http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703805004575606393086301082.html

Quite an interesting article on fiction factories, do they work? Is it real writing? Do we care?

Ben Yezir

Interesting article, which comes shortly after I read one of James Patterson's recent foray into YA novels. James Patterson is known for using ghostwriters for his adult novels, and it seems he's doing the same for his teen novels. The article says "...“The Final Warning” — which, like the other three titles in the “Maximum Ride” series, has an uncredited co-writer, Gabrielle Charbonnet...", so it seems Frey is taking a leaf out of Patterson's book.

<Added>

Of course publishers have done it - Nancy Drew series, Animal Ark, Hardy Boys, etc - Nice to see some authors stepping up to the bat for a change.

Fascinating. I loved "A Million Little Pieces" but could see why Frey was slated for his dishonesty. The more I know about him, the more of a cynical opportunist he seems.

My hubby reads those awful Clive Cussler books that are co-authored. I think it's an approach that stems from seeing a book as a product, rather than an individual expression or work of art. And in most cases the novel will always be the poorer for it.

In other media, such as film or TV, I can see that collaboration makes more sense. One reason US sitcoms are usually so much wittier and funnier than UK versions is that they often have large teams of writers inventing and testing out the jokes.