How do you recognize your ghostwriter?

Nov 19, 2012 | Writing A Book

“Whose name goes on the cover of the book?”

Most people who consider hiring me as a ghostwriter ask the question that way. The short answer is: “It’s up to you.” Now, here’s a longer answer.

The classic idea is that the ghostwriter is a “ghost” and therefore totally invisible. There are also three ways that you can name your ghostwriter.

The ghostwriter’s name can appear on the cover using “with.” That’s code that usually means that the person named after the “with” was the one with their fingers on the keys.

The ghostwriter’s name can appear on the cover using “and.” This is rare because it implies that both of the names on the cover wrote the book. Usually when you see this on the cover, there’s no ghostwriter involved.

The ghostwriter’s name can appear in the acknowledgements. For the client, that’s a way to say “thank you” and still claim full authorship credit.

Which way is right for you? I tell clients to choose the way that’s most likely to help them achieve their objectives.