Top Ten Most Famous Ghostwriters (Who Kept It A Secret)

Is the term famous ghostwriters an oxymoron?

Maybe.

However, you might be surprised to know that a handful of your favourite books were written (co-written) by a ghostwriter, but that doesn’t make the author less of a brilliant mind.

Taking credit for a book that was penned by someone else is a widely accepted practice in this industry, but there’s no denying the stigma that surrounds it.

The adage says, “give credit where credit is due,” but that doesn’t accurately apply to a ghostwriter.

Ghosts pen books, but the idea, story, and everything else come from the creative mind of the author.

Nonetheless, you can’t take away the talent of a ghostwriter merely because he or she only writes the words. These individuals are more than capable of writing and selling a book under their names.

The 10 Most Famous Ghostwriters in History.

1 – Alan Dean Foster

A lot of people will argue that Foster’s fame isn’t a typical ghostwriting success story, and they have a point.

Nevertheless, it’s a farce not to put him in this list since his novelization of George Lucas’ classic space opera “Star Wars” is a rousing accomplishment.

The book “Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker” is credited to Lucas, but Foster wrote it.

2 – Peter Lerangis

The Harvard-educated writer is best known for writing the “Seven Wonders” series and “39 Clues” series of books, both of which are in the New York Times Best Seller list for children’s books.

His success as an author is well-documented, and his background as a freelance copy editor made him an equally successful ghostwriter.

He used the name A.L Singer as a ghost, most notably with Sweet Valley series.

Aside from children’s books, Lerangis wrote novels based on film screenplays, i.e., “Beauty and the Beast,” “Sleepy Hollow,” and “The Sixth Sense.”

3 – H.P. Lovecraft

The genius of horror and the weird may be known for creating Cthulhu Mythos, but there’s more to this American writer than most people realize. While writing for the pulp magazine, “Weird Tales,” Lovecraft was asked by J.C. Henneberger (founder of the magazine) if he could ghostwrite for a renowned escape artist.

As it turned out, the man he was referring to was none other than Harry Houdini.

Lovecraft eventually wrote “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs,” which was one of Houdini’s escape acts. Houdini was blown away, and the two proceeded to work on other stories.

4 – Raymond Benson

Benson is credited for the novelization of several James Bond stories, including “The World is Not Enough” and “Tomorrow Never Dies.”

Although he gets the credit as the author for the James Bond novels, the same individual took a ghostwriting gig for renowned spy novelist Tom Clancy, specifically the “Splinter Cell” series. Benson used the pseudonym “David Michaels” for the first and second books of the series.

5 – Andrew Neiderman

Neiderman’s journey as a ghostwriter and famous author is unique. He currently writes under the name V.C. Andrews, who is the author of the 1979 bestseller, “Flowers in the Attic.” When Andrews died of breast cancer, Neiderman finished the last book of Dollanganger series, “Garden of Shadows.”

With the permission of Andrews’ family, Neiderman subsequently used the pen name V.C. Andrews for his novels. As an author, Neiderman’s most famous work is “The Devil’s Advocate,” which was later adapted into a Hollywood film.

6 – Ryan Nerz/Daniel Ehrenhaft

The pair is best known for writing the last books of the Sweet Valley series credited to Francine Pascal. The most exciting thing about this pair of ghosts is that they penned the books about teenage girls while in their mid-20s.

The fact that young guys wrote about the lives of Jessica and Elizabeth in the book series still baffles many of its fans today.

Nerz went on to write adult-themed books while Ehrenhaft still writes for the young adult genre.

7 – Mark Twain

You’re not the only one surprised to see this name on this list, but America’s greatest humorist once helped President Ulysses S. Grant write the latter’s autobiography. As a close friend, Twain convinced the president to write his memoirs, with the book eventually becoming a bestseller.

8 – Aleister Crowley

Crowley is said to have written a bunch of books on astrology and are credited to American author Evangeline Adams.

As an occultist, Crowley penned Adams’ most famous work, “Astrology: Your Place in the Sun.” Interestingly, the book was allegedly sourced from “The General Principles of Astrology,” an essay that Crowley wrote.

