What’s a Ghostwriter?

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A ghostwriter is a professional writer who writes without receiving credit for their work. They can write on countless topics and may work for book packers or web content companies. Ghostwriters must be excellent writers and willing to remain hidden from the public eye. Famous ghostwritten books include the Nancy Drew mysteries and VC Andrews books.

A ghostwriter is a professional writer who writes stories, books, articles, web content, political speeches, or any other type of written material. The ghostwriter writes without receiving credit for the work. Famous people like politicians, sports figures, and celebrities often hire ghostwriters to write speeches, autobiographies, or other types of books. Some people work full time as ghostwriters, making a living creating material that will never get their byline.

Ghostwriters can write on countless topics, whether they need to write a cookbook, thriller, biography or article. A ghostwriter can also act as a book doctor, refining another author’s work until it is publishable. This work may not be glamorous but can often pay well, depending on the client.

Some writers work for book packers. Book packers hire writers to write books from a basic outline or idea. Other writers may work for a web content company, writing keyword-focused articles that will appear on a variety of websites.
No matter what kind of ghostwriting a writer completes, they rarely have their name on the finished product. Nor does she receive royalties from his work. Instead, a ghostwriter receives a flat fee for any work completed for a business or individual.

If a writer wishes to become a ghostwriter, she is often required to “audition” for a company. This usually involves sending a sample of writing to the company in search of new ghostwriters. If the company likes the writing sample, she will add the writer to her ghostwriter list. Immediate work may be available to web content ghostwriters. A writer working for a book packer may have to wait until the packer has an opportunity that fits the writer’s skillset or experience.

Famous ghostwritten books include the Nancy Drew mysteries and the VC Andrews books. The “author” of the Nancy Drew books was Carolyn Keene, a pen name of a stable of writers who wrote the famous mysteries about the girl sleuth. When VC Andrews, the author of famous gothic novels, died, her estate hired a ghostwriter to continue creating books under her name.

Ghostwriters must be excellent writers and have the ability to write quickly. They must be willing to remain hidden from the public eye, allowing celebrities or well-known authors to take credit for the written work. Whether receiving a detailed outline, questioning a person about their life, or writing a book based on a general idea, ghostwriters are expected to write quality material while staying out of the public eye.




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