How Ghostwriting Allows Authors to Live on After Death

For the lack of a better word, some people find it “spooky” (yes, yes, I know…) when a book is published after the author’s death.

But posthumous publication is no longer as shocking as it was way back. Bestselling titles deserve recognition even after the credited author is dead, and that’s because their name has successfully transitioned into a “brand.”

A handful of history’s posthumously published books became bestsellers even if the deceased authors weren’t as renowned when they were still alive.

While some authors managed to start the book but couldn’t finish it for publication because of their untimely death, others never took part in the writing process.

So, if a book bearing the name of an author got published after their death, then who wrote it?

The author’s affiliation with their work has dramatically changed in the modern day; there’s now a possibility for them to “live on” even after their death as their work of art is published. This is possible with the emergence of brilliant ghostwriters who write on their behalf.

From a fan’s perspective, it’s perfectly normal to have mixed feelings about the book, especially when the credited author had no part in writing it.

There are slight deviations in the delivery, words, tone, and even the storytelling. After all, a ghostwriter can only emulate as much. Some readers are put off by it, but others don’t mind at all. As long as it’s a great story, the state of the author no longer matters.

Stieg Larsson and the Millennium Series

The fourth novel in the Millennium series by the late Stieg Larsson is a case in point. With its anticipated publication in about five months, pressure is building up on whether this novel can equal Larsson’s most well-known work: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

That pressure is carried mainly by David Lagercrantz, the “ghost” commissioned by Larsson’s family to write the fourth installment.

The novel entitled “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” has had its share of eagerness from Larsson’s massive following, which can be a good or bad thing.

On the positive side, Lagercrantz’s novel brings life back to the marvellous fictional world created by Stieg Larsson. His death over a decade ago seemingly put an abrupt end to what would have been quite a spectacle for his legion of fans.

The Millennium series had so much to offer that ending it wasn’t really an option. Even after death, Larsson lives on as gifted authors like Lagercrantz are here to continue the legacy.

Ian Fleming and James Bond

Authors die, but their legacies are here to stay. While the person behind the success of a book series or its character ceases to exist, even death can’t stop a cult following. Proof of this is Ian Fleming’s “James Bond.” His death in 1964 couldn’t stop the tsunami of bestsellers that showcased the legendary British spy.

Writers like Raymond Benson, William Boyd, and John Gardner are credited with several posthumous Bond novels. In the process, they allowed Fleming to live on after his death. Every fan of the book and the subsequent film adaptations that Bond wouldn’t have existed without Ian Fleming. To date, over 40 Bond books have been published after the author’s death.

V.C. Andrews

V.C. Andrews took the limelight with “Flowers in the Attic.” Her name is credited with over 80 novels with sales of about $100 million. Curiously, she only penned seven novels before her death in 1986.

So, how come an author who died over three decades ago managed to rack up millions of dollars in book sales? Like the previous examples, a ghostwriter took the writing task on her behalf, allowing her to succeed even after death.

Andrews’ family hired a ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman, to complete the author’s unfinished novels. Part of the agreement was to write more volumes under the V.C. Andrews brand.

Although Neiderman never intended to get credit or reveal his identity, the literary world is way too invested in Andrews’ legacy that his name eventually came out. Nonetheless, all of his works under Andrews never included his name on the cover.

Robert Ludlum and Jason Bourne

Although his name and novels don’t get the same “cult classic” treatment to that of Fleming’s “James Bond,” Robert Ludlum and his “Jason Bourne” series of adventure novels have an eerily similar fate.

The author passed away 20 years ago, yet it didn’t stop the popular character from living on.

Writer Eric Van Lustbader wrote the most noteworthy “follow up” to Ludlum’s work. There’s proof that Ludlum created Jason Bourne, intending to delegate or outsource the actual writing to ghostwriters. His estate eventually granted this desire by hiring Eric Van Lustbader to continue Ludlum’s character.

Ghostwriting has long been ridiculed for how it works. But when you look at it from a deceased author’s perspective, there’s indisputable honour in it. Ghostwriters should be commended for setting their legacies aside to preserve someone else’s.

Some say they’re merely cashing in on an author’s popularity, but there’s more to it than the money. Without these “ghosts,” fans of literature will never enjoy the luxury of continuity of their favourite titles.