There’s been a lot of talk in the book world about books going out with a celebrity name on the jacket, when in fact they’ve been written by someone else. It was all kicked off by the Millie Bobby Brown novel, but I do think it’s unfair to pile on her, as it’s been happening literally for years. But, as a reader, does it bother you whether the book is written by the person named on the jacket or not? Would it make a difference if it was written by AI?
I think ghosting is fine, for so-called autobiographies or memoirs. But for fiction? That's just deception. If the book says By Celebrity Name with Author Name, that is more acceptable, but it's still cheating.
I understand people feel differently about this whole process, and I wanted to share my perspective. I've been working as a ghost for a number of years alongside my life as a published writer. I've done many memoirs. For me, it's about helping people share the story they want with the world. They have the ideas, the passion to talk about their book, and the reach to connect with their community. Me? I adore playing with words, shaping them to suit what the author wants, and then disappearing. Every one of my authors has been very involved with the process: they have a strong sense of what they want their book to be, they just don't know how to achieve it. I love the work, am grateful for it, and I see it as separate to my other writing. My books are my passion. Ghosting teaches me structure, shape, and story, and also how to let go. I'm sure the books I've ghosted will sell lots more copies than books I publish under my name, but doing both is complementary, for me, and gives me a lot of joy (hopefully my authors, too!!!)
This is a really interesting take, thank you for sharing! Do your authors take the credit? Does it bother you when/if they tell people how hard it was? Just interested.
I insist at contract that I disappear completely. It’s important to me to keep it separate. When they say it was hard to write their book, I usually take it to mean that the experience of sharing their story was gruelling, which is often true. I feel pleased that they take ownership of their work and see it as part of my job to let go. But I’m lucky that I have my own public writing life so I can put my passion and focus there.
Late to the discussion. In principle, I don’t have anything against the idea of celebrities using ghostwriters. I think it’s good that celebrities are being more honest about using ghostwriters nowadays, being publicly supportive of them.
However I do object to the disparity between the celebrity deal vs the earnings of the ghostwriter. This is also unfair when so many talented writers get paid so very little or struggle to get published.
Yes it does seem unfair when so little of the money is filtering down to the person who actually wrote the book. It all seems to go to the person who deigns to let the publishers put their name on the cover.
It bothers me greatly, Steve. Almost all new authors face a massive task getting any publisher at all, meaning years of honest work possibly going down the drain. They could do without having to see celebrities getting published without the usual submission process, and to be honest this applies whether the books have been ghost written or if they've been written by the celebrity concerned but are clearly not that good & wouldn't have been published had the author been a non-celebrity.
Who says AI isn’t already out there, scribbling away?! I’d like to think I’d recognise when a book had been written by AI, but having recently contacted a Government funded helpline, I found myself in a very weird conversation with a Bot who couldn’t handle the twists & turns of human dialogue. (I now ask whether I’m talking to a real person)
But seriously, i don’t understand why celebs think it’s so shameful to allow credit for ‘assistance’ with a skill they’re not known for and haven’t had the time to develop. Credit for ghosts, whether AI or not, wouldn’t make me think any differently about them. It might actually make me admire their honesty.
Agree some may have a great idea and not be able to carry it to fruition in writing, but definitely should give credit to the ghost writer. I am not happy with the idea of AI writing. So, yes, it does make a difference. Access to either support, or cheating, depending on the medium, is not the same as the days of handwritten books. Perhaps we should be missing those.
One of my friends (a children’s author) was asked to pitch to ghost write a celebrity’s kids’ book. She received what she described as a really bad two page outline for a story that barely made sense that she then had to expand into a treatment for a kids’ novel. If she’d got the job she would have been paid the princely sum of £4k (with no credit or royalties etc.) She needed the cash so went for it. She didn’t get the job, but said she saw the celeb on The One Show months later when the book was out wittering on about ‘how hard’ It was writing the book etc etc. A few months later my friend was asked to pitch to write another celeb’s kids’ book. They’re all at it I tell thee!
I think in the instance of MBB she took someone else’s stories (her nan) and then it was written by someone else, which makes me wonder “what did she actually do?” And to read her fans comments (“you’re SO talented!”), it makes me think “eh?”
But she’s not the first to do this, and won’t be the last. I can understand ghost writing when it comes to biographies (where the subject may have had a fascinating life but not the necessary skills to adapt their story), but even then I believe all ghost writers should receive a “written with...” credit.
I think that the credit ought to be given if a ghost was involved, ideally on the cover. People should understand that not everyone is proficient at everything, and that there is no shame in getting an expert on board. But I also understand why that doesn't happen!
AI is an entirely different matter. AI takes knowledge from all of us, whether we like it or not, and using it allows someone to take credit for that work. I would prefer to know that a human has written the words I'm reading.
I think it’s wrong to take credit for someone else’s work in any scenario, ghost writing included.
I think everyone’s roles should be clear and credited, and there is no shame in producing a story rather than writing it. I understand it’s easier to sell a book with a celebrity’s name on it, but you don’t really have ghost painters or ghost dentists... it’s just very strange.
