Being creative is hard work. Sometimes, creativity is available in excess, while other times, it’s as though the writer’s mind runs dry.
During these times, when the writer is unable to write their material, they may utilise the services of seasoned writers to finish the book or article they are working on. After the piece is written, it is attributed to the writer who commissioned the work and not the person who wrote it.
This type of writing is called ghostwriting.
The greatest conundrum
The concept of ghostwriting has kept writers, marketers and business owners confused for long. It has been the source of much controversy and question for decades.
What does it involve?
Is it legal?
Can we hire ghostwriters?
How do we choose the right one?
In this article, we’ll answer these questions.
Image Credits: Pixabay
What exactly is ghostwriting?
Ghostwriters are writers who work behind the scenes. They write materials commissioned by somebody else and do not attribute it to themselves. They are different from “published writers,” who publish their work under their names.
The process of getting an article, blog post or a book written by a ghostwriter is called ghostwriting. Normally, this ghostwritten material is published in another website or publication, under the name of a different individual or company.
A 2016 study by Priceconomics revealed that 25% of the New York Times’ Non-fiction Bestseller category was ghostwritten! This begs the question – isn’t this illegal?
Legality of ghostwriting
Contrary to popular misconception, ghostwriting is perfectly legal.
Ghostwriting entails a legal contract between the “ghost” writer and the person who commissions the work. Here, the ghostwriter agrees to write a piece for the other party in exchange for a sum of money. With the write-up, the ghostwriter also relinquishes all the rights they have over the written material.
It is important to note that all of this happens within the confines of the law. A formal, legal agreement is signed between the ghostwriter and the person commissioning the work. The only time the issue of legality comes into the picture is when the ghostwriter plagiarises someone else’s content. The best way companies can avoid getting into trouble with ghostwritten material is to hire professional ghostwriters, who have a history of superior-quality writing behind them.
If you still don’t believe us, maybe these facts will change your mind. Remember R.L Stein’s Goosebumps? How about Franklin W. Dixon’s Hardy Boys and Alice Leonhardt’s Nancy Drew? You may have lived-off their books as a kid. Well, they were ghostwritten!
So were K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs, Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne and Alexandre Dumas’s iconic novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Even the original entries by Anne Frank in The Diary of a Young Girl were heavily cut, edited and re-written by her father before publication.
Today, these books are beloved to people everywhere, and yes, they are legitimate works of literature.
Image Credits: Pixabay
Hiring ghostwriters for your business
Ghostwriters are perfect for those people/companies who want top-quality content for their business but are unable to write it themselves. In this day and age where 78% of customers determine the authenticity of a company based on the quality of content the company shares, having the services of a ghostwriter can be truly beneficial. It can help your company cement a strong brand image and effectively engage prospects.
When it comes to hiring ghostwriters, many companies don’t know whether the content they wish to create is right for ghostwriting or not.
First off, there is no such thing as the “right content” for ghostwriting. Any type of content from emails to thank you letters to social media posts to whitepapers to eBooks can be ghostwritten.
Second, when it comes to ghostwriting, industry and niche don’t matter. Entrepreneurs, doctors and social media influencers all hire ghostwriters to ensure their content is top-notch.
Benefits of working with ghostwriters
Your ghostwriters will:
- Bring years of writing and editing expertise to the table.
- Conduct extensive research about your industry, products and services.
- Complete your commissioned work very quickly.
- Be open to multiple revisions and changes.
- Have in place stringent, world-class quality checks to ensure 100% originality and quality.
- Free up your time by taking on all content production, content marketing and social media marketing tasks for your company.
Image Credits: Pixabay
Traits to look for when selecting the best ghostwriters
Writing expertise – They should be able to create premium-quality content.
Versatility – They should be able to write various types of content.
Industry/niche knowledge – They should understand how the industry/niche works and be able to communicate the same to readers.
Curiosity – They should be eager to learn new things every day.
Discretion – They should honour the confidentiality clause you have with their company.
Organisation – They should be good at planning their tasks, meeting deadlines and managing contingencies.
Resourcefulness – They should have the ability to find information where there are very limited details and provide up-to-date content.
Budget-friendly – They should provide lucrative offers for their ghostwriting services to suit the needs of various clients.
Respect for your brand – They should take responsibility for maintaining your brand image and provide content that suits your voice and your beliefs.
Feature Image Credits: Pixabay
Author bio:
Nisha Prakash is a blogger specializing in social media marketing and content management. She is an avid runner and a bibliophile.