3 Things You Never Knew About Ghostwriters

How much do you know about ghostwriters? These professionals lurk in the shadows of the publishing industry (both self- and traditional publishing), with most members of the public having only ever heard of them because of the Pierce Brosnan film. Given the awkwardness a lot of people feel toward ghostwriters, it's no surprise that there are a number of misconceptions about what they do, so I'm hoping to clarify three important things in this post.

1. Ghostwriters' anonymity doesn't mean they're exploited

Many people assume that ghostwriters are given a bad deal if it results in anonymity for them, which couldn't be further from the truth. Ghostwriters are professionals who are paid to transform another person's knowledge or experience into a well-written book, who take on each job having made a specific arrangement with their client about anonymity and pay — some are openly discussed as the writers while not credited on the cover (think Prince Harry's UK ghostwriter for recent memoir Spare), others are credited as co-writers, and others are hidden from us completely. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that they agree to these terms before voluntarily taking on this kind of often lucrative project, so there's no exploitation involved.

2. They don't make things up

Sometimes, when people find out that ghostwriters pen famous people's memoirs, they feel an element of betrayal. This is understandable to some extent, because you can't access the voice of the subject directly — you can only hear them through the polishing of the ghostwriter. But it's important to clarify that the material discussed comes from the author, never the ghostwriter. They don't just come up with a satisfying fictional narrative, then slap the name of a celebrity on top. The process involves lengthy interviews and a back-and-forth collaboration, so the narrative is anchored in the subject's real experiences and anecdotes.

3. Ghostwriting has a lot in common with acting

As we've just seen, ghostwriters step into the shoes of an existing person, speaking in their voice. For that reason, ghostwriting involves some of the same skills used by actors. Observant listening and a clear-sighted understanding of voice are requirements for the ghostwriter to be able to get into character and emulate their client's way of thinking and speaking. It's a fascinating writing process, with many ghosts running initial 'voice' sessions with their clients to test out short extracts of their work and workshop the authenticity of the narrative voice. If you're a writer who likes to work on dramatic monologues, for example, where you have to inhabit a character, maybe you should consider becoming a ghostwriter — it's a job where you learn a lot about people and often have famous clients!

I hope this secretive corner of publishing is a bit more transparent with these insights in mind, and that your curiosity is satisfied! You might also be interested to find out about ISBNs.

Rose Atkinson-Carter is a writer with Reedsy, advising authors on all things publishing, from explaining what ghostwriters are to writing successful author bios. She has previously written for Bang2Write, The Writer's Path, and more. She lives in London.