Ghost Writing..? - Writers Forum

kalibantre · 12-28-2005, 05:49 PM

Would any of you consider it? Personally I can't understand it. I do not wish to write under the name given to me by my parents, but under the name my life gave me, through process and traisl I found myself again I guess. (eugh that sounded horrible) but I can't understand actually giving someone else credit for your work, openly saying I did not do this, they did.

I also know that ghost writing benefits those that want to tell their story and can't, but why aren't these books co-written, or simply written by someone else with the aid of the story teller.

To me it seems like people are using their talent to further their wallets and not their hearts, which I understand we all want money in the bank and food on the table. But didn't you all get into this to be writers, for the love of it, not the pay cheque?

Please tell me I'm wrong and that ghost writing is a wonderful thing..

UsedTombstone · 12-28-2005, 08:09 PM

I've never heard the term ghost writing, but I picked up from your post that it's writing a story and selling/giving it to another author?

If it is, then I have no patience for it. I think that if you write something and it's good enough to publish, then you should publish it, and not someone else. if you don't want to use your true name then I suppose that's your own choice, but to credit someone else with your own work is both shameful and derogatory to yourself.

Of course, I coulkd be completely wrong about the meaning?

Ciao,
UT

Icywind · 12-28-2005, 08:50 PM

I actually don't have any objection to Ghost writing.

I mean the writer is the "writer".

Ghostwriting is where someone with a story to tell want's it to be read, but doesn't "know" how to write it.

Remember, not EVERYONE has the talent of good writing.

So, they hire an "expert" writer, to write "their" story for them.

The plot is from the person that hired the writer, but the elaborations, and writing comes from the ghostwriter.

You do have to have talent to be a ghostwriter, I mean, you have to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

So, I do think Ghostwriter's are allright...there not like stealing anyone's work or anything.

Dephere · 12-28-2005, 09:02 PM

I am in complete accordance with Icywind, after all the ghostwriter is still doing the writing. The story may be taken from another, but it is fleshed out by the actual writer. Should we not use our talents to help one another?

Splitstar · 12-28-2005, 09:26 PM

Do you mean a pseudonym? Because i do not understand why you would want to write under a different name, unless the writing is controversial or otherwise dangerous. If its your work give yourself credit. Your name is you, like it or not and no matter what experiences you go through in your life doesn’t change the letters that make up you legal name. Maybe you mean using a nickname like kalibantre? That i understand more but also it isn’t practical when it comes to building a reputation as or being added into a catalogue.

But your post confuses me because in the end you said "Please tell me I'm wrong and that ghost writing is a wonderful thing.." I was under the impression that you supported "ghost writing" but now you stated that you were against it.

kalibantre · 12-28-2005, 09:44 PM

I don't understand how someone can sell thier words like that.

I will use a pen name if I ever get published because I do not wantmy life at home to be mixed with my writing life, I will not give me story to someone else only to a different part of me. A part that is hidden.

I also understand helping somone who cannot write as eloquently as others. but then you'd become a co-author.

What I can't understand is why someone would sign the story over to someone else, and have nothing in return but the paycheque. the writing then essentially becomes about money and nothing else does it not?

I'm not saying it's a horrible thing, its helped many people publish their stories, but I dont understand why someone would want to become a ghost writer.

Schumi · 12-29-2005, 01:17 PM

I'd imagine it is nothing like as satisfying if you got a book published under a pseudonym. It wouldn't feel the same to hold the book in your hands, knowing you had written it, and staring back at you is a name that holds no relevance or importance.

ODaley · 12-31-2005, 03:41 PM

I am not a ghost writer. I don't know anyone who is a ghost writer, either. I am sure there are writers out there that are completely ecstatic at the fact they have the chance to see their writing in print--even if it isn't published in their name. I'm sure there are a number of writers in the world that end up like professional athletes. At first they play the sport (or write) for the love of their craft. Ultimately it boils down to the almighty dollar. I'm sure there are ghost writers from both of these angles out there.

