Hiring a Ghostwriter vs WrittenByTed
Ghostwriters are talented humans who write in your name. Ted is an AI that does the same thing -- plus design, sending, and analytics -- at a fraction of the cost.
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | Hiring a Ghostwriter | WrittenByTed |
|---|---|---|
| Voice matching | Relies on intuition and a style guide | Statistical voice model built from your content corpus |
| Cost | $3,000-$5,000/month for writing only | $500-$1,500/month for writing, design, sending, and analytics |
| Turnaround | 3-5 business days per draft | First draft within hours |
| Design included | No -- separate designer needed | Yes -- brand-consistent design on every issue |
| Sending and delivery | No -- you manage the platform | Yes -- fully managed sending infrastructure |
| Analytics | No -- you track your own metrics | Yes -- monthly analytics reports included |
| Consistency | Depends on the writer's availability | Every issue delivered on schedule, guaranteed |
| Scalability | Limited by writer's capacity | Scales from weekly to daily without additional cost on Scale plan |
Where Hiring a Ghostwriter Wins
Deeply personal storytelling
A great ghostwriter can interview you for an hour and craft emotionally resonant narratives from your personal experiences. This is where human creativity has an edge.
Original reporting
Ghostwriters can make phone calls, attend events, and conduct interviews for primary source material. AI cannot do this legwork.
Creative risk-taking
The best human writers occasionally produce brilliance -- an unexpected structural choice, a metaphor that perfectly captures a complex idea. AI optimizes for consistency over creative leaps.
Where WrittenByTed Wins
All-inclusive service
Writing, design, sending, analytics, and growth strategy in one monthly fee. No coordinating between a writer, designer, and email platform.
Absolute consistency
No sick days, no writer's block, no vacations. Every issue arrives on time at the expected quality level.
70-85% cost savings
$500-$1,500/month versus $3,000-$5,000/month for writing alone. Design and sending costs make the gap even wider.
No dependency risk
Ghostwriters leave, get busy, or take other clients. Your newsletter never depends on a single person's availability.
Cost Comparison
Hiring a Ghostwriter
WrittenByTed
Choose Hiring a Ghostwriter If...
- Your newsletter is a deeply personal creative project, more literary than business
- You need original reporting with interviews and primary sources
- Budget is not a constraint and you want the highest possible creative ceiling
- You have a specific ghostwriter in mind who already knows your voice
Choose WrittenByTed If...
- You need a consistent, on-brand newsletter without the time investment of managing a writer
- You want writing, design, sending, and analytics in one package
- Budget efficiency matters -- you want professional quality at a sustainable cost
- You tried ghostwriters before and the voice never matched
- You want to scale from weekly to daily without hiring additional people