Ghostwriting
It’s always a little amusing when people ask me which books I’ve ghosted.
For legal and ethical reasons, I can’t always answer.
But I can say this:
Up to 99% of books written by celebrities, politicians, influencers, professional athletes, and so on in the $9 Billion publishing industry are written by ghostwriters.
Hint hint hint…!
I can also say this:
For every project that has my name on it, there are four or more out there that don’t.
Many of these books have been written for people whose names you’d probably recognize if they were mentioned.
Ghostwriters are fast becoming more understood and appreciated.
Consider this article by J. R. Moehringer, who ghosted the book “Spare” for Prince Harry.
As Moehringer points out, the key to working with any writer is the relationship you forge with them.
Expertise in the subject at hand can prove detrimental.
As Robert Harris once said: “A ghost who has only a lay knowledge of the subject [they’re writing about] will be able to keep asking the same questions as the lay reader, and will therefore open up the potential readership of the book to a much wider audience.”