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Recently I have come into a great deal of time and would love to spend it writing stories or helping others.

I've been tempted to do it as well, but more for the extra money and as a bit of a personal challenge to myself to try working within someone else's constrictions of what to write. Just remember that it won't be your name on the book, and you won't get any recognition for your writing.

Actually, I have thought about it as well, and would totally be up for the challenge. My biggest problem is that I wouldn't even know how to go about it, or even where to look.

If anyone knows how to go about this I would love the help... I would love to do some ghostwriting for Scooby Doo or the Poison Apple books but since the authors name is mentioned on the book- I'm not to sure if it would be considered ghostwriting? Any thoughts on how to go about something like this?

I just remembered a movie I watched not that long ago (Called "Young Adult" with Charlize Theron) that had a woman who worked as a ghost writer for some girl young adult books. I always wondered if the job was really like it was portrayed in the movie. She basically wrote the books and sent them to the editor, and then they were published under someone else's names. She got zero credit, even when she tried to explain to people, like her friends, that she was actually the one who wrote the books. I don't remember any other details, but I do remember crying when I watched it... hahaha

Ghostwriting is done for one reason: Money. Writers with an established track record can latch onto a publishing house or agent and become the "voice" for celebs or other wealthy folks who want to "tell their own story" -- Hillary Clinton for example.

But you can't get hooked up with a ghostwriting job unless you're already some sort of writer. Else, why would people pay you money to write for them? The objective, if you look at it, is that you (the ghost) have the skill that the celeb doesn't, and so the celeb possibly narrates their bio (or jots down notes) and you reorganize and polish it.

Some celebs work hard to be a partner in their book, some don't (or can't). Rarely, a celeb writes a book without help, but it's been done. Kirk Douglas insisted on writing his own bio, "Ragman's Son" and did so on a very early version of word processor while filming "The Vikings". But ol' Kirk is a certified genius, highly literate and intensely educated. That's rare. And many celebs simply don't have the time.

But as a ghostwriter you usually get secondary billing, such as "Miley Cyrus - My Life as told to Joan Allred", Ms. Allred being the ghost and getting creds. That's pretty standard.

My question is: Why the heck would you want to be a ghostwriter? (if not for the money?)

It's kinda looked down on in literary circles, you know. Why not just write stuff and put your name to it? I mean, when I've seen my novels or short stories or articles or book reviews and my name is there "by Sam..." I'm very pleased to see that byline.

Maybe some people have a passion for writing things that they think other people will find shameful, and they don't want their own name on it because they don't want their friends and family to know that they wrote it? Hahaha. (Wait, then they could just publish under a fake name, right?) Okay, I'm not being serious with this post... I hope you guys know that...

Years ago when I was writing "expose" articles for a local slick monthly, I of course had a pseudonym because I didn't want blowback. But for all my "real" writing I use my real name, can't figure why not.

Besides, seeing a pen name on a book cover or a magazine cover just doesn't do it for me.