Ghostwriting is a Scam, and A Good One at That!
By: Alex K Mathew
Tags: Writers On Writing, Writer, Writing Tips, Writing, Writers Block

I’ve often imagined what my conversation with the chief architect of the Taj Mahal would be like! I think he’d be fairly easy to spot — the one with his fingers missing (legend has it that all the workers at the site had their digits chopped off so that there’d never be another Taj ever built). He’d probably tell me about how he planned every detail, right from choosing the perfect spot, designing the minarets, selecting the pristine marble, and making holy chants seem like an extension of the delicate designs laid into the white stone. Above all though I imagine he’d say with a heavy heart, though he lost his fingers for it, he’d never get to point to it and call it his creation. All the world would marvel at the magnificent creation, and praise Shah Jahan for it. Ghostwriting is no different (but you do get to keep all your fingers!)

It pays to be a ghostwriter. Really well (15 cents per word when writing for a senior manager is not unheard of), if you are good at keeping secrets and writing from the perspective of the ‘author’.

How to make your peace with ghostwriting

There’s always a trade off, so make sure it’s worth it. Read through the fine print of the agreement, and ask all the questions you can gather about it. And then, make your peace with it, just like you would with a brilliant test that you’ve just taken.

Think of your writing to be no different to a bespoke diamond necklace made for that special occasion. Or that Van Gough that hangs over the fireplace, but at least he got to put his signature in. Find your voice, develop your distinct style, and you’d still make a mark for yourself.

Write with your mind, not your heart. Ghostwriting isn’t someone else taking credit for your work, that’s plagiarism. It is all about someone giving you the opportunity, the platform, an audience, and even paying you for your efforts, without any element of risk.

Carve your niche for ghost writing, but write about everything that you have an opinion about. It’ll help you have a supple mind and give you incredible flexibility in your thinking. It’ll pay you rich dividends in the unique perspective that you bring to writing.

Share it with your friends and family, but you may wanna think twice before sharing it with potential employers (before you get their approval for it)

In fact, I’ve realised that thinking of it as that embarrassing photo at the party that you so wanna keep away from the world, really helps! That way you’d not think about it as much, though it’ll probably be at the back of your mind, and you’ll be constantly driven knowing that your best is still in the works.

Be absolutely clear about why you write. If ghostwriting is part of your job, it partly softens the blow (but I know way too well that it still hurts) If it’s the opportunity to work with a big name in the industry, that ought to reason enough to swallow your pride and do it for the learning and the opportunities it’ll bring in time. What we all ultimately strive to do is to get to that point of writer’s nirvana, where you write to express, not to impress. Then you’d truly feel pride in your words finding their wings, even if they don’t carry your tag. And that would certainly be the beginning of good things for you. Only a matter of time before your words will be sought coz of your name, rather than the other way around.

Irrespective though , if you have the option, and the NDA (if you have one in place) allows for it, maintain a record of all your works and better yet, ask your employer/ client for a recommendation based on it.

I still have a record of every single one of the 738 articles/ posts that I’ve worked on as a ghost writer (quite another mater altogether though that NDAs don’t allow me to share it with others) I remember also a time when I was just starting off with my writing career, and I got a rap on my knuckles from my manager for getting my friends to comment on my ghostwritten, clearly mentioning my name! Over time I came to terms with it by saving soft copies, screenshots of the published work, and even framing the draft of an article that found its way to one of the most prestigious online magazines, sans my name.

Keep writing for the love of writing and for the learning it brings along. Think of it as you sharpening your axe. Your work will get better each time, and so will the designation of people you ghost write for. Focus only on putting out your very best every single time, and you’ll find ghostwriting to be a highly rewarding experience in every sense. The world is constantly seeking words from those in authority. You’d be a perfect fit if your words have that authority. Happy ghosting!

- Alex Mathew, Founder and Chief Storyteller at ContentMonk