Ghostwriting for America

I thought that the ghostwriting experience was easy for me, but it was only because of the circumstances. I chose to ghostwrite my girlfriend, Molly, who is a theatre major here at the UW. She needed to write a reflection/review paper after she saw the musical “The Bachelors.” This was easy for me to write about because I was familiar with her voice, her writing style, theatre in general, and the actors and show that we saw. If I were not familiar with these things, the task would have been far more difficult. Imagine if I had to write a paper in biology or chemistry, something completely out of my realm. Not only would one have to master the tendencies of the author, but one would also have to become familiar of language that is specific to the subject. That can take a lot of time and a LOT of energy, as many who ghostwrote for those with different subjects can attest to. When we started our study of ghostwriters, I thought they were cheap copy-cat artists, someone who just wrote down what was said into a tape recorder and added fluff to it with signature catchphrases. Now I realize that ghostwriting is far more complex. It is more like a cover band. You can’t show up and play the set without learning the music, but you also have to have an appreciation for the band’s history, the stories behind the musicians, the likes-dislikes of the musicians, the fan followings, etc. It’s the same thing with ghostwriters. Not only do you have to worry about pleasing your reader, but you have to please your author as well. This is an interesting dynamic that I have never explored, but I believe that it would be wise for academia to discuss it more often with students.



I am debating currently whether or not I should go to law school. But if I don’t go to law school, what would I do with myself? I’ve worked in radio and sales, so my skills revolve around being a wordsmith. Perhaps I could be a ghostwriter. Something that I’ve been curious about that wasn’t addressed in the articles, I believe, was the issue of how a company trains ghostwriters. Do they have specific divisions for various genres? Is there training in certain fields to make the ghostwriter sound credible? Or is it more like a scene from the old black and white movies…a newspaper editor barking out assignments to his reporters, telling them to cover the junior high bake sale and the other to go interview the mayor. I would assume that they would prefer someone with a background. Maybe there are agencies with specific genres of ghostwriting, like sports, history, pop culture, etc. That would make the most sense.



Don't forget the good behind the ghostwriting as well. It isn't all about going out and putting a celebrity's book out and making millions. There are good people who help those who are new to the country or language fill out forms, or help the disabled with their taxes, etc. It doesn't have to be a product of pop culture. As a political science student, I want to base my senior thesis on the idea of congressional casework and its relationships between constituents. In other words, I want to help government and the taxpayers get more out of each other. Currently caseworkers field calls from people that need help on issues like social security, medicare, immigration, the justice department, etc. But not enough people are educated properly (and it doesn't require going to college) about how their government works and what level of government does what. Often, we receive letters from lawyers trying to push things forward. Why not take my ideas and combine them? Not only could we fill in the information gaps that result in constituent frustration and ultimately, apathy, from the public (thinking government doesn't do anything for them), but we could also use ghostwriters to help folks fill out the forms! Sure, some forms need lawyers (maybe that's why I should go to law school, a ghostwriting lawyer), but not everything requires legal counsel. We could boost satisfaction, improve efficiency, and strengthen democracy! Now THAT'S change you can believe in!



I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I appreciate ghostwriting. I actually want to learn more about it, because it may be art in itself. Someone who is a ghostwriter must be tremendously gifted in social settings. You have to pay attention to what people do and how they do it. You have to know mannerisms and speech patterns, etc. I do think that it is possible to become disenfranchised. If it is your work and you are putting someone else’s name on it, then maybe they will take advantage of you. But imagine it from a different view. If you were a fan of the Packers, wouldn't you love to be Brett Favre’s best friend for a while and write his life story? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate honor? I am very happy we studied this topic. I respect the wordsmiths of the world. Perhaps some day this might be something for me.

Springtime for Hitler and Germany

I think the University should install an artificial sun to melt away all the snow and make it 72 degrees and pleasant at all times. Surely, someone is the sciences can do it. Please? Anyone?

It's amazing that we're on our FIFTH week of classes already...which means that we're a third of the way to a glorious summer, which will be, as aforementioned, 72 degrees and pleasant at all times.

Anyway, onto my two thoughts for the week.

1) This is from the Independent article that we are reading for Friday. Since my blog in informal, I will provide the link and it will be sufficient enough for my unique form of citation. After all, if Barthes proclaimed the death of an author, MLA must have gone with it. "In this struggle to separate an aesthetic debt from straightforward larceny, everything hangs on the intentions of the plagiarist. A popularising author who chances on an abstruse work by an obscure academic, takes its themes, structures and intellectual viewpoint and sells half a million copies on the back of this expropriation has clearly stepped over the line, but what about the innocent act of homage."

