A little while back, the talented author J.R. Moehringer (The Tender Bar, Hyperion 2005) outed himself in the New Yorkeras the ghostwriter of Spare, Prince Harry’s memoir. The piece caused a stir both in the ghostwriting community and the publishing industry at large. On one hand, the article brought long overdue attention to the art of ghostwriting. But taking credit for writing a book with someone else’s name on the cover is a fundamental breach of the ghostwriter’s code (Harry gave him the okay). Good ghostwriters are like acting coaches. When their student accepts the Oscar they don’t rush to share the limelight. Instead, satisfaction should come from the knowledge they did the job that they were paid to do. There exists an inherent humility in the craft. If you can’t handle the humble, you should do something else for a living.
I’ve been very lucky over the course of my ghostwriting career. I’ve been attached to many successful projects, including several #1 New York Times bestsellers. Although not in Prince Harry’s orbit, the authors of these books were all well-known personalities riding some crest of popular culture, which drove the sales of the book. But all of titles stayed on the list for considerable weeks and continue to sell. Although I had little to do with the book’s initial success, I’d like to think that I had something to with their staying power. One thing is for sure, I’m proud of the way all those projects turned out. Playing a role in a #1 bestselling book, even a silent one, is a huge thrill.
