So you pick up yet
another book from an author who has churned out four this year
already, excited to crack open the spine and yet wondering how he
manages to write so many novels.
But then you
discover, he didn’t. Although his name is on the cover, someone
else substantially wrote the book. The famous moniker has become a
branded franchise.
James Patterson is
the poster boy for author franchising with 39 of his 78 novels
including a “written with” acknowledgment. A former advertising
guru, Patterson has made millions by collaborating with other authors
to churn out several novels per year to his loyal readership. Alex
Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Maximum Ride, and
Daniel X are among his series. His fellow authors are
not permitted to disclose the terms of their working relationship,
but Patterson has stated that they write the first draft and he
writes subsequent ones. (Time
Magazine article.)
Janet Evanovich,
author of the popular Stephanie Plum series, wrote romance
novels for the Full series with collaborator Charlotte Hughes.
Explaining her reasons, she said, “I had a lot of ideas in my head
that I just didn't have time to put on paper . . . I had started
writing romance novels at the same time Charlotte did. She's a great
writer with her own distinct sense of humor. I thought she was the
perfect person to help me start a new romance series.” (Crescent
Blues interview). How much of the novels did each of these
women write? I don’t know. But make no mistake, when you go looking
for the novels, it’s Evanovich who features prominently on the
cover, even though Ms. Hughes’s name appears below.
It’s hard to track
which bestselling authors have contracted out some of their work.
Some credit collaborators on the cover, others inside. And others do
not reveal the extent to which a ghost writer lent a hand –
literally. But if you are still turning out books while turning over
in your grave, that’s definitely suspicious.
Several dead authors
continue to put out novels, not from their ghostly gravesite but
through the collaboration of other authors willing to write under a
bestselling author’s name. Matt Christopher died in 1997 but his
sports-themed children’s books continue to hit the shelves, and the
bio section on the author’s website (Matt
Christopher) does not mention his death. V.C. Andrews wrote seven
best sellers, then died in 1986; yet the publisher has since released
thirty-three novels in her name. Louis L’Amour, popular Western
fiction author, died in 1988 but has had several novels published
posthumously. Robert Ludlum, thriller author who died in 2001, has
also been credited with novels written by ghost writers at the behest
of his estate. His Bourne series has been continued by another
author, Eric Van Lustbader, with Ludlum’s name on the cover as well
as Lustbader’s.
I have been quick to
point out to my sons when a novel is co-written with someone else,
even if the bestselling author is the one credited on the
cover or on reading lists. But admittedly, they don’t remember the
name Adam Sadler like they do James Patterson (Demons &
Druids). Patterson has become a franchised brand, like Domino’s
Pizza or Jiffy Lube.
And while Domino’s
Pizza’s earnings
for the year are up, so are Patterson’s. According to Forbes,
James Patterson took in $84 million dollars in 2010 – $49 million
dollars more than the next bestselling author on the list, Danielle
Steel.
 |
| My precious manuscript! |
Is the bottom line
what is important here? Sure, authors want to make money. At least
most of us would like to do something more than bury our manuscripts
in dresser drawers or wrap them in our Gollum-like hands and refer to
them as “Precious.” We want others to buy and then read our
stories. Making a living from writing means you can keep
writing and turning on the lights in your house.
And the idea of making so much money that you can write your next
novel while on vacation in Greece certainly sounds cool, too.
But what do you
think about hiring out some portion of the writing to other authors?
Do you care whether you favorite writers have actually written the
book in your hands, as long as it’s good? Do you think that hiring
collaborators or ghost writers affects the quality or personality of
a work? Do you think that estates and publishers should continue putting out books in the name of a deceased author? What do
you think generally of author franchising? Is it a good idea?
