The Ghost Is Present
On Writing, Unseen Credit, and Showing Up Differently
What happens when you spend your life telling stories that aren't your own?
In ghostwriting, there's often a surreal moment when your own words come back to you—on a podcast, in an article, maybe even on a TED stage—but from another person.
You always recognize your own creative fingerprints. The cadence, the phrasing, that distinctive rhythm, or the punchline that took three rewrites to land just right. But the audience only knows the voice right in front of them—the person or brand whose name is on the work.
Ghostwriting is an exercise in invisibility. You build narratives, construct new concepts, and then, poof—you disappear behind them. And while that might sound like an absolute nightmare to some creatives, for others, it's a career, a strategy, and sometimes, a hiding place.
What Ghostwriting Is Not
Okay, getting straight to it.
Ghostwriting is not:
Faking expertise. Thought leaders, CEOs, and public figures still own their ideas—ghostwriters make sure those ideas don't read like an incoherent email draft sent at 2 AM.
Copy-pasting a voice. A good ghostwriter doesn't just mimic tone—they journey inside the mind of the person they're writing for.
A shortcut to credibility. You can have a book, speech, marketing content, or personal brand ghostwritten. All of it is fair game. Still, if the substance isn't real, it will eventually fall apart.
Unrecognized hands have crafted some of the most compelling messages in history. Political speeches, corporate messaging, bestselling books—ghostwriters have been there, fine-tuning every word. This practice goes back centuries, with big-name examples like Alexander Hamilton contributing to George Washington's Farewell Address.
Even though it's ancient, ghostwriting is not a dying art form. It's thriving and evolving as good art does. With projections to grow to almost 25 billion globally by 2031, it's evident that the demand for powerful, strategic storytelling isn't going anywhere.
If content is king, ghostwriters are the architects of the castle. We don't just write. We are blueprints.
Building Without the Byline
Ghostwriting requires the writer to ask an important question:
Do you measure success by recognition—or by impact?
It's an honest dilemma. You watch something you wrote take off, resonate with thousands, and maybe even shift the culture somehow. But your contribution remains unseen. You're left in the shadows of your creativity, quietly celebrating an achievement that isn't yours to claim. It's a job that requires both presence and absence, often simultaneously.
And yet, if you're not careful, ghostwriting can become a permanent mask. A way to create without ever fully speaking in your voice. A convenient excuse to stay hidden away, even from yourself.
That's what I've wrestled with the most. Not whether I can ghostwrite well—I know I can. No, I wrestle with admitting that ghostwriting has allowed me to avoid the vulnerability of showing up fully as Dani in my creative work.
It's easy to stay behind the words. And it is incredibly challenging to stand in front of them.
Dishonest Disappearances
Ghostwriting has sometimes been misunderstood as dishonest—words appearing under someone else's name, credit given where it wasn't earned. But I think that's because, for too long, we've avoided naming the real issue.
There is a difference between ghostwriting and historical erasure, and it's necessary to name it.
There is a history of Black and marginalized voices being erased from their own work—authorship stripped away, credit displaced, contributions buried. Stories that should belong to their creators are still being taken and rewritten under more "acceptable" names and faces. That's not ghostwriting. That's theft.
Ethical ghostwriting does not erase—it amplifies. It's the difference between being erased from history and ensuring someone's voice is heard within it.
And let's be real here: The power dynamics of who gets heard and who doesn't are still at play. Some voices are handed megaphones and platforms, while others have to fight to be recognized. The real danger isn't ghostwriting—it's the systems that decide who is allowed to be visible and who isn't.
Ghostwriting is about stewardship, not suppression. And yet, it has taught me how much visibility is still a privilege, not a guarantee.
Building Stages, Holding Spotlights
Something about being the person behind the person makes you hyper-aware of how exposure works.
Ghostwriting has made me realize that visibility and capability don't always arrive at the same time. Some of the most influential thinkers, storytellers, and visionaries already have a stage—others are still waiting for their turn at the mic.
If you're a writer or behind-the-scenes creative who shapes other people's words and stories, I must ask: Are you making space for yourself? Don't let your work for others become why your voice only exists in the background. There's nothing wrong with being behind the scenes, holding the spotlight. But there's a difference between choosing to stay there and being too afraid to choose differently.
I've had to ask myself hard questions: Did I let ghostwriting become an excuse for why my own words barely exist outside of client work? How long did I convince myself that my role is only to amplify, not to be amplified?
I don't have to trade one for the other. I can ghostwrite and still have a voice. I can be of service to others without silencing myself.
So… Should You Work With a Ghostwriter? (Or Become One?)
If you have something important to say but struggle to get the message out clearly, ghostwriting isn't a crutch—it's a tool. A good ghostwriter won't replace your voice. They'll help you find it. And as self-publishing continues to grow, more authors are turning to ghostwriters to help bring their ideas to life in ways that resonate and endure.
If you're drawn to storytelling but don't need personal recognition, ghostwriting can be a fulfilling career path. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median salary for writers at just over $67,000 annually, seasoned ghostwriters—especially those working with public figures, authors, and executives—often earn significantly higher rates and are proof that writing behind the scenes doesn't mean working without value.
But the value isn't just financial. For people like me who find joy and purpose in telling meaningful stories, the reward can also be creative, strategic, and deeply human.
For Businesses & Brands:
For businesses and brands, the challenge isn't always what you say—it's whether people are paying attention. Research shows that strong thought leadership doesn't just spark more engagement but actively influences how organizations are perceived. In a crowded market (whew, I know), the right words can differentiate between being seen as relevant…or forgettable.
The Ghost & The Writer
I don't question whether ghostwriting matters. It does.
The industry continues to grow, and ghostwriters are commanding premium rates in many corners of the market. The demand for invisible wordsmiths is real. The value is clear.
But I do question whether ghostwriting alone is enough for me. I've let it become my way of staying too comfortable, of stepping back just enough that I don't have to risk stepping forward.
There's room for both.
To be the writer behind the voices that shape communities.
And to be the writer of my own.
