Using co-authors to up the output

[Gary Compton]

Agents say, "Your writing has to be better than good to succeed."

"Only 3% of aspiring writers will make it."

"To get through the slush pile you have to be amazing."

It's BS.

To me, it's like the banker stitch up. Take the punters money, whatever way we can do it.

When I'm successful I will get some underling to write my books while I lie on a Barbados beach with my belly hanging oot, knowing the cash is rolling in while Johnny Aspiring Writer is getting MY stories out there.

I use the word, MY, loosely but I'm not bothered as I'm rich and Johnny has made a wage for the 3 months he had his pen to paper.

Forget the slushpile, this is the shush pile.

It's not right

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I wonder how much of this is being pushed by the publishing industry rather than the authors.

I don't know, but with authors of the stature you mention, they would certainly have the ability to say "no."

I agree that it's a cheat to the public. For the ghost writers, it's a chance to make enough money to pay the bills for a period afterward while they work on their own writing. And it's a chance to show a publisher, if not the general public, what they can do. So it's not a bad deal for them. Not a great one, but an OK one.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Are any of these co-writers actually going to be credited? By reference to the term "ghost writers" I'm presuming not?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Are any of these co-writers actually going to be credited? By reference to the term "ghost writers" I'm presuming not?

I had a look the other day in Tescos and James Patterson had credited them on the front cover of his.

 

[biodroid]

I had a look the other day in Tescos and James Patterson had credited them on the front cover of his.

He does credit them, whether they are good and get paid well is another issue. What is it promoting anyway? Is this co-authoring of unknown writers like a mentorship thingy? I am just wondering.