9 – Robert Lindsay

The 1990 autobiography of Ronald Reagan entitled “An American Life” managed to climb to number eight on the New York Times Best Seller list. As expected, someone else penned the book on behalf of the former U.S. President.

That honour belongs to Robert Lindsay, a journalist and author who became successful with his true crime novels, the most famous of which is “The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage.”

10 – Julia Turshen

The American cookbook author is the most contemporary on this list.

She deserves the spot because of her multiple collaborations with celebrities and contributions to renowned publications.

One of Turshen’s most notable works as a ghostwriter is “It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes that Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great,” a cookbook credited to Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

Ghostwritten books are no different from those written solely by their authors.

Remember that this list mentions books that had a stint on the New York Times Best Seller list, which proves that quality is never an issue.

The thought of having someone ghostwrite for you is a realistic option for aspiring authors.

Why Do Famous People Use Ghostwriters?

John F. Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Profiles in Courage” helped him win the presidency.

But it wasn’t several years after his death that it was revealed that pretty much of it was ghostwritten by Ted Sorenson.

That revelation eventually made Sorensen, Kennedy’s speechwriter, a highly sought ghostwriter.

Kennedy wasn’t the only one who commissioned a “ghostwriter” to craft his public image and promote his legacy.

Although some people find it odd or inappropriate, ghostwriting is a staple for public figures who write an autobiography, memoir, or even a novel.

It’s More Common Than You Think

It’s a common practice.

In fact, ghostwriters are even hired to write memoirs by public figures who want to make money from their story without putting themselves in the line of fire from critics and, perhaps more importantly, from historians looking for flubs or omissions after they pass away.

The allure of fame can be so powerful that ghostwriters are willing to work for whatever fee under the condition of confidentiality.

They ghostwrite, but they don’t always get “credit.”

Life Stories Worth Sharing

When Disney darling Hillary Duff came out with several successful young adult novels, the media soon discovered Duff herself didn’t pen them.

But credit to her, she openly admitted her lack of skill in writing and mediocre grammar, which compelled her to have her novels written by Elise Allen.

But there’s no shame in it. Famous people, especially celebrities and athletes, have incredibly inspiring stories to tell; yet it doesn’t mean they’re capable of putting them into words.

They may be more comfortable depicting their lives in film but writing them is completely different.

A ghostwriter would help them write a book, ensuring the story is told in a way they would have relayed it if they were telling it from memory.

A book penned by someone who mimics their speaking style or incorporates their “voice” can be compelling.

The whole idea of ghostwriting is for an individual who has a great story to tell to have it told so that they could have written it themselves.

Only this time, the “ghost” does the hard work while the author hands out the details.

Ghostwriting Is Not Just for Memoirs and Novels

Did you know that some famous personalities also hire ghostwriters to write speeches and social media posts?

The amiable George Takei, known for his role in Star Trek, creates Facebook and Twitter posts that tickle the movie franchise’s cult following.

Yet, he’s proud to admit that someone else writes these things for him.

Political figures are “frequent flyers” in ghostwriting.

This is epitomized by Barack Obama’s relationship with Jonathan Favreau, his former speechwriter. Favreau wrote speeches for the U.S. president until 2013.

Hillary Clinton also relied on ghostwriters to pen her speeches.

This time, it was Lissa Muscatine, who used to work for Clinton during Bill’s White House tenure.

Clinton and Muscatine developed a strong bond as the latter served as the Chief Speechwriter to the First Lady.

While ghostwriting is popular among celebrities who wish to create an autobiography or memoir to monetize their extraordinary lives, politicians are more inclined to use it to craft their public image.

A politician’s rhetoric is one thing, but he needs someone to write what’s on his mind in a way that it’ll resonate with his constituency. His job is to simply deliver it.

Why Do Rappers Use Ghostwriters?

In case you didn’t realize it, rappers and hip-hop moguls use ghostwriters all the time.

The irony is that hiring a ghostwriter opens you up to ridicule and scorn from “real” artists, even though many rappers hire them behind the scenes.

