Ghostwriting: What is it & why do I care?

Summary

Ghostwriting is the practice of writing content, such as books or articles, for another person who is credited as the author, and it is utilized by both celebrities and non-celebrities for various types of writing projects.

Abstract

Ghostwriting involves a professional writer creating content for a client who then publishes the work under their own name. Contrary to the common belief that ghostwriters are only used by celebrities for autobiographies, they are also employed by non-famous individuals and companies for nonfiction and fiction books, as well as for regular blog posts. The service provided by ghostwriters is often confidential, with the writer typically signing an NDA and relinquishing rights to the work after being paid upfront. This differs from co-authorship, where a writer's name appears on the cover and they are compensated through royalties. Ghostwriting is a collaborative process that can vary in cost based on the project's complexity, the writer's expertise, and other factors.

Opinions

Ghostwriting is not exclusively for celebrities; it is also for intelligent individuals with stories to tell and companies needing content.
Ghostwriting extends beyond books to include articles, blogs, and other written material.
The involvement of a ghostwriter is usually not disclosed, and they are often bound by NDAs.
Ghostwriters are paid upfront and do not share in the profits from book sales, unlike co-authors.
The process can be challenging for ghostwriters, especially when authors make extensive edits to the work.
A collaborative approach to ghostwriting, involving regular communication and feedback, can lead to high-quality and engaging content.
The author has the final say on the content, and the ghostwriter must respect their vision and story.

I don’t need a ghostwriter — I’m not a celebrity!

Mirriam-Webster defines ghostwriting as “to write (a speech, a book, etc.) for another who is the presumed or credited author.”

That’s about how I would explain it, too.

But there are some misconceptions surrounding ghostwriting.

First, it is not just for celebrities. You may have really only heard about it in relation to famous people wanting to write their autobiographies and having a writer interview them, follow them around, and then write it. This is how I used to think of ghostwriting!

Ghostwriters are used often for nonfiction and even fiction books from *gasp!* non-famous people! There are many intelligent people with a story to tell, but who are not good writers.

Second, it is not just for books. Many websites and companies want weekly blogs but have no time to write it themselves, no inclination to pen them regularly, or do not have the ability.

So, they pay a writer to write weekly blogs relevant to their company and the posts are put on their website — almost never under the writer’s name. It is almost always someone high up at the company. This is also considered ghostwriting!

Third, it is generally not advertised or known that a piece was ghosted. This can be for many reasons. It can be about not sharing credit, or sales based on the authors name, reputation, or more. But in the end it doesn’t matter. Ghostwriters are paid up front and hold no rights to the finished piece.

In fact, in many cases, ghostwriters sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) stating that they will not tell people they helped write the book or use it as a writing sample for future work.

In fact, one of the reasons I wrote my own book in the first place was because I cannot use books I have ghostwritten as samples of my book writing ability.

The main difference between a ghostwriter and a co-author is that typically a co-author has their name on cover with the other co-author(s) and is generally paid from royalties/book sales. Ghostwriters are paid up front and have no stake in book sales.

Ghostwriting costs depend on many factors, including length and topic of book, deadlines, writing style, and the writer themselves, as they set their own costs. There are definitely ones that cost a lot less than the celebrity-level ghosts!

For me, one of the most difficult parts of ghostwriting books is when the author does a lot of editing and changes to the work. I have to continuously remind myself that it is their book, not mine. They have the complete right to go in and slice and dice the writing until it says what they want it to say.

It took some time for me to be able to step back and take that kind of criticism. At the same time, it is NOT criticism of me and it’s not about my soul on the page, it’s about their story. After all, their name is on the cover.

I like ghostwriting. I don’t do the traditional interviews and then go off in a room somewhere and write. I like to do weekly calls with my authors and talk over the next part, ask questions, and then write it in Google docs, which they have total access to. They go in and edit, answer questions, make suggestions, add stuff.

It’s awesome. It’s very collaborative and the result is always incredibly interesting.

Have you ever ghostwritten or wondered what ghostwriting is all about? Ask questions, let’s talk about it!