What Roman Polanski’s Film & “The Ghost Writer” Says about Ghostwriting

What Roman Polanski’s Film & “The Ghost Writer” Says about Ghostwriting

In 2010, Roman Polanski (director of classics like Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown) directed a film called The Ghost Writer. If you haven’t seen it, it’s actually a hidden, little gem of a film. Ewan McGregor stars, and delivers quite a good performance as the unnamed ghostwriter (in the opinion of this article, the fact that his character remains unnamed might be a little too clever for its own good).  McGregor’s character is hired to ghostwrite former British Prime Minister Adam Lang’s (Pierce Brosnan) memoirs, and is drawn into an ever-thickening plot of intrigue, deceit, and murder.

If I Hire a Ghostwriter, Will Things Get Dangerous?

No. Although we can’t guarantee that you won’t be drawn into an international war-crime cover-up filled with espionage and assassination, we feel pretty confident that it won’t happen. Polanski’s film is just that—a film—so it wouldn’t be exciting unless it got a little dangerous and unrealistic. You probably won’t find yourself watching a film about a photographer just doing his job uneventfully, either. If there’s one thing that McGregor’s character doesn’t do in the film, it’s actually write onscreen. He does a quite a bit of meandering through Alexandre Desplat’s fantastic (if sometimes over-reaching) Hitchockian score and the gorgeous cinematography, some brooding, and a good amount of snooping—but no writing (at least, not until the very end).

How Accurate Is the Film’s Depiction of Memoir Ghostwriting?

Polanski doesn’t completely miss the mark with regard to the ghostwriting process, but he doesn’t quite get all the details, either. Here are some of the differences between the ghostwriting process in the film, and how our ghostwriting process works:

  • In the film, McGregor’s character is hired though a publishing agency on a freelance basis and flown to the USA to write for Lang—and the film makes it clear that the two get along about as well as oil and water. If you were to hire a ghostwriter to write your memoirs with us, we would make sure that you and you ghostwriter were a good fit.
  • In the film, McGregor’s character signs a non-disclosure agreement…and then breaks it, getting involved in some political espionage along the way. If you hire a ghostwriter with us, she or he will sign a non-disclosure agreement, but we can assure you that it will not be broken. Our ghostwriters are professional, experienced, and concerned with your satisfaction—not espionage.
  • In the film, McGregor’s character does a lot of interviewing, investigating, and poking around—and not necessarily with Lang’s permission. Our ghostwriters will cater to your needs, customizing interviewing and researching services to fit your schedule and project. They will certainly not transform into film-noir-style private eyes.
  • In the film, both client and ghostwriter have (without giving it away) not so happy endings. If you hire a ghostwriter with us, we’ll do everything we can to make sure that you are satisfied and happy with your book—from the planning process, to the writing stage, to assisting you with the publication process. We are committed to making sure that your experience is an excellent one.

Learn More about Ghostwriting and Editing

If you’re ready to give up the ghost and finally hire your ghost (as Polanski’s film often terms ghostwriters), contact us for a free consultation. Call Toll Free: 1-844-997-4837 / (844-9-WRITER)

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