The Question That Hangs in the Air

What are you afraid of?

I don't usually have to ask my ghostwriting clients this question directly. They tell me during our first conversation. I take them seriously, because I know fears. I carry them into the ring every time my boxing coaches put me in to spar.

Fear of losing. Looking foolish. Wasting money. Wasting time. Above all, fear of failure.

When my author clients tell me their fears, I get it. What are we truly afraid of? That fear will hold us back from doing the work that matters most.

My #$@!* Sparring Problem

I love boxing training. The powerful SMACK against pads, the satisfaction of perfecting combinations, the meditative rhythm of 100 situps, the glee in being in better condition than certain cocky whippersnappers. But mention sparring and my enthusiasm takes a nosedive straight to the mat.

I don’t like being hurt. I don’t like hurting people. I lack the “killer instinct.” In the ring with a sparring partner, I seem to step back a smidgen so my jab doesn’t quite connect. I distract myself by hoping that it won’t hurt too much when they jab back—and I forget to block. And worst, I find myself, every once in a while, doing that flailing thing I did when I was a little sister trying to get away from my big siblings. Mortifying.

In the boxing ring, this is a character flaw. Real boxers embrace the confrontation. Real boxers want to win at any cost. I cut myself some slack because I’m not a real boxer, but I am a really good sparring partner. 

In the ring with gloves, hard-earned lessons make me better with authors outside of the ring. I deliver difficult feedback directly, but it comes from genuine care rather than a desire to be adversarial or “right.”

The Author’s Sparring Ring

Every book project has its sparring moments when you have to step into the ring with uncomfortable truths:

Round 1: The Voice Fear
“What if working with a ghostwriter dilutes what makes me unique?” This fear runs so deep that some authors would rather go it alone than risk collaboration. However, a skilled ghostwriter doesn’t diminish your voice—they help you hear it more clearly. Like a good sparring partner, they create conditions for you to discover what you’re really capable of.

Round 2: The Foolishness Fear
“What if my ideas aren’t as important as I think they are?” This one can stop potential authors before they even begin. A sparring partner helps sharpen your skills by channeling that self-doubt into hard-hitting, transformative questions: Who needs to hear this? What change will it create? How can I serve my readers better?

Round 3: The Investment Fear
“What if I spend all this money and time and it isn’t a good book?” Like stepping into the ring for the first time, book development requires trust in the process before you can see the outcome. But your book investment builds something lasting, your ideas get stronger with each round. Harness that fear to get crystal clear on your goals and dead serious about your strategic combos. 

Training for the Real Fight

By the time an author and I agree to become sparring partners, they know I’m not going to aggressively KO their vision. I deliver difficult news they need to hear, but from a place of genuine investment in their success. Yes, your story needs restructuring. Yes, we need to cut the material you love. Yes, you need to revisit that challenging moment in your life so we can give your message a powerful right hook.

We start by facing smaller fears and building trust—sharing rough ideas, brainstorming on the structure, revising sections that aren’t working. Each round builds a capacity for bigger challenges, even radical rethinking. The goal is not to knock you out but help you go the distance with your most important ideas.

What Fear Is Telling Us

This is what I wish I could tell myself when I am frightened before a sparring session: Fear doesn’t mean I’m not cut out for this. It means I understand the stakes.

If you are afraid of losing your voice, your message, your investment to produce unforgettable books, it means you care enough to get them right.

Ready to step into the ring with your book? The conversation might be exactly what you need to move from fear to action. I’m in your corner. Contact me to explore how to turn your insights into a book that packs a punch.

Elizabeth Smith is a ghostwriter, developmental editor, and book strategist with two decades of publishing experience—and a southpaw with a mean right hook. Between a NYC boxing gym and her Mojave Desert maison, she helps thinkers, creatives, and organizations articulate their ideas through books that resonate deeply. Ready to transform your vision into a book with impact? Let’s connect!

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