Does it matter who wrote it: DISCUSS

[E G Logan]

The Guardian today carries an article which examines the world of celebrity ghostwriting. That is to say, ghosting the writing of 'celebrities'. Generally memoirs, of one sort or other.

So far, so not new. But this article goes further, researching what the author suggests is an increasing trend: ghostwritten celebrity fiction. (See link below.)

I accept that for the 'ghost' such exercises are just business as usual, and very little different – possibly with a slightly freer hand – from 'auto'biographies and memoirs. But for me, the idea of fiction being published under the name of a celebrity without the "time, skill or patience to write it" is at best problematical, at worst 'OMG, pass the sick bucket!'

What does everyone else think?

‘Does it really matter who wrote it?’: the rise of ghostwritten celebrity fiction

Readers might expect celebrities to hire professionals to help them with their memoirs. But when it comes to fiction, things get more complicated …

www.theguardian.com

 

[Hannah F]

I would want to know that it is ghostwritten. Whether the "author" is celebrity or not, if I thought they'd done all but the normal amount of editing and production a book gets, but then found they'd only come up with an idea/a vague storyboard/a task the ghostwriter takes away and works on and only comes back for the celebrity's feedback, I'd feel cheated.

Equally, if I were a celebrity who did write my own books, but the public assumed that mine too must be ghostwritten, I'd feel very put out.

 

[Hannah F]

Richard Osman Murder at the Book Launch when the 500th person arrives and, like most before them, says, "Ah, but you didn't write it, did you."

Breaking News: A plethora of celebrities have been murdered. The only connection between them (apart from celebrity) seems to be that they pretended they authored their own novels.

Breaking News: Ghostwriters are going on strike. It's not about the money, they say; we want our names on the books.

 

[Bloo]

ChatGPT and other AI will be celebrity ghostwriters of the very near future. Just feed an AI a few rambling prompts, and presto! The celeb gets to maintain an illusion of authorship while 1000 virtual monkeys crank out a novel.



I can see it now. "It's my story. I told the AI what to write."

 

[LJ Beck]

Ugh. Ick. Feels dirty. Tainted. Wrong.

 

[Peyton Stafford]

Why are we shocked that humans cheat when they think they can get away with it? The real story would be about the celebrities, the kinds of people they are, and why so many people find them fascinating.

 

[LJ Beck]

Why are we shocked that humans cheat when they think they can get away with it? The real story would be about the celebrities, the kinds of people they are, and why so many people find them fascinating.

Totally. The fact that they do this, and the public's obsession with them, is also icky. Not humanity's best side.

 

[Eva Ulian]

I don't expect a celebrity to be an author as well. So, I take it for granted that all celebrities are ghost written.

 

[E G Logan]

I'd feel cheated.

Exactly. Me, too.
It's the people who sit there in the TV studio, saying "So that was why I wrote this book..." And I think, 'hang on a minute, what about the other guy? What was he doing?'

 

[Peyton Stafford]

Interesting idea, Eva. Many celebrities are actors and have made their fame by reading aloud the words of writers. Must be a story in this.

 

[Chris Yugay]

The thing is the publishers have long stopped caring about the quality of the books they print. It is all about sales figures. And as far as sales figures are concerned, it does not matter what the book is about, how well (or how poorly) it is written and who the writer is. So long as it sells. And nothing sells better than notoriety. I bet you anything that if that sad man from South Carolina who has murdered his wife and son or the London police officer who has raped dozens of women ever express a desire to "pen" their memoirs, publishers will be swarming around them. Compared to this, a film actress who writes a children's book by a proxy is not worth anyone's indignation.

 

[Eva Ulian]

Interesting idea, Eva. Many celebrities are actors and have made their fame by reading aloud the words of writers. Must be a story in this.

I don't hold it against any celebrity because they are ghost written- the story that celebrity gives is theirs even if they don't physically write it. Another thing- you have to be a different kind of person to be an author and I just can't imagine celebrities having this quality or capability of authorship. I can smell a writer a mile off.

 

[Hannah F]

I don't hold it against any celebrity because they are ghost written- the story that celebrity gives is theirs even if they don't physically write it. Another thing- you have to be a different kind of person to be an author and I just can't imagine celebrities having this quality or capability of authorship. I can smell a writer a mile off.

Except some really do write their own books e.g. Richard Osman, Stephen Fry, David Mitchell, Janet Ellis, Carrie Hope Fletcher . . .

 

[CageSage]

Except some really do write their own books e.g. Richard Osman, Stephen Fry, David Mitchell, Janet Ellis, Carrie Hope Fletcher . . .

Stephen Fry was a writer from prep-school age. Referred to as a 'near-asthmatic genius'.

 

[Eva Ulian]

Except some really do write their own books e.g. Richard Osman, Stephen Fry, David Mitchell, Janet Ellis, Carrie Hope Fletcher . . .

But these people are writers by their own right and have several books under their belt. They may be famous for something else which makes them celebrities, but being writers themselves it would be absurd if they go and find a ghost writer for their memoirs, don't you think?

 

[Hannah F]

But these people are writers by their own right and have several books under their belt. They may be famous for something else which makes them celebrities, but being writers themselves it would be absurd if they go and find a ghost writer for their memoirs, don't you think?

That's what I mean. We can't generalise, but I bet some people do assume these use ghostwriters just because they are famous for being other than authors.

 

[CageSage]

Does anyone know what a ghostwriter gets paid?
Long time ago, I wrote up a book (non-fiction) for a person, and it was a great payday for a month's work.
I've done a few as favours (for people who didn't have long to live), and two family genealogical tomes, but not paid except for time (hours by current rate of Prof Writer - still good payday).

 

[Hannah F]

Does anyone know what a ghostwriter gets paid?
Long time ago, I wrote up a book (non-fiction) for a person, and it was a great payday for a month's work.
I've done a few as favours (for people who didn't have long to live), and two family genealogical tomes, but not paid except for time (hours by current rate of Prof Writer - still good payday).

On average £50 per hour. (I should look into it!)

 

[Eva Ulian]

That's what I mean. We can't generalise, but I bet some people do assume these use ghostwriters just because they are famous for being other than authors.

I think we are getting mixed-up as to what we mean by celebrities and why some readers may feel cheated that these celebrities say they have written their life story when they can't put two words together.

Those are the celebrities that cause the problem. Those who don't write, can't write but say they do - those are the ones, we as readers, or at least I, can easily identify that what they claim is a blatant lie. And it is to that category of celebrities I am referring to when I say I don't hold it against them for using a ghost writer, because at the end of the day, the story is their own and the book would not exist were it not for them.

I am not referring to those celebrities who are also writers - they don't cause me a problem at all because I know they can write and would not question it whether they have written their own memoirs or not. I don't think many other readers would question these writer-celebrities if they have used a ghost writer since no writer worth his salt is likely to do so - unless of course someone wants to write their biography.