I See Dead Ghost Bloggers
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Foreword to 4/4/4 Four Communications Issues. Four Perspectives. Four Weeks. Blog Series
This is part 1 of 4 of this series that I am writing with Todd Defren, Lou Hoffman, and Paul Roberts. Do we agree? Maybe, maybe not. You can read Todd’s Here, Lou’s Here, and Paul’s Here.
For some great additional perspectives on this topic I encourage you to visit Hans de Groot, Larry Jones, Steve Lamb, Don Jennings, and Benjamin Ellis.
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Is Ghost Blogging Ethical?
By Steve Farnsworth (@Steveology)
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One of the genuine surprises I had in my career was learning how many great business leaders were bad communicators, socially awkward, bad public speakers, or were a media disaster waiting to happen.
However, when they were willing to be trained I have been able to prepare them to avoid embarrassment with 100% success….okay maybe 99%. Often they go on to excel in the same area(s) they needed improvement. They are human. Sometimes they need help: for me ghost writing or blogging typically falls into this category.
I think abstract questions like whether or not ghost writing is ethical is an intrinsically flawed premise. Inflexible ideas can easily be taken to their extreme, logical conclusion and become just absurd. An absolute good/bad approach frequently ends up hurting more people then helping. I think the merits of using a ghostwriter for your blog depends on the circumstance and your well-reasoned judgment. It is easy to imagine scenarios where ghost blogging would be deeply misguided or outright unethical. However, I think that is not the case with most situations.
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What Would POTUS Do?
Are you a bad person for using a ghostwriter? Normally, I don’t look to politicians for ethics. However, this might make a good exception. When a president of the United States addresses the public his remarks are typically written for him. Anyone smarter than your average bear knows that he has dedicated speechwriters on staff in the West Wing. Now, if you are a CEO, and are weak writer, you may not want to announce that to the world. However, whether your issue is writing skill or just time management there are ways to incorporate a wordsmith ethically into your team. Just like the president.
What are the practical considerations? I think if you are asked directly about whether you write your posts, or any content with your name on it, you should be honest about the process. In the age of social media truthiness is compulsory. So, choosing a process is important, and it should be one that you feel comfortable sharing publicly when you are asked, and you will be.
Keeping It Real
I have used one of several scenarios when I have had to write something on behalf of a client. The one I used was based on what they were the most comfortable with.
1) Interviewed them to get their thoughts, then wrote it, and then have them review and give feedback.
2) Have them write a first draft, I would then edit or rewrite as needed, and then have them review and give feedback.
3) Have them bullet point or outline their thoughts, I would write it, and then have them review and give feedback.
It was always their ideas, often their words, and they always read, gave feedback, and approved the final copy. Not rocket science, but it worked.
Steve Farnsworth's Old Blog 
Lou Hoffman
September 8, 2010
Steve,
Thanks for putting this together.
I enjoyed the exercise.
After reading the posts from you, Todd, Paul and the Practitioner, all shared a fair amount of common ground.
Cristian Gonzales
September 8, 2010
Good piece Steve. I agree, if the content is basically coming from the person you’re writing for—it’s their ideas, concepts, etc. that you are translating for them into a well written piece, I don’t see a problem with it.
We can’t all be good at everything we do.
I stink at math, and if someone expected me to do some budgeting report for an account, I wouldn’t pretend to know how to do it. I’d have to ask for help. A ghost accountant if you will. Why should there be any limitations to this when it comes to someone who may not know how to write very well?
Davina K. Brewer
September 8, 2010
Steve,
I quibble on this but still come down with a case of pragmatism.
1) I do NOT think you should wait until you are asked before disclosing. It’s the “after the cat’s out of the bag” that is often more damaging. A simple disclaimer upfront, along with the whatever “you feel comfortable sharing publicly,” to me makes all the difference in credibility. When in doubt, disclose.
2) ITA that much like copywriting or drafting a news release, ghost blogging is fine, provided there is give-and-take and true participation from the blog owner. Like some of the examples you listed.
3) I’d rather my CEO or small business owner do what they do best: run their companies and work with experts who do what they do best, write. Or in Cristian’s example math/accounting. FWIW.
Cristian Gonzales
September 8, 2010
Good call on point 1, I agree.
A simple disclosure statement is fine and it’s also something I prefer.
“Written by [insert CEO name] with assistance from [insert writer here]”, or a simple, “Written by [CEO] and [writer]”.
End of, and no one will make a stink about it.
Steve Farnsworth
September 8, 2010
I think you’re right. Larry Jones (http://theprsituation.blogspot.com/2010/09/invisible-hand.html) makes a great wordsmith suggestion to handle that. It would be easy, and face saving, to add, “Written in collaboration with…”
Steve Farnsworth
September 8, 2010
If the format allows for disclosure, as in it’s not clunky like some profile discourses I’ve seen, I think that is a smart practice. I wasn’t trying to suggest/imply that anyone should withhold disclosure until cornered before acknowledgment. Just that they need to have transparency in mind when developing the process. Thanks for clarifying that point!
Aaron Pearson
September 8, 2010
Hi Steve. I agree with you that it’s not so much an ethics issue if you’re working collaboratively with the person you’re ghost writing for. My concern is whether it’s in the spirit of the medium, whether it’s what people are seeking from a blog. I don’t think it is, personally. The thing about the president is he’s got a speechwriter who knows how to write in his style more than the president does himself, and most execs don’t have that. And I believe that one of the truisms beyond a blog is you really get a sense of the person coming through. It’s different than a bylined article or a quote in a news release that way.
I don’t want to speak in absolutes. A skilled ghost writer who knows his or her executive well could make this work effectively. However, I suspect that, more often than not, a more interesting product would result from the executive writing the blog, and allowing a pro to review it, rather than the other way around.
