Is ghost writing ethical?

cynic

Do you think ghost writing is ethical? Authors resort to it for multiple reasons... the primary being lack of time. Getting ghost writers for political speeches is a norm, but what is your opinion on established authors using ghost writers? Would you read a book by one of your favorite authors that you found was ghost written?

Do share your views.

Topic credit to one of our new group members, Slit69

Mousetrap

Meself 7-5-2018 09:48 AM
I don't think it's wrong or unethical. As it's established, a well known writer might use a ghost fo ...

Sometimes one or more editors of a publishing house suggest or make major changes that transforms the book. Soem authors mention their contribution in the acknowledgement section, but not many do. Do you think those editors should also get credit? Just wondering.

jhsurti

I think that's kind of cheating. Why would an established author want someone else write for him/her? Lack of time? (Why, writing is your profession!). Or may be not too confident about the new plot/subject and hence get someone else to write it? No, I do not approve of it.

Mousetrap

It really depends. There are authors who give the complete gist of the story they want, plots, characters and even examples of style - so the ghostwriter needs to simply work on it like it is any other writing job and get paid. On the other hand, if a writer leaves everything to the ghostwriter to create from the scratch or something like that, yeah, it's a pity.
It doesn't matter if it's an established author or a newbie - as long as they put in 50 percent of the work at least, it's not such a big deal.

More realistically, in any field, how many people except those in the top positions get much recognition or credit for the work they do? Ghostwriting is no different.
By the way, I had the suspicion that Robin Cook uses ghostwriters for his stories after reading 'Intervention'.

Meself

I don't think it's wrong or unethical. As it's established, a well known writer might use a ghost for multiple reason. Also he/she gives a well defined outline to the ghost for writing it down.




However, I feel it is unethical to not credit the ghost writer. An author used them to further their work, so make a mention of them and credit them. Let the world know how it was written, without which it surely is cheating.

jhsurti

Meself 7-5-2018 09:48 AM
I don't think it's wrong or unethical. As it's established, a well known writer might use a ghost fo ...

Exactly. Not giving the credit and passing it off as his own 100% effort is cheating.

cynic

Meself 7-5-2018 09:48 AM
I don't think it's wrong or unethical. As it's established, a well known writer might use a ghost fo ...

How may authors actually credit the ghost writers? In most cases, the reader is not even aware that the book was ghost written.

pearkydarlz

Well Ghost writing is ethical or unethical is another story..but i don't agree with ghost writing because as a reader..after i read the first book of an author if i am very impressed with the book then i would love to read all the other books of that author irrespective of its genre(because i am specific about genre in books)...then to imagine that some of that author's books are ghost written it just feels cheated like we lose some respect for that author..Any author should deserve name and popularity for his/her own work..we become a fan of an author because of his/her own style of writing and imagination..a person becomes a good author only when he/she uses his/her own style of writing, own choice of words and his/her own imagination..i would say an author should take required time than to go for any ghost writer...having a co-author is different but having a ghost writer that is not fair to the author's fans..

jhsurti

A genuine author comes to mind. Vikram Seth. He had announced "A Suitable Girl". He has nearly finished writing the whole book. He only had to go through the final draft and polish it a bit. He could have got it done by someone else and kept his publishing date but he didn't. It seems he is going through a bad phase at the moment. Personal life and all. Hence the delay. As of now, we don't know when the book will be released. Originally was scheduled to be released in 2016.

bookwormsnm

Its a matter of employment for most of the ones who do it