Most of the reasons for using ghostwriters are practical; some are highly questionable since depending on ghostwriters is a huge no-no in the hip-hop community.

But in the hip-hop music business, rappers who hire ghostwriters thrive and release music at a higher volume.

That’s really how it boils down: volume of production.

It’s a confusing dynamic for the uninitiated, so we’ll begin this post by outlining the difference between ghostwriters and ghost producers.

Many musicians hire ghostwriters to help them pen their lyrics, and it’s a common practice in the hip-hop and rap industries.

Sound design counts in hip-hop music – period. For some fans, the beats and bass that set the rhythm are better than the lyrics; others mainly focus on the lyrics and take the musical elements for granted.

A great track satisfies both of these listeners, and to do that, an artist needs a vast knowledge of recording technology, including the latest tricks and techniques.

Rappers, by their nature, excel at expressing music with the spoken word, but that doesn’t mean that qualifies them to be a professional sound engineer and audio technician.

Which Rappers Use Ghostwriters?

Having said that, the question is this: which rappers publicly admit to using ghostwriters?

The answer is not very many, but a few stories have come up in recent years.

Mainly, the beef between Drake and Meek Mill a few years back is how most of us came to know that using ghostwriters lowers an artist’s credibility.

But ghostwriting is exactly how Nas got famous.

He ghostwrote Will Smith’s classic ‘Gettin Jiggy Wit It’ in 1998 and rode that acclaim to a hip-hop career of his own. How do you think the Beastie Boys came up with the 808 kick for ‘Paul Revere’? Run-DMC ghostwrote it with them.

At the end of the day, plenty of rappers pay ghostwriters.

The only difference lies in who gets caught and who keeps it in the recording studio.

Jay Z shares credit for his songs with a few prolific writers, including Randy Taraborelli; the same writer also worked with Michael Jackson and Madonna.

Songwriters often come together to brainstorm and create melodies that coalesce into songs.

Whether building on lyrics or just changing a word, collaborations are crucial in creating great music.

It’s why many hip-hop artists hire people to create words they can rap to.

An award-winning singer himself, Frank Ocean is credited with a handful of hits by famous artists, including Alicia Keys’ “One Thing,” Justin Beiber’s “Bigger,” and Beyonce’s “I Miss You.”

The versatile Bruno Mars is known for bringing back disco and funk to the music scene, but did you know that he also moonlights as a songwriter for other artists?

Arguably the most successful songs written by him are Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” and Adele’s “All I Ask.”

For the same reason as celebrities who want to tell their personal stories through a book, music artists hire ghostwriters to ensure the best quality is achieved in their lyrics. That’s the only way to ensure that their track becomes a hit.

Famous People Buy Experience

Celebrity ghostwriters are in high demand because of their experience.

They’re essentially on a league of their own.

One reason famous people go through lengths to secure their services is because of their rapport with their clients.

The ghostwriters understand what their client wants and expects from them, making it easier to create a masterpiece.

Ghostwriters are more inclined to help celebrities achieve their vision because they’re already familiar with how they talk, write, or express themselves in public.

It becomes easier if the celebrity has a certain “voice” that they wish to pass on to their readers or listeners, but it would be difficult for them to convey that through their memoirs or lyrics on their own.

This is where the ghostwriter’s value comes in.

It’s difficult work, but ghostwriters look at it as an opportunity to influence someone else’s success.

They take notes and keep track of their clients’ stories to ensure they transfer these messages in the book, autobiography, speech, or music.

Ghostwriters serve as the bridge that connects famous people to their fans.

Their ability to put ideas and stories into writing makes them a valuable resource.

At the end of the day, it’s all about creating a legacy for their clients that they can be proud of, even without the credit.

For them, it’s more than just getting paid.

It’s the pride of having written some of the most influential titles in modern history, albeit without recognition.

Further Reading

Why Hire A Ghostwriter

Does James Patterson Use A Ghostwriter?

The Ethics of Book Buying

Did Michelle Obama Use A Ghostwriter?