Words woe, when writers woo ghostwriters
 I
was without a subject for this time's Injured Petal. I was thinking hard
to get myself to write something. But then again someone had told me you
cannot write by force - it must come involuntarily. Thunders stormed
above me illuming the dark skies now and then. I was all alone squirming
with a pen.
 That's
when I felt a touch.
I turned back to see who that is. It was a black-attired figure.
"I'm a ghost. You can call me ghostwriter, no offence."
I heard another thunder at that instance. I shuddered; was it the
thunder or the ghost, I had no clue.
"I saw you struggling without anything to write. So I came here to
give you a helping hand."
"You came here to give me a helping hand?"
"Yes. For writing."
"For writing?"
"Stop repeating, young man. That irritates me. You are going to write
about ghostwriters this time."
"Oh ok. I understand. I think I have heard the word."
"So fill me in then." My friend was still standing.
"I know of a Sunday columnist. His columns are ghostwritten, they
say. By the way I forgot to ask: what would you like to have?"
"We don't drink or eat, dummy. Anyway ghostwriters are paid all
right, because they are not credited for the job."
What appears in a newspaper is not the exact copy of the writer.
That's no secret among the people in the know. English newspapers carry
bylines of Sinhala reporters, and poor translators never get the credit.
I have seen sub editors and deputy editors working tremendously hard on
bad copies - almost rewriting - and finally if the copy comes damn good
the byline holder gets all the credit. This world is ruthlessly unfair!
"Yes it is," said the ghost taking a contemplative look at what I've
written, "this world is unfair. But not all the time, my friend."
Then my ghost friend reminded Time International. Up until this
moment I never thought ghosts read international magazines. But they
did, whether you like it or not. Yes, as it said, Time International
appreciates the editor's job too. They carry 'by so and so with the
reporting by so and so' as the byline.
Ghostwriting is very much practised among politicians and
celebrities. Most of the politicians and celebrities, sadly, are not so
good in letters. They need props. Most of the celebrity and politicians'
biographies are ghostwritten. Well, you have exceptions though.
I think Bill Clinton, Adolf Hitler (said to have dictated for his
Mein Kampf) and Woodrow Wilson actually wrote. These leaders are said to
have been book lovers and voracious readers. Yes, book lovers and
voracious readers - these are two different fortes, though seemingly
similar. Let's have a talk on that another time.
"You know my favourite authors are Tom Clancy and James Patterson."
"And why?"
"Because they get people to ghostwrite their books."
"I thought they are writers."
"They are. But they employ ghostwriters as a way of increasing the
publications. Do you usually read author's acknowledgement?"
For some strange reason, and even though I don't know who the heck
they are, I read acknowledgements. Especially when I admired a book to
the hilt. I knew what this ghost fellow is going to tell me.
Ghostwriters are credited in acknowledgments, sans any description of
their job.
Then suddenly I remembered songs. Apart from the composer, vocalist
and the lyricist there is another artiste. I don't know how to call him
- so let's tentatively say 'idea-giver'. This is precisely because the
idea giver cannot write! Positive - the ghostwriter is credited as the
lyricist. Mozart, on the other hand for example, is said to have written
music for his patrons.
"I need you to get back to books." Ghost said in a spooky tone.
As for books, these ghostwriters will have to carry out research for
months or years. Most of the fiction is highly research-based. But in
some cases he only edits or fine-tunes the copy. Just like a copy
editor.
Sri Lanka once had a head of state very much famous for his books.
But there were rumours that his songs and novels were ghostwritten.
Some names were mentioned too, but no one would dare to talk such
things in public at the time. Only after his period was over, that
became a public secret.
"I know that story," the ghost chipped in, "one of my friends was
commissioned to translate one of his novels into English.
At last that guy had asked if my friend really needs to be mentioned
as the translator. When my friend said no, he had deleted the name that
moment itself."
So all these indicate that people like to write! Or at least show off
they can write. But still it breaks my heart just to think of these
ghostwriters. These unsung heroes are robbed of appreciation; should
their names be rubbed off too?
Getting closer, I noticed the ghost stirring; it was reaching for a
Tom Clancy novel with a page turned back in corner.
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