Who is the author of a ghostwritten memoir?
Some people think that if they hire a ghostwriter to write their memoir, the book isn’t really theirs. (Not sure what a memoir ghostwriter is? Start here with this post.) Perhaps they worry they won’t have creative control of the project, or they feel guilty that they didn’t do it all on their own.
Let’s take a moment to address these concerns!
Building your dream house
Think about it this way. We rely on other professionals to help us in many aspects of our lives. We recognize that they have spent years educating themselves and honing specific skills, and can therefore be trusted to do a good job in whatever we are asking them to do.
Consider the process of building a custom house. When you hire a builder, you have to provide them with all the details of what you want your house to look like—the size and style, the roofline and floor plan, the colors of the walls, floors, and cabinets, the idea for the epic she-shed and horse stables in the backyard. Equipped with your vision and their tools and skills, the builder brings your dream home to life. But it’s still YOUR dream and YOUR home.
That’s exactly what it’s like to hire a memoir ghostwriter.
Shouldn’t I be able to DIY it?
But because most everyone has some level of writing ability, people tend to think that they should be able to DIY any kind of writing project. In truth, writing is a specialized skill that takes years of consistent practice to develop, just like anything else—playing piano, rock climbing, juggling, or performing oral surgery. No one would ever consider removing their own wisdom teeth (I hope!), yet some feel guilty about hiring a professional writer to bring their book to life. See what I’m getting at here?
The key to overcoming this negative mindset is to remember that your ghostwriter can only make magic with what you give them. Everything they need to write an incredible book—vivid details, poignant insights, intriguing characters—are all kept safely in your heart and mind.
When you hire a ghostwriter to write your memoir, you’re really hiring them to be a coach and collaborator. You will still be heavily involved in the process, from telling the story (the most important part!) to developing the structure, making edits, and making tweaks to the final manuscript. The main task you are passing off to your ghostwriter is turning raw material into a readable narrative. But there’s so much more to writing a book, and you’ll be involved every step of the way!
It’s YOUR story. So, in the end, it’s YOUR book.
Who is the actual author of a ghostwritten memoir?
Legally speaking, most ghostwriting contracts specify that the client will be credited as the author and will therefore retain all copyrights for the book. Ghostwriters typically don’t request acknowledgment on the cover of the book—that spot is for YOUR name!
While this may seem unfair to the ghostwriter, that is not how they feel about it. They choose to do this work, and they charge what they feel is fair. Fame and recognition is not what they are seeking. They love to write and to help authors and get their stories out into the world.
The best way you can acknowledge your ghostwriter is by writing an awesome testimonial and referring great new clients to them!
Honor your story by hiring a memoir ghostwriter
If you believe your story is valuable enough to merit a book, the best way to honor that story is to have it told exquisitely. Rather than feeling shame for not doing it all on your own, realize what an incredible gift you are giving to yourself, your story, and your readers by getting the help you need to make your book shine.
Like an expert builder who constructs your dream home to last a lifetime (and beyond!), a professional memoir ghostwriter will ensure that your book makes an impact on readers for years to come.
Ready to build your dream book?
