Ghostwriting – also sometimes spelt ‘ghost writing’ – is the process of hiring someone else to author something on your behalf. As agreed in a prior contract, you’ll own the rights to the work once it’s completed and are welcome to market it under your name.
Ghostwriting itself is perfectly legal. It happens all the time; many books you have on your shelves are likely produced – or at least significantly assisted – by a ghostwriter.
But what about when it comes to academic papers, such as university essays, school assignments or scientific journal entries? Well, not so much.
This blog will explore this murky area of the writing industry and explain my thoughts on it.
Can you get someone else to write your essay?
Let me give you the bottom line right here: academic ghostwriting is legal but unethical and frowned upon. While national and international laws generally don’t make it illegal, the specific institution or publication will likely prohibit it.
In short, the answer is usually: No! You shouldn’t get someone else to write your essay. Not because of breaking the law, but because of breaking the policies established by the people reading and reviewing your work.
You’ll find many ghostwriters out there who will produce academic content from scratch on your behalf. I don’t agree with this and won’t accept any work in this field except to edit a paper or article that has already been produced.
Why is it wrong to hire a ghostwriter for academic work?
While most people generally get away with it – probably partly because colleges and universities want to showcase the high grades students achieve with them – it raises a questionable moral boundary. In essence, it means students with more money are able to ‘buy’ a degree by having someone else do all the work for them. Is this fair to other students who put ten times more effort into what they produce? Is it fair to the occupation they end up in, when they suddenly find they don’t have the necessary knowledge to do their job well?
Again, it isn’t against the law in most countries – so far as I’m aware, at least. If you want to hire a ghostwriter for academic work, you’ll probably get away with it. But it might come back to bite you in the future!
Will I be caught if I use a ghostwriter in university?
Haha. Well, what a question.
Here’s my take on it. Your tutor (or whoever marks your work) will almost certainly notice, but you’re unlikely to be called out on it. But it’s still technically possible you’ll be caught, yes.
The reason the person reading your work will notice boils down to your ‘writer’s voice’. The more reading you do, the more you’ll get in touch with what the writer ‘sounds like’ in your head. Believe it or not, everyone’s is different. Your tutor will, I believe, immediately recognise that your writing ‘sounds’ different than usual. That’s why the overuse of a certain ChatGPT is plain as day too, by the way.
However, universities are unlikely to call you out on it. Unlike AI detectors (which aren’t particularly reliable), ghostwriting is almost impossible to prove and, if you can show that you understand the topic anyway, they’ll let you get away with it. Just don’t bite off more than you can chew, and suddenly find that the ghostwriter has written in detail about a topic you’ve never heard of!
Why is ghostwriting legal in academic settings?
Personally, I agree with the institutions and publications looking to ban ghostwriting. It does lead to potential problems, including knowledge gaps and misinformation. I never produce academic content for anyone (although I’m happy to help edit pre-written pieces). I know other writers will disagree with me on that, but that’s where I stand.
The reason why people can get away with ghostwriting really boils down to whether or not it classifies as ‘help’. For instance, some people suffer from learning disabilities like dyslexia and find writing challenging. In this case, they may be assigned someone to note down their thoughts in written form. This is perfectly legal and accounted for in institutional guidance. (And I would be happy to help in this manner.)
In most cases, though, the student has nothing to do with the ghostwriter. They simply throw the title in their direction and leave them to it. Can ghostwriting an entire article or essay really count as ‘assistance’ when the ‘author’ – the person with their name on it – has had nothing to do with production? Nope.
Do you need a writer?
As a content writer, around 80% of what I do is ghostwritten – but, with a few exceptions such as those mentioned above (learning disability assistance, editing pre-written content), I don’t work on academic papers. It’s too risky and too questionably unethical.
If you find yourself struggling to find the motivation to write your essay or article for school or university, here’s a tip: waffle. Get words on the page. Don’t spend too much time staring at a blank screen. Open your textbook, read a little bit, then close it and just type away. Once you have a few hundred words on the page, break it down. Get some headings in. Start thinking about where you’re going and what conclusion you expect to reach. And don’t be afraid to go back and edit once you finish! Because, once you remove that waffle you started with, you might find you’ve written something that’s actually half-decent!
If you’d like any help editing your essay, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m always happy to have a friendly, non-commitment chat about what you need.
Thanks for sticking with me to the end of this controversial topic! I hope to hear from you soon!