Ghostwriting is a mysterious kind of writing to most people. Witness the three most common phrases I hear when someone has just learned I do ghostwriting:

1) "It's too bad you don't get any credit."
2) "Can you make a living as a ghostwriter?"
3) "Do you write horror novels?"

As this is Halloween weekend, let's start with the last one.

Surprisingly, the implication isn't far from the truth - more about that in a minute. The first time someone asked if I wrote horror novels, I thought they were making a joke, but then I did a podcast interview last year and the very first thing host Paula B said was this: "We've showcased so many great horror writers on The Writing Show that you might think this week's guest, ghostwriter Joey Robert Parks, adds to their number. No, ghostwriting is something else entirely."

Well, not 'entirely'. There is a sliver of truth in there. Clearly, it's the word 'ghost' that sparks the connection to horror. Did you know that before the 1300's, the word 'ghost' was simply a synonym for 'spirit' or 'soul' ? If you look at Mirriam-Webster's Dictionary, you'll discover that somewhere between 1895 and 1900, the word 'ghostwriter' came into existence as: "A person who writes a speech, book, article, etc. for another person who is named as, or presumed to be, the author".

Let's give up the 'ghost' for a minute and look at the history of 'writer'. Can't you just tell us the answer and skip the history lesson? Sure. I could give out the knowledge, but without an understanding of some word history ("etymology"), we won't be able to go much further. Besides, if I write this well, it should be an enjoyable journey.

Say this German word in your head: reissen (r-eye-zen). Sounds rather similar to our English word 'writing', yes? Reissen means 'to tear'. The underlying idea of reissen is 'cutting' or 'scratching'. Recall that the earliest forms of writing involved scratching or cutting marks on stone or wood. When technology moved from strictly scratching surfaces to the fluidity of pen and ink, 'reissen' moved right along with it .

Take a step even farther back in time, to the ancient Germanic language from which arose English, German and the Scandinavian languages. According to archeological evidence, the word 'writan' was in use before mankind's recorded history. How 'writan' came into existence way back when is unknown, but contemplate for a minute the fact that every time you talk about 'writing' you're carrying the spirit of the ancient word into another day.

It gives me chills.

Not chills that tingle spines in fear, but of awe, wonder and increasing awareness; for I am a ghostwriter:

"One who writes in the spirit of another."