A writer hired to create a book (or other content) that gets published under someone else's name.
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who produces work that is officially credited to another person. The 'ghost' part means they're invisible to the public. Ghostwriting is everywhere: celebrity memoirs, business books, political autobiographies, and even some fiction series are written by ghostwriters. The arrangement is typically governed by a contract where the ghostwriter receives payment (sometimes a flat fee, sometimes a share of royalties) in exchange for giving up all public credit for the work.
Ghostwriting is one of the most reliable ways to earn a living as a writer, and understanding it opens up career paths you might not have considered. On the flip side, if you're ever in a position to hire a ghostwriter for your own project, knowing how the relationship works protects both parties. It's also worth understanding as a reader: a huge portion of the books on bestseller lists were written by people whose names don't appear on the cover.
Alex Haley conducted extensive interviews with Malcolm X and shaped the material into one of the most important autobiographies of the 20th century. Haley received co-author credit, which is relatively rare.
Carolyn Keene never existed. The Nancy Drew books were written by a rotating group of ghostwriters under a publisher-owned pseudonym, starting with Mildred Wirt Benson.
Obama worked closely with her team to produce the memoir, and the book's acknowledgments thank the many collaborators involved. The line between ghostwriting and collaborative writing is often blurry at this level.
Every ghostwriting arrangement needs a written contract covering payment terms, deadlines, revision rounds, credit (or lack thereof), confidentiality, and what happens if the project is abandoned.
Ghostwriting means giving up your name and your right to use the work in your portfolio. Price accordingly. Research industry rates, which vary widely by genre, length, and the client's budget.
Ghostwriting builds skills, pays bills, and can lead to referrals. Many successful authors ghostwrote for years before publishing under their own names. It's legitimate, skilled work.
Interview a friend or family member for 20 minutes about a meaningful experience in their life. Record the conversation (with permission) or take detailed notes. Then write a 500-word first-person narrative in their voice, capturing their speech patterns, personality, and perspective. Read it back to them and ask if it sounds like them. This is the core skill of ghostwriting.