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The Society of Authors (SoA) is urging celebrities, publishers, and agents to acknowledge the contributions of ghostwriters and illustrators who often collaborate on celebrity books, particularly those for children. While the SoA appreciates the role celebrity names play in encouraging children to read, they emphasize the need to celebrate the creativity and skill of all contributors involved in crafting these books.
Abie Longstaff, Chair of the SoA’s Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group, highlights the importance of recognizing the “real hand” behind a book’s magic, especially in an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, SoA Chair, applauds instances where celebrities publicly acknowledge their co-creators, such as Johnny Sexton thanking his ghostwriter at the Irish Book Awards and Chris Hoy appearing at events with his co-author. These acts of transparency set a positive precedent.
Mark McCrum, co-author of Robbie Williams’ Somebody Someday, advocates for visible recognition of ghostwriters, suggesting their names appear alongside celebrities on title pages and bestseller lists. He also calls for fair financial arrangements to incentivize quality work.
The SoA aims to champion human creativity and calls on all industry stakeholders to reward and recognize all collaborators. They are conducting a survey on ghostwriting experiences, open until January 20, 2025, as part of their planning for future initiatives.
Source: Call to acknowledge all writers behind celebrity books - The Society of Authors
