The longer I’m a ghostwriter the more often I’m asked by friends, family and random online acquaintances about the ethics of my new profession. Of course this is an inquiry that holds no obvious answer. Depending on who you ask, responses about the ethics of ghostwriting vary from “it’s only helping,” to “it’s helping the devil.”
I would argue, all ghosts are not evil.
While there is a thin thread of gossamer connecting ghostwriting to plagiarism, that silk could barely hold a spider. Yes, the vast majority of people who hire ghostwriters do end up passing the work off as their own, but that work is also more often than not, the fully blossomed blooms from seeds of thought that were previously provided by the client to begin with.
Some people argue that claiming credit for another’s words is wrong no matter the circumstances, but if a ghostwriter is fully aware that they will receive zero credit for their work, and they are happy with the compensation they are receiving, then who exactly is being assaulted?
Ghostwriting is common practice on every continent, and is engaged in by politicians, celebrities and authority figures from every walk of life. Though the argument could be made that an acceptable action doesn’t render it right, I would ask: who is ghostwriting harming?
If a creative person can conceptualize a novel, including outlines, ideas and research, yet they do not possess the skill set of articulation to effectively weave their wonderful ideas into a fully formed novel, why is it wrong for them to purchase a helping hand? Especially when the ghostwriter knows exactly what they are doing ahead of time and in fact traffics in the service.
What about a couple, deeply in love and wanting to cement their feelings with wedding vows. Eager to make their declaration before divided aisles with rapt attention, but without the ability to articulate their feelings with clarity. Why shouldn’t a ghostwriter be able to help them?
Whether ghostwriting is wrong or right, I suppose, is up to each individual to decide for themselves. I believe a writer’s rewards are as unique as their thoughts. There are pieces of prose I have written that I’d rather burn than rescind the credit. There are countless others where it makes absolutely no difference to me in any way, shape or form whose name is resting beneath the byline. I love writing and don’t need to see my name on a spine to feel the fruit of a hard day’s thought.
I adore the written word and find its manipulation is an excellent way to make a living. I would much rather eat steak while invisible, than share the spotlight with a hot dog.
About Sean Platt
As a fellow ghost writer, I agree with you. People outsource aspects of their jobs and lives all the time. Hiring a ghost writer is similar to buying a prepared dish at a grocery story (potato salad perhaps) and then re dishing it so it appears as if you made it. People do this all the time. They usually don’t feel unethical about it. They also allow others to believe that they decorated their own houses when, in fact, an interior designer did it. No human being is an expert in all things, which is why it’s common place for people in business to pay other people to do aspects of their jobs. They hire researchers, transcriptionists, lawyers, accountants, and, yes, writers. With the fall of newspapers, I’m just glad someone wants to pay me to write just about anything, whether my name goes on it or not! At least I get to do the one thing I love: write. And then for a completely narcissistic and self absorbed outlet, I blog and take all of the credit. It’s a win-win.
What you do is completely ethical, because you sell a good service honestly and do a job well. Whether or not others lie openly or by omission about how much they contributed, or claim your writing as their own is their business. Like Alisa says, it means you get to write, to earn a living doing what you love. You have your other blogs and upcoming ventures to openly express yourself in.
One of my coaching clients landed a dream job, but whether or not she tells folk the role coaching played is up to her. She did all the hard work and I was proud of the service I provided. I’ve gathered testimonials for ages, but have never been comfortable using them; that’s one of my ethical grey areas although I know it makes marketing sense.
Alisa: SO WELL SAID! If I was throwing a large party, I would have it catered and wouldn’t think twice. The bottom line is I get to write. I have a skill that people are willing to pay for. For a lot of people (the majority I’d argue), it doesn’t make a lick of sense to struggle over words when they should be running their business. Paying us to do it is far more practical. Besides, their clients don’t care who actually sat down to articulate the ideas, the care about the character of the content.
Janice: I know exactly how you feel. I know I have clients who would be willing, and probably happy, to provide a testimonial, but I’m loathe to ask. I feel like they hired me for discretion and it’s not proper to ask. Though one of these days, I’m sure I will end up adding a testimonials page to the old tab bar. By the way, terrific post at Write to Done this morning, Janice!
There’s a slight problem with comparing ghostwriting to other kinds of outsourcing. Yes, you outsource legal matters to a lawyer, financial matters to an accountant, interior design work to an interior designer, etc. But you don’t take personal credit for your lawyer’s work. You don’t tell your colleagues that you did all your own accounting, etc. So, for me, the comparison just doesn’t work. From my own perspective, particularly with books, there’s an ethical slippery slope attached to complete anonymity for the ghostwriter. To not get any credit at all, anywhere in the book, is, to me, no different than writing a student’s college essay for him/her. I’ve done a lot of ghostwriting and still do, but I won’t accept gigs where I have to be totally anonymous. That doesn’t mean that my name has to be on the cover. It’s not about ego for me; it’s about honesty. There are lots of ways to acknowledge a ghostwriter that don’t involve being on the cover. The majority of the clients for whom I have ghostwritten books are more than happy to acknowledge my services on their Acknowledgements page. They are also more than happy to provide testimonials for my website.
I completely disagree with the wrietrs feedble excuses. He or she is nothing but a mercenary. The one who hires him is an acdemic cheat. The point at issue is that the student is assessed by the documentary work that he submits. It is not his reserach, not his reporting and not his development of the thoughts and arguments. Therefore he does not deserve to be graded for somebdy else’s work. If he is being graded for organizing other people to do his work, then that is a different matter; that is he worked as a program manager to get other people to make certain deliveries on time to a standard, then he has achieved a standard as a coordinator. But certainly, he cannot be assessed as a BSc, MSc or a PhD becuase he has not earned it himslef. I think universities who pays a blind eye to students using ghost writers, are themselves should be banned from engaging in academic studies and awarding degrees. All students who do such tactics should be banned or stripped oof their degree awards, and the ghost wrietrs themselves should be sent to prison as crimes against the welfare of the nation.
I’ve never taken academic work, and am far from a mercenary. WOW.
Obviously there’s some history coloring your comment. Hope everything works out for you.