Almost whenever I research ghostwriting topics for my next post, my search engine spits out subjects I’m not asking for. Most common are the ethics of ghostwriting.
I’ve written before about how ghostwriting is here to stay and how it’s ethically acceptable to hire somebody to write words for you. Here are some other ethics-related concerns I’ve found online and wish to answer:
Issue: Misrepresentation of expertise
When someone passes off subjects, stories, and information written by a ghostwriter as their own, it can create the illusion that they possess knowledge or skills they may not actually have, potentially misleading the audience about their capabilities.
Response: It really doesn’t matter because the named author has the story expertise. That is what people are buying the book for. They want to hear the story and take from it what the author wants taken from it, whether that’s surviving the Holocaust in France or getting the law changed so you don’t have to pay what your psychopathic husband stole without your knowledge or how to market properly coming out of a pandemic. Readers don’t care that it was ghostwritten. If they did, all the celebrity books that have been ghostwritten— including those by Prince Harry, Donald Trump, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Keith Richards, and Michelle Obama— would never get published.
Issue: Lack of transparency
A significant ethical issue is the lack of disclosure about a ghostwriter’s involvement, leading to a perception of dishonesty and a violation of the audience’s right to know the source of the story.
Response: This can be true in the non-fiction world. However, not everybody cares (see above). Furthermore, some clients who have really compelling stories to tell insist on a ghostwriter’s total and complete anonymity. If the story is that good, who cares if it was ghostwritten?
Something else to consider: A ghostwriter can fact check and verify that the story’s details are true, which ought to dispel the notion of dishonesty and the audience’s right to know if the story is true or not.
Issue: Impact on intellectual property
While the ghostwriter contributes significantly to the project, they typically relinquish ownership rights, raising questions about fair compensation and intellectual property attribution.
Response: I have no interest in ownership. The story isn’t mine. I only want to tell the stories I find compelling, unique, and exciting and interesting. That’s why my contract never grants me any rights beyond the right to work on the project.
Regarding fair compensation: I set my own price, and while not everyone can afford it, enough can, so I’m very satisfied that I’m being paid fairly.
Issue: Potential for abuse
In certain situations, ghostwriting can be used to manipulate public opinion or promote harmful ideas by hiding the true source of the message.
Response: This is why journalists make better ghostwriters. They can research the subjects, interview people who can flesh out the story, ask numerous open-ended questions, actively listen to how the client speaks so he/she/they can write in that person’s style, tone, tenor, and cadence; fact check, and fix errors. All of these safeguards reduce the likelihood of abuse.
Issue: Lack of authenticity
Using ghostwriters to craft personal content, especially on social media, can be seen as a breach of trust with followers.
Response: This is why it’s so important for ghostwriters to be able to write in that person’s voice, style, tenor, and word choice. Social media can be such a cesspool that it becomes more important to simulate the actual person. And so many people don’t have time to regularly post on social media, meaning they turn to ghostwriters.
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