What is a Ghostwriter? Definition, Famous Examples, and Industry Secrets
- Jul 14
- 9 min read
Have you ever wondered where the autobiographies of top celebrities came from or how someone as busy as a CEO can publish a major business book while running a multi-million-dollar enterprise?
The answer to that question lies in one of the best features of publishing: the ghostwriter.
Ghostwriters are the invisible architects behind many of the best-selling books of all time. From presidential memoirs to best-selling novels, ghostwriters are the writers who take ideas, thoughts, experiences, and other bits of knowledge and create very readable books—from beginning to end—with little or no professional recognition for themselves.
Do you want to write a book that positions you as an authority in your field but don't have the time or the skill to write it yourself? If so, contact us through WhatsApp to get started on how our professional ghostwriting services can turn your dream into a reality.
Table Of Contents
Defining Ghostwriting
A ghostwriter is defined as a professional writer who is hired to write books, articles, speeches, etc., for someone else. Ghostwriters receive payment for their work but do not usually receive recognition for their efforts. The person credited as the author of the written work may not have written a single word.
The Concept of Ghostwriting Has Changed
While in the past ghostwriting could be considered a straightforward writing contract, in today's market, ghostwriting is better defined as a custom collaborative process:
Full Ghostwriting: The ghostwriter creates a written work from scratch after conducting extensive interviews/research and collaborating on a vision with the client.
Co-Writing: A collaborates with B (the ghostwriter) to write together.
Developmental Editing: The ghostwriter takes raw drafts from A (the credited author) and heavily rewrites them.
Content Assistance: The ghostwriter assists with specific parts of A's creation (e.g., research/chapter).
Voice Coaching: The ghostwriter helps A learn to write like themselves.
The Credit Spectrum
Ghostwriting can be viewed within a spectrum where recognition occurs:
Anonymously: No reference to the ghostwriter at all (most common).
Acknowledgement: The ghostwriter could be mentioned in an acknowledgement and/or referred to as a researcher or contributor to the work.
Credit With: The ghostwriter's name appears smaller than the author on the cover (e.g., 'With [Ghostwriter's Name]').
As Told To: The title would indicate 'As told to [Ghostwriter's Name].'
Co-Author: Equal to the author regarding cover—both have equal placement/size/typeface when credited/recognized.
How Ghostwriting Works
People think that ghostwriting is one person sitting alone in a dark room creating content with little or no outside input. This could not be further from the actual truth. Ghostwriting is done through a collaborative process:
In-Depth Interviews: The ghostwriter will conduct numerous interviews (sometimes 20, 30, 40, 50+ hours) to collect stories, experiences, and ideas from the author's life and perspective.
Voice Capture: The ghostwriter will analyze how the author speaks or interacts (the author's lexical choice), their sense of humor, and how they convey ideas to 'disappear' into the author's voice.
Research & Development: The ghostwriter conducts additional research to add depth to the content.
Writing: The ghostwriter will write the manuscript utilizing the author's voice and professional writing techniques.
Revision: The author will review drafts, provide feedback, and the ghostwriter will revise the work through multiple rounds.
The Key Principle
According to ghostwriter Kevin Anderson, 'Ghostwriters are interpreters/translators—we are not authors. Therefore, it is important that our clients receive 100% credit as the authors of their book(s).'
Ghostwritten Books You May Not Have Known Were Written by Ghostwriters
A few examples of how ghostwriting has influenced some of the most important books in world history:
Presidential/Political Memoirs
President John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage (Pulitzer Prize-winning book) was written by Ted Sorensen (aide to President Kennedy) with significant input from JFK.
President Donald J. Trump's The Art of the Deal was written by Tony Schwartz, who spent 18 months following President Trump and writing his book from start to finish.
Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom, though written mostly by Mandela himself, had major editorial assistance.
Hillary Rodham Clinton's It Takes a Village was one of many of her books written with the assistance of ghostwriters.
