Joshua Lisec is not your typical ghostwriter. With more than 110 books written across business, politics, health, and memoir, he has built a six-figure “ghost publishing” model that doesn’t just produce books, but also engineers commercially viable ones. In this conversation, Joshua breaks down why most authors write the wrong book, how he uses the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework to decide what a client should publish, and why good nonfiction must read like fiction if it’s going to survive in an AI-saturated world. We also explore how Joshua became labeled “Trump World’s favorite writer,” what drove his shift away from traditional publishing, and why ROI, not artistic ego, now determines whether a book is worth writing. From replacing Big Five publishers entirely to using books as long-term business assets, this episode is a masterclass in how authors can bypass gatekeepers, avoid publishing scams, and build work that actually sells, influences, and endures. In This Episode * Ghost Publishing Explained: Why Joshua doesn’t wait for clients to tell him what book to write, and how deciding the right book idea upfront is the difference between a commercial success and a forgotten manuscript. * Why Most Books Fail: How the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework reveals what readers are actually buying, and why books written for ego, legacy, or family almost never sell. * Nonfiction That Reads Like Fiction: Joshua explains why memoirs, business books, and political nonfiction must use narrative structure to survive in an AI-saturated attention economy. * The AI Disruption Reality Check: Why editors will thrive, traditional ghostwriters may not, and how authors with unique, non-public expertise can still beat ChatGPT. * From Big Five to Bypassing Them: How Joshua replaced traditional publishers entirely by building concierge, end-to-end publishing systems for high-level clients. * ROI Over Artistry: Why Joshua turns down projects that can’t plausibly recoup their investment—and how books function best as long-term business assets, not one-time products. * Becoming “Trump World’s Favorite Writer”: Joshua walks through his political evolution, early conservative clients, and the professional consequences of following market demand instead of ideology. * Why Gatekeepers Still Matter (But Differently): How authors can avoid publishing scams, leverage podcasts and interviews effectively, and build audiences without algorithm dependence. Guest Links Joshua Lisec * Read So Good They Call You Fake: https://amzn.to/3WK1SzB * Webstie: https://joshualisec.gumroad.com/ * X: @JoshuaLisec * Youtube: @DailyPersuasion Kristin’s Links * Services & Content * Editing Services: nonsensefreeeditor.com * Newsletter: https://www.fictionalinfluence.com * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nonsensefreekristin Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Background 00:22 - Building a Ghostwriting Business 03:07 - The Art of Nonfiction Writing 05:36 - Impact of AI on Ghostwriting 10:53 - Journey to Becoming a Right-Wing Ghostwriter 19:40 - Ghost Publishing and Client Success Stories 29:58 - The Fluff of AI Writing 30:53 - The Jobs to Be Done Framework 31:27 - Independent Publishing Challenges 32:39 - Effective Book Promotion Strategies 35:44 - The Rapid Release Model 39:45 - The Power of Interviews 44:28 - Nonfiction as a Business Card 46:42 - Market Research for Authors 51:15 - Final Thoughts and Recommendations About This Podcast Nonsense-Free Kristin is where independent authors and creators learn to build their platforms, master their craft, and create on their own terms—without begging for permission from gatekeepers who hate them. New episodes weekly. Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fictionalinfluence.com/subscribe
