noun / verb
ghost
A writer who produces work credited to someone else, or to write such work.
The journalist ghosts the athlete's memoir.
Etymology
The writer is figuratively a ghost because the work appears without the writer’s visible authorship. The name credits another person while the actual writing labor remains behind the scenes.
More examples
- A ghost wrote most of the public figure's autobiography.
- She has ghosted several business books.
- He was ghosting speeches for a busy executive.
Forms
ghost · ghosts · ghosted · ghosting
ghostwriter noun — Someone who writes work credited to another person.
Similar words
- ghostwriter
- The explicit term for an uncredited writer.
- collaborator
- Shares work but may receive open credit.