Celebrity Memoirs/Books
Lean In was co-written by Sheryl Sandberg and Nell Scovell.
American Sniper by Chris Kyle was written by Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice.
Keith Richards wrote the book Life with James Fox acting as a ghostwriter.
Fictional Series
The Nancy Drew series of novels uses the name Carolyn Keene, which is attributed to multiple ghostwriters.
The Hardy Boys series uses the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon as the house name for various ghostwriters.
The K.A. The Applegate series Animorphs contains 24 books originally written by the author. The next 27 books, for which Applegate submitted outlines, were written by ghostwriters.
James Patterson outlines his stories and has ghostwriters write them to publish 15-25 books a year under his name.
Since the death of V.C. Andrews in 1986, ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman has written all of Andrews' subsequent novels.
The Billion-Dollar Ghostwriter Industry
According to NPR, about 60% of bestsellers are ghostwritten. For celebrity books, at least 80% have been ghostwritten.
Why Celebrities Use Ghostwriters
Lack of Writing Ability: Talent in any one area of work does not guarantee good writing ability.
Publisher's Deadlines: Publishers want to capitalize on a celebrity who is currently 'hot.'
Quality of Content: Publishers have invested large advances into their projects and want professional-quality writing.
Types of Ghostwriting Services Offered
Ghostwritten Books: Memoirs, Business, Self-Help, Fiction, Education
Corporate and Business Ghostwriting: Speeches, Articles, White Papers, Case Studies, Website Content
Digital Content Ghostwriting: Blog Posts, Social Media, Email Campaigns, Video Scripts, Podcast Scripts
Creative Ghostwriting: Screenplays, Song Lyrics, Comedy Material
Reasons Why People Hire Ghostwriters
Time: A CEO earning $500/hour does not have 400 hours available to write a book.
Expertise: Just because a person is an expert in what they know doesn't mean they can write about it in an engaging way.
Language Differences: To write a book to publication standards, you need to be fluent in the language.
Strategic Results: By executing the book correctly, it will establish an image of thought leadership and create opportunities for speaking events, generate media exposure, increase the value of the author's personal brand, and create leads for business.
Quicker Outcomes: Professional ghostwriters create books in 3–6 months versus amateurs, which can take 2 to 5 years to complete a single book project.
Confidential Ghostwriter Industry/Business Secrets
Secret #1: Most ghostwriters stumbled upon this profession—very few people set out to become ghostwriters.
Secret #2: The voice is everything—qualified ghostwriters will put all their ego/identity aside and have no problem pretending to be the author of the book they are ghostwriting.
Secret #3: Most clients do not know what they want initially—ghostwriters will uncover a whole new story through the interviewing process that is far different from what the client would have to say at first.
Secret #4: Throwaway remarks are treasure troves of material—clients often miss some of their best stories because they are too embarrassed or shy to share them.
Secret #5: More often than not, ghostwriters function as therapists—many authors vent their frustrations and anxieties during the book's development process.
Secret #6: Top sellers are not necessarily good books—many ghostwritten bestsellers do not showcase good writing but rather leverage a celebrity author's marketing budget and distribution channels to sell copies.
Secret #7: Personality matters more than writing ability—trust, chemistry, and work styles are essential to the success of a ghostwriter-and-client partnership.
Is Ghostwriting Ethical? Is Ghostwriting Legal?
Is Ghostwriting Legal?
Yes, as long as there is a formal contract outlining the ghostwriter's rights and responsibilities, both parties are legally protected. The client, as the owner of the work's copyright, is entitled to claim authorship/credit for any written work for which they own the copyright.
Is Ghostwriting Ethical?
Ghostwriting has been viewed as ethical when a licensed author offers up their experience or skill to give the ghostwriter an idea of what they want. The ghostwriter functions as the professional writer for the author’s body of work and will turn their idea into a written format of the language as expressed by the author.
