The Ghostwriting Blues

Okay. So pretty much ghostwriting, after reading the article by Gregory Baruch (actually written by him, might I add), I definitely think that ghostwriting, in today's society, is unethical. There was a time when ghostwriters were included in the titles of books - at least given a little credit. However, writing for a celebrity (or anyone else for that matter), without receiving proper accreditation is VERY UNETHICAL. There were many instances in this piece where I simply wanted to gag (well, not really, I was just more shocked than anything that people would actually do this).

For example, when people die when writing ghostwritten books or are in collaboration with ghostwriters - that's usually when the most serious "offenses" occur. Specifically - when Stephen Humphrey Bogart's ghostwriter, Gary Provost, died, his name was not included in the authors section - nor was he even given any credit, except in the "dedication page" - who the HECK knows who these things are "dedicated" to? I usually read that page and think to myself, "Wow - I WONDER WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE! I WONDER IF THE WERE INFLUENTIAL IN THIS PERSON'S LIFE - LIKE A MENTOR OR SOMETHING... NOT A GHOSTWRITER!" I guess I should be more careful in my thought process from now on, especially with this ghostwriting thing becoming an pandemic Pandora's box of perpetual ethical problems!

It just blows my mind that publishers are SO ruthless and can justify themselves - as in the case of Gary Provost stating that " '[I]t is our belief that the book stands a much better chance if it doesn't appear ghostwritten. Oddly enough, under the circumstances, from what I know of Gary, I believe this is something he would have wanted us to do." What BS! I'm not claiming to know Gary Provost or even anything about him, but if I had spent the last days of my life writing a freaking book - literally - for someone, I think I would want my name included on the cover - AND maybe a page dedicated to me in the book "Dedicated to Gary Provost - who DIED trying to write this book!"


*This post was not ghostwritten. Nor will any post here unless my PUBLISHER so deems. But that'll be discussed later in Article 564, section C of my contract with said publisher. And if it is, you'll NEVER KNOW*