Ghostwriter

Uncredited manuscript creator

A ghostwriter is someone who writes content—books, speeches, articles, songs—that will be credited to another person.

The practice is common in celebrity memoirs, political speeches, and music production, where the credited author or artist may lack the time, skill, or inclination to write.

She worked as a ghostwriter for several bestselling autobiographies.

The verb ghostwrite describes the activity, and work produced this way is said to be ghostwritten.

academic

thesis

Academic argument requiring defense

plagiarism · cheating · assignment · student · tutor · ethics · research · citation · submission · fraud

professional

author

Creator of written works

manuscript · byline · collaboration · contract · confidential · publishing · draft · revision · deadline · client

music

songwriter

One who composes music

composition · session · studio · royalties · beats · hooks · melody · arrangement · track · vocalist

celebrity

memoir

Written personal recollection

athlete · politician · tell-all · bestseller · interview · voice · story · personality · fame · publicist

speechwriting

speech

Oral communication ability

politician · executive · podium · talking-points · teleprompter · oration · campaign · inaugural · keynote · spokesperson

Categories
Opposites
authorship credit and visibility

Ghostwriterpublished author

Writer with released work

bestselling author · auteur

creative ownership and autonomy

Ghostwriterself-published author

Writer who releases independently

visibility and public role

Ghostwriterpublic figure

Prominent, widely recognized person

bestselling author · public intellectual · household name

Family

ghost, writer, ghosts, ghostly, ghosted, ghosting, write, writes, wrote

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G