You've probably heard of ghostwriting — getting paid to write books and articles officially credited to another. Ghostwriting is almost as old as time. Early examples include the Bible (certain books have multiple anonymous contributors) and the 11th−century Japanese novel "The Tale of Genji," which was probably completed by the author's daughter. And of course, Shakespeare, if you believe the various conspiracy theories.
Ghostwriters are most famously used for autobiographies, but they are also used for other texts, including musical scores and screenplays as well as political speeches. A lot of celebrities who want to tell their stories but lack time or writing ability find a hired gun to polish their life on paper.
How has ghostwriting adapted to the 21st century? Well, there's Wikipedia. This is the ultimate application of collaboration and crowd sourcing. Anyone can contribute to the articles and stubs online, and it gets really meta when you're reading (or ghostwriting) the Wikipedia page about ghostwriting.
Another adaptation to today's information−saturated world: ghost−Tweeting. Everyone who "follows" Oprah likes to think they're getting the 140 characters freshly on her mind, but the lowdown is actually coming from her ghost−Tweeter. All celebrities need to sculpt and maintain their public images, and Facebook and Twitter are valuable tools. According to a 2010 Forbes article, a lot of your favorite Twitter−active celebs are too busy or technologically Neolithic to keep up with their own social media — so they call in administrative assistants and public relations whizzes.
Social media outlets like blogs, websites and status updates help famous people get in touch with their fans, appear hip and craft their own image. Instead of relying on mainstream media to tweak, interpret and otherwise remake them, they have unprecedented autonomy in making their impression on the public. But we're all aware that Facebook and Twitter can be huge time sinks. Indeed, ghost−Tweeter Annie Colbert admitted in an interview in "Wired" magazine that she spends up to four hours a day Tweeting for one client. Even seemingly simple Tweets have to be researched and match the tone of the supposed author, down to whether they use emoticons with a nose.
Traditional ghostwriters are often paid for a multi−month contract by the page or a percentage of the book's advance. They generally earn around $30,000 per project, although some ghostwriting services charge significantly less, and high−profile biographies can easily net six figures. Ghost−Tweeters like Colbert also tend to charge flat fees and tailor their work to clients' needs.
Celebrities aren't the only ones who need a savvy PR team, either. Ghost−blogger Amanda Alampi has Tweeted on behalf of Rachael Ray, a Pakistani−American imam at New York University and a nonprofit organization in Africa. Although it may seem like a cushy job, it's no small responsibility. Think about how volatile social media can be when you've got 10 million followers. One typo, and you catch a ton of flak. One controversial remark, and the entire brand explodes. You might become a scapegoat (think Ron Paul's newsletters).
Twitter's appeal is the personal connection that comes with following, re−Tweeting and otherwise interacting in an online network. The beauty of celebrity updates stems from seeing those political figures and movie stars express frustrations and joys in daily life, the same as anyone else. Lance Armstrong reportedly Tweeted left handed just hours after fracturing his right collarbone, proving to his followers that he's the real deal. For presidential candidates and pop singers, though, Twitter is a marketing tool like any other, and it's a ghost in the machine that keeps the status updates flowing.
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Alyson Yee is a senior majoring in biology and French. She can be reached at Alyson.Yee@tufts.edu.
