The Master of Horror and Ghostwriters Fiasco
Does Stephen King Use Ghostwriters?
What is a ghostwriter?
A ghostwriter is a person that does the writing for a journalistic or literary author. They produce the materials to be further polished by the author and the editor.
Think of them as idea factories from which ideas are created and given body. They are not credited in the final work. Whatever end product is produced, all the works are publicly viewed as the hard work of the named author.
That’s why they are called ghostwriters; once all is said and done, they disappear into thin air.
There are many types of ghostwriters. Some mainly focus on memoirs and autobiographies, some write songs and movies, and others fancy themselves as the alter ego of famed authors.
Another reason they are called ghostwriters is because the best of them can mimic the writing style of the author they are working with.
Is ghostwriting illegal and unethical?
Ghostwriters will often spend several months or even years researching, writing, and editing works for their clients. Hard work and precious creative juices are spent on projects that their name will never be a part of; although some authors credit their ethereal partners, many don’t, as it will take a toll on their careers.
Is this job ethical and legal? Is this just another form of plagiarism? Since time immemorial, this practice has been common. Suppose the person has given their full permission to use their work without crediting them.
Would you consider it plagiarism? I think not. Besides, there a countless types of people in this vast world. Some like to boast their names and achievements, but others are satisfied by producing works of art, even if they are not well-known. Using ghostwriters isn’t immoral, illegal, or unethical for any matter. They are simply doing what they do best. The lines blur when someone outright lies and cheats their fans and co-workers.
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Personally, I think he’s the King of Modern Horror; the Face of Modern Horror, at the very least.
He produced countless books over the years, most of them classics and can never be replicated. One can speculate on how he can create such riveting ideas without ever running out of juice.
Enter ghostwriters.
Does Stephen King use ghostwriters?
Stephen King is such a fast writer that rumors spread that he uses ghostwriters to keep up with the demand and pace of the hungry readers. You might see a lot of conflicting theories about this.
Some loyal fans proposed that it’s clear that some of his books are not his work, like the time he had an accident while in the middle of writing one of his books.
Some inquisitive minds speculate that the latter part of his book feels and reads differently from the first half. Thus the wariness whether the King used a ghostwriter to keep up with the schedule.
The funny this is Stephen King used to be a ghostwriter himself. Before he became known as the master of horror, he decided to distance himself from the fame and pressure of writing on his own name.
He decided to create a series of pseudonyms for his novels, but having the skills and the working mind of Stephen King means whatever he writes becomes popular. So his dreams of writing under the radar were swept away from him.
Conclusion
So Stephen King doesn’t use ghostwriters. Next time you meet someone that hypothesizes that the master of horror uses ghostwriters, quench their curiosity by telling them this tidbit of an article.
D.J Penilla is a writer based in The Philippines, which is not supported by the Medium Partnership Program. Thank you for reading, and have a great day.
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