Table of contents:
- Why Publishers Like Ghostwriters
- Why Authors Prefer Not to Acknowledge They Worked with a Ghostwriter
- Contract Requirements
- Public Acknowledgment
Although book ghostwriting as a profession has only come out of the shadows in the past couple of decades, publishers have long been aware that their authors use ghostwriters. In fact, many publishers refer authors to ghostwriters or recommend that they consider hiring one.
But are authors required to tell their publisher when they hire a ghostwriter?
That depends on the publishing contract. If the publisher requires the author to indicate they worked with a ghostwriter, then yes, they have to. And if the publisher has not demanded notification, it’s typically up to the author (though this isn’t legal advice, just common sense).
So, is there a downside to revealing that a ghostwriter is involved?
Why Publishers Like Ghostwriters
“I’ve never had an issue selling a [ghostwritten] book to a publisher. Often, especially with business authors, the publishers not only assume they have a ghostwriter, but prefer it,” says Kevin Anderson, CEO and editor-in-chief at ghostwriting agency Kevin Anderson & Associates.
Anderson explains, “Having a ghostwriter on board assures the publisher that it will be well written, but also (and in some ways more importantly) that the book is finished. Many authors miss their deadlines, which causes a lot of headaches for publishers. A professional ghost helps ensure the deadline will be met.”
One former Big 5 acquiring editor pointed out that the author’s platform, or “ability to reach—and influence —readers in your niche,” per Jane Friedman, who reports on the publishing industry, is much more important than whether they used a ghostwriter.
The acquiring editor stated, “Non-fiction editors care first and foremost about the author platform. An author could say in the proposal that they will engage a professional editor to help put the book together—but really, it won’t help get a positive response unless [the] publisher likes the author platform. In other words, a ghostwriter of NYT bestsellers won’t turn a no into a yes. Nor turn a yes into a no!”
But many publishers do like when a ghostwriter is involved, for some or all of these reasons:
- High quality of the writing delivered
- The project is kept on schedule
- Less editing is required on the back end
- Timely delivery of the manuscript
Why Authors Prefer Not to Acknowledge They Worked with a Ghostwriter
Some authors are reluctant to reveal they worked with a ghostwriter because they think it suggests they are somehow less capable. They see it as proof of a weakness that could potentially damage their reputation.
That’s not how the publishing world views authors, however. Many brilliant authors haven’t published a book because they:
- Can’t find the time to write
- Don’t know how to structure a book-length work
- Have no publishing connections
- Don’t want to write 60k+ words on their own
- Struggle to write a long-form work
If an author doesn’t have the ability to write a book-length work on their own, their publisher may recommend a few ghostwriters for them to talk to or consider working with. Some authors may be embarrassed or insulted by this suggestion and resist. Others may take the advice but not necessarily admit it.
One former Big 5 executive editor says, “Usually, I’ve known a ghost was involved. In one case, I didn’t (and maybe there were more). Didn’t bother me either way. And in another case, I worked entirely with the ghost, chapter by chapter.”
Typically, as long as the editor receives the manuscript they expected, they don’t really care if the author had writing and/or editing support.
Contract Requirements
Traditional publishers buy the rights to publish an author’s book and, under the contract the author signs, have certain legal rights. Some include a clause that requires an author to reveal if they’ve had writing help. Using a ghostwriter won’t typically disqualify an author from publication, but if they try to hide it, it might.
In hybrid and self-publishing arrangements, it is almost always up to the author to decide whether to reveal a ghostwriter’s involvement. Unless the contract states otherwise, there is typically no legal obligation to share information about a ghostwriter’s support.
Some online publishing platforms may require acknowledgment; check them to avoid violating your production contract.
With a nondisclosure agreement in place between author and ghostwriter, the decision is generally in the author’s hands.
Public Acknowledgment
Even if an author reveals to their publisher that they worked with a ghostwriter, that does not necessarily mean the ghostwriter needs to be publicly credited. A publisher can be aware of a ghostwriter and even communicate with them directly about a project, but not reveal that to the public.
Different genres have different ways of acknowledging a ghostwriter’s participation.
Business and thought leadership books are frequently ghostwritten, often because business leaders lack the time or ability to write them on their own while running their organizations. Some credit their ghosts on the cover using a “with” statement, as in “By Jane Smith with Tom Jones.”
Celebrity memoirs are frequently, but not always, ghostwritten, and the book may be presented in an “As told to” format, crediting the ghostwriter as the person who gathered all the material about the celeb. “With” credits are also common.
Works of fiction have been known to rely on ghostwriters, with the Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley High series being prime examples, but the ghost may not be credited.
Textbooks and other scholarly works are less likely to involve ghostwriters, and when they do, there is an expectation of transparency around authorship.
So, the short answer is “no”: ghostwriters do not need to be revealed unless the author’s publishing contract requires it. However, in many situations, this information would be received positively by a publisher. And if the ghostwriter has a reputation for delivering high-quality manuscripts, being associated with a project could make it even more viable as a book.