An article ghost writer is a type of writer who writes articles for a fee but may not receive credit for the work. The term "ghost writer" refers to someone who writes a piece for another person to put his name on it. Once the ghostwritten work is finished and the fee paid, all applicable copyrights are transferred to the article's buyer. For all intents and purposes, the article belongs to the buyer who can then put his name on it as if he wrote it. In addition, the buyer is often able to do with the article as he pleases.
Not everyone is a great writer. There are those who are not able to articulate themselves on paper even though they may be knowledgeable in their field. Other people can write but may not have the time. In both these cases, an article ghost writer may be hired. Many professional ghost writers can not only write content to the client's specifications but must also match the client's style and professional tone, allowing the client to pass off the article as his own.
One of the greatest appeals to hiring an article ghost writer is that the client is able to claim authorship. This is drastically different from a writer who retains the right to put his name on the article once he has finished it. For the article ghost writer, once the work paid for, the client is freely able fully exploit the piece. For instance, he is able to post it online, publish it in a magazine, and even sell it to another person. In many cases, the writer has no further claim to the work.
An article ghost writer must have good writing and spelling skills. It may also be helpful if the writer is a native speaker of the language he is writing in. For example, the English language is a complex one. While there are many writers around the world who write in English, the idioms and expressions may only be understood and properly used by a native speaker. If the writer is not a native speaker, the article may end up reading awkwardly.
To prove an article ghost writer has the necessary skills, a client may need to check that the writer has an English or liberal arts degree. Barring that, a client can also examine samples of the writer's work. An article ghost writer should also be a good researcher. While the client may provide direction on where the article will go, he may not provide enough information. In such a situation, the ghost writer should be able to find the information he needs in order to write a professional and accurate article.