The Ghostwriter

A key element of the novel is the protagonist’s profession as a ghostwriter. While ghostwriting is frowned upon in fields where authenticity determines the value of the published text, it’s often used by lobbyists, public figures, and celebrities who want to communicate their experiences and insight in book form.

Ghostwriters perform extensive research on their subjects, not only to emulate their voices, but to ensure that the text is accurate to verifiable information. In nonfiction, some prominent titles that were confirmed to have been produced by ghostwriters include United States President Donald Trump’s 1987 book Trump: The Art of the Deal and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex’s 2023 memoir Spare. In the case of Spare, part of its criticism revolved around the veracity of the text, causing the ghostwriter, JR Moehringer, to come to Prince Harry’s defense.

In recent years, ghostwriting has evolved as a career path with the rise of social media influencers. On a basic level, some celebrities and influencers hire social media assistants to ghostwrite their posts. Others are hired to work on conventional ghostwriting projects, such as memoirs and novels. Unlike in traditional publishing, where ghostwriting remains an open industry secret, influencers rely on discretion when hiring a ghostwriter for fear of offending their followers. In one case, a YouTuber named Zoe Sugg hired a ghostwriter to produce her 2014 novel, Girl Online. Though the book was a massive success, Sugg was disgraced after the knowledge of her ghostwriter’s involvement in the book became public. Sugg’s fans felt as though they had been lied to, causing other influencers and content creators to prefer discretion in their collaborations with ghostwriters. This resonates with ghostwriting scandals in traditional media, where some celebrities fall under fire after their ghostwriters suddenly break confidentiality agreements to seek credit for their work. In 2012, several celebrity chefs, like Bobby Flay and Rachel Ray, were accused of hiring ghostwriters to produce their cookbooks.

Clark’s novel frames ghostwriting as an advocacy-driven literary career. Protagonist Olivia Taylor Dumont chooses her projects on the basis of her support for her memoir subjects’ values. In most cases, her memoir subjects are inspiring women, such as the first Asian American woman to enter orbital space and politicians lobbying for women’s rights. The tension that arises from Olivia’s work with Vincent Taylor has less to do with her advocacy for his platform than it does with her personal attachment to the story he wants to tell. Though Olivia states that she loves ghostwriting for its anonymity, Vincent’s memoir challenges her to accept her identity as a Taylor, seeking justice not only for her father, but for her aunt, Poppy, who would have been the type of person she normally would have written for, had she survived.