Steve Farnsworth
September 8, 2010
I think that would be wonderful. Sometimes I had that happen, but those were rare occasions. I can only hope that blogging might make more people comfortable writing in a public forum. Wouldn’t that be great?
Larry Jones
September 8, 2010
Steve,
Wow, this thing took off like a rocket. Glad to see all the contributions and perspectives on this topic. I’m also glad to see that no two people wrote the same thing or shared the exact same thoughts. Gotta love diversity in thinking.
Looking forward to the next topic.
Larry
Don Jennings
September 8, 2010
Steve – echoing many of the comments made to date, thanks for putting this together.
And there’s clearly room for some follow on posts regarding ghost commenting,
Facebooking and Tweeting….
It was a lot of fun and looking forward to the other questions.
-Don J.
Paul Roberts
September 8, 2010
This has been a fun evening trying to keep up with all the blogs and comments. What a hell of an idea this way – thanks again.
I’ve found all the blogs and comments very interesting and a few of the common themes that I’ve seen are that most people seem to agree that some people need help writing blogs and that disclosing that assistance is a good idea.
I didn’t even tell her, but as a bit of irony I was going to ask blogging friend Jules Zunich to ghost write my blog on this topic and disclose the fact at the very end to see if anyone noticed. It would have been funny, but I couldn’t give up my chance to blog on the topic.
Steve Farnsworth
September 8, 2010
I think that would have been pretty damn funny. Your choice of “ghost blogger’ is even more funny. If Todd was unable to join in on the project I had a very short list of others I was going to ask, and Jules was on that list.
Paul Roberts
September 8, 2010
That really is funny. Again, what was it you said great minds run in the same gutter…
Jules Zunich :: Z Group PR
September 8, 2010
Ahhhhh, you guys are making me melt! On a short list with Todd Defren and Paul & Steven fighting over me! What else could a PR gal ask for? I may have died and gone to heaven. Quick, someone get me a press release to edit, I am feeling faint.
Paul, I would write anything, anytime for you. But, I doubt anyone would have noticed because we seem to have the same (s)assy style – except for the high pitched squeals over certain retweets.
Steveology, I love the 4x4x4 concept and am super excited you all are getting such great feedback. Let me know if there’s ever a 5x5x5.
Regarding ghost-writing, I have done it, but with a clear conscience because I stayed very close to the “authors” ideas, feelings or thoughts. Once reviewed, they basically had to say “that’s exactly what I was trying to say” or it would not fly. Interestingly, I would not ghost tweet as someone else on an ongoing basis, because that just seems fake.
Ok, I’m going back to reread the part about me being on a short list with TD and almost cool enough to join your boys club. Yay!
Thanks for doing this fun, wacky, informative four-way blog adventure.
Best,
Jules
Simon
September 11, 2010
I have to say I don’t like ghost blogging – I want to hear (read) it from the horse’s mouth.
The same can be said for any social media and I am sure many celebs etc. ghost tweet which is slighly underhanded and removes from social media one of the tenets (as I see if) of that medium.
Marcia Moran
October 1, 2012
Yes, it is ethical as long as it accurately reflects the person for whom you write. In fact, I ghost write a wide spectrum of things — from business plans and blogs to email. Some people struggle to express themselves coherently in written form and they should be enabled to focus on their strengths rather than trying to shore up a weakness.
Steve Farnsworth A.K.A. @Steveology
October 2, 2012
I think that is a great point. If it is someone’s ideas, and they have been sourced for the content, it reflects their point of view and ideas, and they have read and approved the final copy, I am okay with them being listed as the author. If they have less than that amount of involvement, then other writers must be cited.
Elan Sherbill (@ElanSherbill)
November 5, 2012
I personally have no qualms about ghostwriting as it serves to improve communication.
In Ben Franklin’s Autobiography, he discusses a young preacher who came to Philadelphia and preached heterodoxy to an orthodox congregation (a big no-no), although Franklin himself rather enjoyed the sermons.
It was later discovered that this preacher was engaged in wholesale plagiarism, and the community used this charge to fire the preacher.
This was Franklin’s reaction to the controversy:
“I stuck by him, as I rather approved his giving us good sermons composed by others, than bad ones of his own manufacture, though the latter was the practice of our common teachers.”
I find it interesting to note that Franklin approved of something that we consider highly unethical (plagiarism), in a situation that goes even further than ghostwriting, whose purpose is to provide clear communication.
Steve Farnsworth A.K.A. @Steveology
November 5, 2012
Great share. Interesting story about Franklin. I’m not sure Franklin is condoning plagiarism. Based on your telling I’d suggest that he was responding as an audience member having to endure a bad sermon, and not the ethical issue of authorship per se. Besides, the tone of the observation smacks of Franklin’s wry sense of humor more than anything. Thanks again, Elan!
Julia Mjehovich (@iSnap_Julia)
November 16, 2012
Hey Steve, great post! As a PR person who has worked at my share of agencies, I agree – the very best method I’ve found that works is the bullet point method. This way the executive doesn’t have to spend an inordinate amount of time writing something, and the PR person can translate their ideas and thoughts into a piece that’s easily palatable. Everyone wins!
John Schmit
February 21, 2013
Another fine post to keep us aware. Thanks for all you provide to the fledgling writers out there.
Harald
April 16, 2013
Ghost Blogging is 100% ethical. Just decide on your own: do you want to read an awful article which is ‘original’ or a well written text which contains the thoughts and conclusions of the presented person? I d always prefer the 2nd option.
And keep in mind: many good books havent been written by the authors themselves.
So lets say its a best practice with a tradition! ;)