Peter Bart: “Ghosts” Quietly Write Books In Times Of Discord But Carry Another Burden: They Know Much Of Their Writing Is Untrue
deadline.comWhat do writers do when they can’t write? It’s an exasperating question, since some write anyway – even in risky ways. The risky activities of one strike-bound writer deserves note because he’s a “ghost” who is breaking a prime rule of his “ghosting” fraternity: He’s openly talking about the secrets of his trade.
Ghostwriting can be both rewarding and punishing. Ghosted books are not specifically outlawed by guilds during times of discord, but ghosts know that much of what they write has another problem: It is factually false.
Or at least distorted. All this is colorfully acknowledged by J.R. Moehringer, who is a serial ghost. His newest effort, Spare, about Prince Harry — it was written before the writers strike — adorns the bestseller list amid passionately challenging reviews.
Far from hiding from the controversy, Moehringer has written an article for The New Yorker describing his fights with his subject and his doubts overall about his “hacky, shady and faddish” profession.
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