I think INTENT is very important in determining a student's punishment/lesson for plagiarism. And what if by intent, it is merely an imitation of a writing style, not an actual word-for-word theft? For instance, assume you watched a lot of Star Wars and you annoyingly spoke like Yoda all the time. "The death of the author, it is." Would I then be stealing the ideas of George Lucas? Most likely, no, I'd just be an idiot. But then would legitimate paraphrasing of another kind warrant discipline? I guess that's not for me to decide.

2) "If it appears to an instructor that you might be involved in an incident of academic misconduct-for example, cheating on an exam, plagiarizing a paper, or interfering with another student's lab work-the instructor will invite you to meet to discuss the situation.*" This is from the University website regarding academic misconduct. Note that there is an asterisk, and nowhere on the page does it list what the asterisk is supposed to mean. I'm just saying.

Ghostwriter! WORD!

I'll try to refrain from making references to the PBS show Ghostwriter, which was one of the highlights of my childhood.

Anyway, I was really surprised to find out how much ghostwriting takes place in today's literary world. I requested a few books for Christmas (I enjoy reading non-fiction) and they were: Al Gore's Assault on Reason (I can't find the underline tool) and Stephen Colbert's I Am America: And So Can You! And it hits me that both of these books were probably ghostwritten.

I really believe the name on the front of the cover is what sells the book. Do we ever think that ghostwriting will become unacceptable in the public's eye? What kind of situation would cause that? Some good food for thought, I guess.

See you all in class.

Plugged in to the world, Disconnected from Reality

I thought the article on cell phones was quite interesting.

I was fortunate enough to give a commencement speech last year at UW - Fond du Lac, a smaller, two-year college that flows in to the four year UWs. The focus of my speech was really community...and perhaps the loss of it.

Texting is one way that we can instantly plug in and get information, but then also choose to remain socially distant. I can claim my phone was on silent and in my pocket and I can choose to ignore whomever. But I can also make plans on a dime...such a dilemma.

But ultimately, I think some elements of community might be slipping. Civic engagement and involvement is rather lackluster in the United States - Madison is a unique place. I don't believe a lot of folks know their neighbors, and TV has replaced the need to go out and visit people. You can unplug your mind and just sit there...forever.

Likewise, although you must choose your music on an iPod or actively think to play a video game, perhaps that social detachment is causing today's children to lose ground in everything from handwriting ability and paper-writing skills, to social interaction and etiquette.

I never grew up in the Americana where the neighbors brought us pies and we visited on front porches and the neighborhood kids played baseball until it was dark. (We lived in the country.) Perhaps that has evolved and hasn't been lost. But I do see people afraid to talk to each other and unwilling to participate. They are plugged in, but disconnected from reality.

The Ivory Tower

I think Scott (the student, I believe the professor's name only has one "T") generated some interesting discussion in class the other day, and I'd like to expand with my thoughts.

Scot's (the professor) explanation of structuralism into poststructuralism allowed me to put the high culture / low culture debate into a contemporary context. Even though information is more accessible to the masses than ever, the notion of the intelligentsia still exists. And I think it becomes very confusing when we start talking about art, including literature.

If you think about the music you listen to - consider the different genres. Country music is made for the masses...apple pie, tear in your beer, golden retriever, God-lovin type music. And there isn't anything wrong with that. But then think about when you listen to NPR. Their voice suddenly becomes more distinguished...their vocabulary more assorted...and if you don't know the difference between Schubert's 16th Opus in D minor and Beethoven's Sonata in G, then maybe NPR isn't a place for listeners like you.

Think about the art you look at. We all enjoy a Starry Night, but I have a feeling most of us have gone to an art museum, saw a bunch of splattered paint on the wall, and thought, "Boy, my 5-year-old cousin could do that." Perhaps we are more attuned to the structuralist in this case.

Think about the movies we watch. Some of us enjoy indie films - and scoff and a certain director's work. Others just enjoy a movie and try not to be too critical. I happen to be in the latter...but that's still no excuse for Meet the Spartans.

Think about the theatre, and whether it is theatRE or theatER...and whether or not it's the opera or if it's Grease. The lady with a fancy dress who watches with little binoculars from the balcony isn't going enjoy any Greased Lightning.

So you see, all of us are at different spots on the structuralist-poststructural grid. We place ourselves above or below each other in different artistic categories. It takes all types, I guess.

Oh, and one more thing...how many times have you heard from people in the crowd at a sporting event, "Can't they just sing the national anthem how it was written? Why do they have to butcher it?"

My point exactly.