Ghostly Images: The Art Of The Ghost Writer
by: Julie-Ann Amos
There is a hidden world in literature, an insubstantial veiled opportunity for writers who aren’t driven by fame but merely love to write. This underworld involves the use of talent dedicated to helping an author create their dreams from the myriad prose available for a fee and the art of such an interaction is called ‘ghostwriting.’ The skilled and hard to find professionals who provide such services are called ghostwriters, freelance writers or staff writers, but for those who need them they are often referred to as life savers!
Many authors regularly use ghostwriters to either aid them with delivering content in formats they are not comfortable with, to meet a pressing deadline, to present their ideas and concepts in a professional and timely manner or simply to take advantage of a skill set which they lack but require for achieving an end goal. Ghostwriters may also be called upon in the form of experts to lend a level of expertise when the concept is known but details and skills to complete the project are lacking.
Even top name artists and authors have commonly released works which are based on their notes and story plots or rough overviews but which were actually completed by a ghostwriter in able to meet a timeline or allow the author to make other commitments. There is certainly no shame in the practice, and the successes that have grown from it have increased the demand until today it is difficult to find a quality ghostwriter when one is needed. Despite hundreds of sites and freelance writers being available finding the one that is right for you and that can meet your deadlines with a product that reflects your goals is where the art of hiring a ghostwriter comes in.
The profession of ghostwriting is not new – many of the works of Shakespeare himself are said to have been written by his students in ‘his’ style. Unlike its inverse and deadly literary enemy plagiarism, ghostwriting is the art of a writer putting an author’s words and concepts onto paper for them with the full understanding that they will not be acknowledged except for financial recompense. The ability to do so in a seamless manner is where this type of writing becomes a true art form.
As you can imagine it takes a special type of writer to be a ghostwriter – first and foremost they have to be skilled, quick, and imaginative since in many cases they will be writing from the notes and existing knowledge of the author about the subject in question – about which they may know little to nothing! Secondly they have to be able to ‘take on’ different writing styles and tones to allow the book or article they are writing to properly reflect the authors point of view. Perhaps most importantly they have to accomplish this whether or not they agree with the author, and without allowing any personal sentiment or viewpoints to become involved. In rare cases where the author wants the personality or opinions of the ghostwriter to come through striking the balancing act to allow that but not overpower the message the authors seeks to portray becomes the principal goal.
In addition to needing excellent technical skills, quick response to feedback, an ability to take direction but still be able to work with little to no supervision a ghostwriter must above all else be able to turn out enjoyable and informative prose in a timely manner which reflects the author’s intentions. For you the customer seeking assistance with creating your masterpiece finding the right writer to do with you is truly magic!
About The Author
Julie-Ann Amos is an international professional freelance writer/author and consultant. She runs a resource for those in need of freelance/ghost writers worldwide. For more information on her writing services visit
http://www.exquisitewriting.com