When the licensed author assumes credit for the ghostwriter's education/training/experience, the ghostwriting is charged with being unethical.
Becoming a Ghostwriter - Skill Sets to Develop
Writing Skills: Be able to write/document well in various stylistic forms by writing clearly and accurately without any errors.
Voice Mimicry Capabilities: To be able to write using another person’s voice; that is, to replicate another's "voice" in their text.
Active Listening Skills: Use effective interviewing techniques to assist you with their stories.
Research Skills/Proficiency: Ability to research quickly for the purpose of writing/creating your document as well.
Emotional Intelligence: Be able to establish trust with your clients and also be able to manage your client's expectations when working with them.
Project Management Skills: Organize it, so you keep a record of everything and meet deadlines.
How to Become A Ghostwriter
Establish A Foundation: Daily writing practice, learning from examples of good writing and acquiring knowledge of grammar.
Gain Experience: Work as a journalist, copy writer, edit, etc.
Create a Portfolio: Create sample chapters and case studies; initially offer your services at a reduced rate in order to create credibility.
Locate Initial Customer: Your own connections can be a very valuable resource. You might want to try using websites dedicated to freelancers. Connecting with literary agents may also assist as well
Build a Good Reputation: Deliver high quality work at all times according to the given timeline and request references from previous customers so that they can vouch for your expertise within the area
Selecting A Ghostwriter
Step 1 - Determine What You Need: Be specific about your project. Consider what type of project it is, what subject matter will be addressed in the project, who will be the intended reader/audience, how will the final product be used, how much money will be spent on this project and by when you expect to have this project complete.
Step 2 - Locate Suitable Candidates: There are many different ways to search for ghostwriters who have completed projects similar to yours. You can use a combination of print and online sources to find a qualified ghostwriter that has the experience you want to work with.
Step 3 - Interview Thoroughly: Determine if the candidate has the skills necessary to successfully complete your project. Red flags may include any of the following: guarantee to create a bestseller; quoting a price that is considerably less than book industry standards; inability to provide examples of previous work; poor communication skills; and refusal to provide a written contract.
Step 4 - Read the Contract: Before signing any contracts make sure all elements of your project have been included in the contract (scope of work i.e. how many pages will be written, what will/did the writer get paid for, how long did/did the writer take to complete. each project, organization's.revision.policy, copyright ownership, confidentiality agreement).
Step 5 - Assess Compatibility: Find someone that you feel has the ability to understand and visualize what your project will look like when it is finished.
The Future of Ghostwriting
Ghostwriters will see a large increase in their demand because, with so much AI-generated content out there, readers will want authentic and well written content by a human.
The stigma related to ghostwriting will continue to fade, with more ghostwriters being credited on the cover of their work.
Ghostwriters who specialize in a particular industry, format, or audience will have greater success than generalists.
High-quality ghostwriters will continue to command higher fees as quality writing becomes much more valuable.
Ghostwriting companies will provide all-inclusive services such as writing the content, consultation on publishing options, assistance in developing a marketing strategy for the book, and support on the book launch.
Are You Ready to Write Your Book?
Ghostwriting has been the catalyst for so many influential titles, including presidential memoirs, bestsellers in the business sector, and classics of fiction. This profession has developed into a time-tested method for permitting recognized experts, respected leaders, and natural storytellers to express their ideas and messages to the world, even when they lack the time or experience to do so.
Would you like to build your credibility as a thought leader through a professionally written book? Then give us a call to see how Rolling Authors can assist you in transforming your expertise into a published work.
Tell us what your story is about. How can we help you tell your story? What are some ways to get you started? You want to share with the world what you've done and who you are. You think of yourself as an expert in your field and have a unique perspective on life. Your dreams deserve to be turned into reality!
Don't let a lack of time or writing experience prevent you from creating a book that will help change your life, establish a legacy for future generations, and share your story with the world.
Get in touch with Rolling Authors to schedule an appointment to discuss bringing your book idea to fruition.
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