The alarm blast, I wake up and see it’s 6:55am. Did I not just fall asleep a couple hours ago? Snooze, I’m in the office today. The office of working from home, these days are wins. Ten minutes later I’m up getting ready for my office day. Scrolling through emails, paying attention first to subject lines and before the reading process begins, a bagel is made, Yahoo News is skimmed. Instagram timeline is viewed, likes and new followers checked. The itinerary checked, the RSVP checklist looked over. Now back to the emails, as I eat this cream cheese filled bagel. Enjoying the moment when 50 new emails turn into where are the important ones. A couple catch my eye, but none like this: Writer needs help. This has to be interesting, the email is from a former classmate. As I skim through sentence I pick up on key words; paying writers, chapter needed, writers-block, ghostwriting. This is very intriguing, never seen an email this desperate. A book about an author, writing a book about his life. What kind of sense is this, challenge accepted. The manuscript attached, let’s see what we are working with. Having no idea what I’m getting into, I realize maybe this ghostwriting isn’t what I think it is.
When I think ghostwriting, I think of the music industry. Artist need a songwriter to write them a song. So why couldn’t this happen in the writing world? Finding out today it can pleased me, now how does this work? What this writer/author wanted seemed simple. Ideas for chapter five, I’ve read all four chapters at this point. He just needed ideas. Not so fast, ghostwriting is a shady field. You give up your rights as a writer to help the greater good. Since this book is considered the greater good, whatever you write can be rewritten to make it seem like the original writer wrote the piece. Knowing this you either take the job, or continue reading emails. Already you know I’m intrigued. So the chapter help will benefit my career as a writer.
As stated in the email, he’d been stuck on chapter five for a few weeks, and the deadline for a new chapter was due soon. My job was to help come up with ideas. Realizing that this manuscript, needs the plot to now come together, ideas are formed. This main character needs to explained more. Readers need to understand why they’d feel for him, why they should care. The storytelling mode, the building of characters and the foreshadowing, will be included also.
Really should ask him where my name will be on the book, like a code name in the book so I can buy the book and read my work. But the ideas take over, plus I’m sure my agent will fill me in on the details, before I hand my version over to my mentality blocked author. The complexity of characters need to be drawn out. Background history, very important readers become emotionally attached the main character. More reasoning as to why we should care about him writing this book, about something unknown, or known. Can’t give the previous chapters away.
Ideas formed into sentences and 15-20 pages later, a chapter is born. Now on to the proofreading, the agent clarifying compensation. Code name or alias left out, my writing is going to be handed over to a talented writer, whom fell on writers-block. Wondering how many more ghostwriters will be hired, to depict his work. It’s easy to rewrite somebody’s work. But for the greater good, it’s satisfying to know the community of writers help each other.
In creative writing, you write about topics, or you write. You’d only hope somebody likes your work. In reality you only write for yourself and others will like it. But in this world, creative writers are untapped ideas, mostly known as ghostwriters. Bloggers now give creative writing an avenue to self express without correction. You’re favorite author might’ve had a ghostwriter. 
Mad Jotters Pad Presents: 