I think ghosting is fine, for so-called autobiographies or memoirs. But for fiction? That's just deception. If the book says By Celebrity Name with Author Name, that is more acceptable, but it's still cheating.
I understand people feel differently about this whole process, and I wanted to share my perspective. I've been working as a ghost for a number of years alongside my life as a published writer. I've done many memoirs. For me, it's about helping people share the story they want with the world. They have the ideas, the passion to talk about their book, and the reach to connect with their community. Me? I adore playing with words, shaping them to suit what the author wants, and then disappearing. Every one of my authors has been very involved with the process: they have a strong sense of what they want their book to be, they just don't know how to achieve it. I love the work, am grateful for it, and I see it as separate to my other writing. My books are my passion. Ghosting teaches me structure, shape, and story, and also how to let go. I'm sure the books I've ghosted will sell lots more copies than books I publish under my name, but doing both is complementary, for me, and gives me a lot of joy (hopefully my authors, too!!!)
This is a really interesting take, thank you for sharing! Do your authors take the credit? Does it bother you when/if they tell people how hard it was? Just interested.
I insist at contract that I disappear completely. It’s important to me to keep it separate. When they say it was hard to write their book, I usually take it to mean that the experience of sharing their story was gruelling, which is often true. I feel pleased that they take ownership of their work and see it as part of my job to let go. But I’m lucky that I have my own public writing life so I can put my passion and focus there.
Late to the discussion. In principle, I don’t have anything against the idea of celebrities using ghostwriters. I think it’s good that celebrities are being more honest about using ghostwriters nowadays, being publicly supportive of them.
However I do object to the disparity between the celebrity deal vs the earnings of the ghostwriter. This is also unfair when so many talented writers get paid so very little or struggle to get published.
Yes it does seem unfair when so little of the money is filtering down to the person who actually wrote the book. It all seems to go to the person who deigns to let the publishers put their name on the cover.
It's hard being a writer and ghost writers should be given credit somewhere in the book.
It bothers me greatly, Steve. Almost all new authors face a massive task getting any publisher at all, meaning years of honest work possibly going down the drain. They could do without having to see celebrities getting published without the usual submission process, and to be honest this applies whether the books have been ghost written or if they've been written by the celebrity concerned but are clearly not that good & wouldn't have been published had the author been a non-celebrity.
Who says AI isn’t already out there, scribbling away?! I’d like to think I’d recognise when a book had been written by AI, but having recently contacted a Government funded helpline, I found myself in a very weird conversation with a Bot who couldn’t handle the twists & turns of human dialogue. (I now ask whether I’m talking to a real person)
But seriously, i don’t understand why celebs think it’s so shameful to allow credit for ‘assistance’ with a skill they’re not known for and haven’t had the time to develop. Credit for ghosts, whether AI or not, wouldn’t make me think any differently about them. It might actually make me admire their honesty.
Agree some may have a great idea and not be able to carry it to fruition in writing, but definitely should give credit to the ghost writer. I am not happy with the idea of AI writing. So, yes, it does make a difference. Access to either support, or cheating, depending on the medium, is not the same as the days of handwritten books. Perhaps we should be missing those.
I think that is totally evil and unethical
One of my friends (a children’s author) was asked to pitch to ghost write a celebrity’s kids’ book. She received what she described as a really bad two page outline for a story that barely made sense that she then had to expand into a treatment for a kids’ novel. If she’d got the job she would have been paid the princely sum of £4k (with no credit or royalties etc.) She needed the cash so went for it. She didn’t get the job, but said she saw the celeb on The One Show months later when the book was out wittering on about ‘how hard’ It was writing the book etc etc. A few months later my friend was asked to pitch to write another celeb’s kids’ book. They’re all at it I tell thee!
I think in the instance of MBB she took someone else’s stories (her nan) and then it was written by someone else, which makes me wonder “what did she actually do?” And to read her fans comments (“you’re SO talented!”), it makes me think “eh?”
But she’s not the first to do this, and won’t be the last. I can understand ghost writing when it comes to biographies (where the subject may have had a fascinating life but not the necessary skills to adapt their story), but even then I believe all ghost writers should receive a “written with...” credit.
I think that the credit ought to be given if a ghost was involved, ideally on the cover. People should understand that not everyone is proficient at everything, and that there is no shame in getting an expert on board. But I also understand why that doesn't happen!
AI is an entirely different matter. AI takes knowledge from all of us, whether we like it or not, and using it allows someone to take credit for that work. I would prefer to know that a human has written the words I'm reading.
I think it’s wrong to take credit for someone else’s work in any scenario, ghost writing included.
I think everyone’s roles should be clear and credited, and there is no shame in producing a story rather than writing it. I understand it’s easier to sell a book with a celebrity’s name on it, but you don’t really have ghost painters or ghost dentists... it’s just very strange.
Something about a 'ghost dentist' really scares me...