for sure it wasn’t the right path for you.
3. Write to learn.
The regular rhythm of writing a weekly blog with Kevin has opened my eyes to how much I learn through the practice of putting pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard. Writing not only helps me remember what I am processing, but it also helps me think deeply about a specific topic. In this fast-paced, consumer culture, it’s easy to take in a lot of information without really thinking about it. But when I write, I naturally ask myself questions to get more words on the paper. What is my opinion of this? How do I feel about it? How do I think this impacts other people?
Although I am going to take a step back from writing jobs for a season, I still plan to engage in a regular rhythm of daily writing, and I encourage you to do the same. I firmly believe that everyone (yes, even you) should write and would benefit from writing regularly. Whether it’s creative writing or simply journaling at the end of the day, writing opens the mind to slow down, to observe, and to consider the things in this life more deeply.
I’m so grateful for this season writing for Kevin. Not only have I learned important lessons and grown in ways that will benefit me the rest of my life, but I have truly enjoyed working with Kevin. I am excited to continue reading his blog and learning from his insights in the years to come!
