Writing the Self: Ghostwriter Perspectives and Identity Construction

This chapter explores concepts of writing and identity construction, within the concealed world of academic ghostwriting. Drawing upon interviews with independent ghostwriters, this chapter discusses identities and perspectives, offering new insights about the freelance academic ghostwriter. Identity is a critical piece in understanding the motivations and perspectives of ghostwriters. This chapter argues that independent ghostwriters have a constructed identity as “writer” and view their work as a helping service, themselves as “student helpers.” In addition, ghostwriter perceptions of student motivations to use contract cheating services are examined. This chapter adds to the literature an essential lens, where judgement of ghostwriters is suspended, in the pursuit of illuminating the obscure world of ghostwriting, and how perspectives and the performance of identity, through literacies, works to support the landscape of academic misconduct.