Reasons a Writer Should Become a Ghostwriter

by Cris Yeager
DIGITAL MEDIA GHOST
Writing

If you’re thinking about becoming a ghostwriter, you’re not alone. Ghostwriting has been around in some form or another since the beginning of the written word, and it’s expected to continue long into the future. We all have different reasons for wanting to become ghostwriters.  Below we break down the most common reasons why someone should become a ghostwriter, even if just as a side-gig or while starting out as an independent writer.

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A ghostwriter is someone who writes content under the name of another person. This can be a politician, celebrity, or anyone with something to say who doesn’t want to say it under their own name. Whatever the case, ghostwriting offers quite a few perks for writers — even those who don’t want to become ghostwriters in the traditional sense of the word. There are several reasons why any writer should consider dipping into ghostwriting at least once in their career.

Ghostwriting isn’t scary at all! If you go ahead with it, for starters you will have to look for an employer (online or in the really, real world) who falls into mainly these three categories:  

• Someone whose business has expanded and they do not have the time to write themselves.  
• Someone who might have brilliant ideas or an exciting story to tell, but for the life of them cannot connect their thoughts on paper.  
• A firm or company that specializes in ghostwriting as a service.

In any of the aforementioned instances, you can not disclose your identity as the actual writer. Sounds unethical? Well, it kind of is, but not when you take a look at the advantages of ghostwriting in a broader perspective.  

Benefits of ghostwriting

Ghostwriting for money:  
The major reason behind ghostwriting is usually money. It pays much more than freelancing. When you are selling your words, you cannot showcase them as yours anymore for building your reputation as a writer. So, to compensate for this loss you can demand and be paid a higher fee, all the while learning and enjoying writing about diverse topics. Especially the subjects you wouldn’t normally write about yourself.

Building relationships with your clients:  
When you have worked in a ghostwriting relationship with a client, provided you have done a satisfactory job, your client will direct their future work to you. This means getting consistent writing tasks at a higher rate -- making extra bucks. Now extra money doesn’t hurt anyone does it?  

Working with well-established people: 
Ghostwriting means working at close quarters with your clients. This gives you a chance to get to know a well-established person and their thought process. Your subconscious is at work and you are constantly learning.

Increase in knowledge:
Ghostwriting allows you to research and write about many diverse subjects - subjects that you might not have even come across in routine life. It’s a  great enhancement to your knowledge.

Disadvantages of ghostwriting

No credit:
It is deemed unethical by a large number of people who believe that a writer should be given due credit for all his work. Ghostwriting is largely perceived as fooling the readers as you are passing someone else’s work as your own. It's not as difficult as perceived to find work when your work is secretive. 

The dreaded deadline:
You cannot work at your own pace. Deadlines have to be met and you gain a bad repute if you are not meeting them. The extensive research required makes it all the harder to meet them.  

Conclusion 
In spite of the disadvantages, few as they are, I would like to conclude with my own personal experience. I have been a ghostwriter for nearly a decade. I've  written countless types of content about anything and everything. I love my work and I love the fact that it pays so well while having increased my general knowledge. So, I would encourage all of you to give it a try. Think no more, you can thank me later!

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