What is a Ghostwriter?

Ghostwriting is the practice of writing something for someone else to get the credit as an author. Most people associate ghostwriting with the music industry, specifically within the hip hop and rap genres. However, ghostwriting happens in literature, journals, magazine articles, and anything written. Ghostwriting is a commonly used practice by celebrities, politicians, and executives. From speeches to emails, it can all be written in your voice by someone else. Simply put, a ghostwriter gets the payment, but does not always get the credit. Most common ghostwriting projects fall into three categories: short-form, fiction, and nonfiction. 

Short-form Ghostwriting

Many authors hire ghostwriters for short-form content. 

Articles - Countless business leaders have turned to ghostwriters to help them draft professional articles. The articles may range from internal collateral to articles on prestigious platforms. 

Blogs - As blogs have become more popular, many people have recognized their limited abilities in the area of blogging. This recognition has come out of the rise and necessity for blogs to exist. As a result companies and individuals have turned to hiring ghostwriters to generate blog content for them. 

Speeches- Ghostwriting of speeches has been a practice for centuries. Ghostwriters have the ability to write with a specific tone and cadence that will connect with audiences.

Non-Fiction Ghostwriting

Nonfiction works are among the most popular projects for ghostwriting.

Business Books - All of the CEOs and business leaders with books do not have the time or writing finesse to release multiple best-selling books, especially if they are still on the floor doing the work. Ghostwriters help business leaders appear on the front lines of thought-leadership.

Lifestyle Books- From cookbooks to devotionals, authors hire ghostwriters to help them deliver quality writing. 

Memoirs - Memoirs and autobiographies are among the most popular focuses for ghostwriting. When individuals have a story to tell, ghostwriters are hired to help them craft a story that reaches readers in a personal way.

Many of the articles and books that you read have a ghostwriter behind them. The beauty of this little known secret is that the writings sound just like the author, and you’d never know that someone else is actually behind the work. Hss there been an instance in which you found a ghostwriter to be particularly helpful?