Personally, I don't think I would ever do something like that. If I was going to work on a piece, my pride would demand that I was acknowledged as the writer. Then again, I would have to consider how much they'd pay me.

Christopher Black · 12-31-2005, 04:49 PM

I've ghostwritten stories and poems for writing tournament and other competitions. I wrote the pieces 100% without any input of the people who took credit, and that was fine with me. I’ve even ended up writing against guys I ghostwrote for, in finals of small tournaments, a couple times.

Quote:

To me it seems like people are using their talent to further their wallets and not their hearts

I don't think so. Most of the times I ghostwrote, there was no chance for me to make money. It was done in small communities of writers, simply for the art of it. I also think it has little to do with not doing it all for my heart. It was all from my heart. After all, whether I got credit or another person got credit, people still read my work and I knew that every complement was really mine. I needed no one else to know. I was just happy that people enjoyed my work, and I was able to write things that people thought were worth the read.

My name doesn't make me. I actually thought of trying to release work under different names, with ever piece I wrote. The only thing that stopped that was realizing that I'd built up a group of people who read whatever I wrote, under a certain name, because they associated that name with a certain quality.

I don't need or want to be famous. I just want to be a good writer and write things people enjoy. If I'm the only person who ever knows I've accomplished that goal, I'll be happy.

Ejp414 · 12-31-2005, 06:16 PM

Some years down the line, when I've finally accepted my commercial failure as a writer, I can see myself doing it for the money. But I could also see myself going around telling everyone I wrote it.

That said, I still see the practice as a whole as a disgrace to the art.

Mike C · 12-31-2005, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ejp414

That said, I still see the practice as a whole as a disgrace to the art.

'The art' is a commercial enterprise. That's all.

Janelle_34 · 12-31-2005, 10:48 PM

Would you believe it the only thing I CAN NOT write is a Fiction story. My writing skills between characters suck. Because of that I have a ghostwriter for ONE of my books. The others is mine. Dont judge something you know nothing about..

oh I should mention. that my "ghostwriter" is also my love.. lol

mammamaia · 01-01-2006, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ejp414
That said, I still see the practice as a whole as a disgrace to the art.

...oh, come on!... a ghost writer is just someone who can writer better than paying clients who want to tell their stories and hire them to do it... why is that any worse than the ego-bound writers who have to have their names on whatever they write and get paid by a publisher to see it in print?... money is the object in both cases, so don't make it sound as if writers who have to see their name on their work are any more noble than ghostwriters...

in my old writing consultant years, i ghosted speeches, letters, and even parts of books [fiction and non] for paying clients... and in my maia days, ghostwrote screenplays as free gifts to some who couldn't do it themselves... where the bleep is the 'disgrace' in that?...

writing well enough to sell [to clients or publishers/producers] is still an art, no matter whose name appears on the final product...

Ejp414 · 01-01-2006, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mammamaia

...oh, come on!... a ghost writer is just someone who can writer better than paying clients who want to tell their stories and hire them to do it... why is that any worse than the ego-bound writers who have to have their names on whatever they write and get paid by a publisher to see it in print?... money is the object in both cases, so don't make it sound as if writers who have to see their name on their work are any more noble than ghostwriters...

in my old writing consultant years, i ghosted speeches, letters, and even parts of books [fiction and non] for paying clients... and in my maia days, ghostwrote screenplays as free gifts to some who couldn't do it themselves... where the bleep is the 'disgrace' in that?...

writing well enough to sell [to clients or publishers/producers] is still an art, no matter whose name appears on the final product...

Art is self-expression. Ghostwriting removes the "self," nullifies any need for the tedious lifetime struggle to perfect the "expression." It's that simple.

Ejp414 · 01-01-2006, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

'The art' is a commercial enterprise. That's all.

Ah, so that's why all these writers are sacraficing potentially high-paying jobs to pursue a career in writing. I've always figured that majoring in, say, business rather than English would send more money my way in the long-run.

A lot of people have turned it into a commercial enterprise. However, just as many love literature for the way it makes them feel, moves them—the readers more so than anyone else, considering they're not the ones who get paid.