An E-Newsletter of Profitable Advice about Writing
To Increase Your Personal and Organizational Success
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| May 2009
Volume II, Issue 5
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Is Ghostwriting Ethical?
Ghostwriting raises some ethical concerns. If you're planning to use a ghostwriter, you'll want to think through the issues so you feel comfortable.
In addition to discussing the ethics of ghostwriting, in this month's issue you'll get a chance to take our famous vocabulary quiz and read an interesting letter we received from one of our readers.
Enjoy reading about writing!  Michael J. Dowling Freelance Professional Writer, Editor, and Ghostwriter |
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Sometimes when I'm chatting with people about my
ghostwriting services, I'll be asked the question, "Is it ethical for you
to do the writing while someone else puts his name on the cover of the book as
the author?"
My answer is, "It depends." Then, to set a
framework for discussion, I ask a series of questions:
- Is it
ethical for politicians to give speeches that are written by their speechwriters?
- Is it
ethical for CEO's of corporations to sign letters to stockholders that are
written by their PR people?
- Is it
ethical for leaders of charities to sign fund raising appeals that are
written by professional copywriters?
That line of reasoning seems to suggest that the problem is one
of awareness rather than ethics. The implication is that if more people were
aware of ghostwriting, it wouldn't seem so "deceptive."
But that view skirts the issue.
Ghostwriting really does raise some legitimate ethical concerns. And like
so many complex matters, the answers aren't always clear cut.
On one end of the spectrum, most people would agree that it
is unethical for an author to put only his name on a book that a ghostwriter
has substantially written.
For example, it turns out that Bruce Wilkinson wasn't
the sole author of the Christian blockbuster, The Prayer of Jabez. David Kopp, an executive with Multnomah
Publishers, made very substantial contributions. Some might argue that Kopp actually
wrote the book. But the byline "with David Kopp" was added to the
front cover only after nine million copies had been sold. I'm glad that oversight was
corrected.
On the other hand, when an author gives the ghostwriter most
of the information and guidance for the book, I don't think it's unethical for
him to keep the name of the ghostwriter in the background. Perhaps the
ghostwriter deserves some recognition in the acknowledgments, but he doesn't necessarily
merit a byline on the cover.
Many non-fiction authors who use their books to advance their
business careers hesitate to give credit to ghostwriters.
They feel that giving their ghostwriter a "with"
byline on the cover will diminish their credibility as authorities in their
field, which will in turn reduce the effectiveness of their book as a marketing
tool.
I empathize with this view. But surveys have shown
that acknowledging the ghostwriter does not diminish the credibility of the
author. People know that executives are busy, and they expect them to leverage
their talents. Hiring a ghostwriter is a smart business decision, not an
admission of failure.
In my opinion, however, fiction is different. While non-fiction authors are
primarily presenting themselves as experts, fiction authors are
primarily presenting themselves as authors. I think it's smart for authors of
fiction to enlist the services of editors,
but wrong for them to turn the writing job over to ghostwriters.
Is ghostwriting ethical? It depends.
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Vocabulary Quiz
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You and your friend are just finishing lunch in a fine restaurant, when he tells you that your manners are indecorous. Did he say that because you just ...
a. Burped loudly?
b. Said something kind?
c. Put your fork on your plate?
(Answer at the end of this newsletter)
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Our Readers Are Writing!
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Betsy Harper of Beverly, MA, writes, "It seems to me that people use the words 'alien' and 'immigrant' interchangeably. Is there a difference? Which should it be, 'illegal alien' or 'illegal immigrant'?"
That's a thought-provoking question, Betsy. My New World Oxford American Dictionary says that an immigrant is a person who comes to live permanently in another country, while an alien is someone who is simply living or traveling in a country where he is not a naturalized citizen.
That caused me to think, if a UFO landed on the White House lawn and two strange creatures stepped out, would they be aliens from outer space or immigrants from outer space? I suppose we'd have to ask them about their intentions. It would be wrong to call them aliens if they planned to stay.
Finding out if they're illegal or legal would be harder. Congress would have to decide that, so don't hold your breath. Unless, of course, they had the right to vote, in which case they'd become legal quite rapidly.
Thanks for your question, Besty. I'm sending you a free copy of my book, Flip Along Fun, the interactive, educational flip book for children ages 2 - 6.
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Answer to Vocabulary Quiz
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Answer a - He is commenting of your loud burp.
Indecorous(in DEH kuh rus or IN dih KOR us) is an adjective that means "in conflict with good taste; unseemly." |
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Michael J Dowling ~ Freelance Professional Writer ~ Editor ~ Ghostwriter
133 Worthing Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Phone: 912.230.5051 Fax: 912.634.5777
E-mail: MJD@MichaelJDowling.com Website: www.MichaelJDowling.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljdowling
Clear, concise, creative, and convincing writing and editing to enable individuals and organizations
to accomplish their goals and increase their visibility, credibility, and profitability.
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