That’s a big question. And the answer is, no, it could not.

However, ghostwriters remain the most secretive and arguably most disregarded group of professionals in the industry.

Did you know that almost ALL non-fiction books are written by ghosts, and if not from scratch, then heavily edited?

Many big fiction authors, like James Patterson, also use ghostwriters to churn out their latest bestsellers too. This is because they cannot keep pace with the insatiable demand for new titles.Ghostwriters are rarely interviewed. Many have to sign strict NDAs to never speak about books they’ve written.
We are erased from view once the manuscript has been delivered. Yet without us, the publishing industry would very quickly grind to a halt. Deadlines would be missed ( turning around a memoir within three months for a non-professional writer is basically impossible), major titles would be shelved and a real crisis in bookshops would occur.

But very few members of the public understand what ghostwriters do and that’s perhaps one reason why the publishing industry doesn’t acknowledge the huge contribution we make.

There are no fancy awards for ghostwriters. No major acknowledgements post-production. We hand over manuscripts and are expected to keep schtum and disappear.

In many ways there is nothing wrong with this practise.
Part of the deal with ghosting is that we understand the necessity of discretion.
The authors we work tell their own stories, in their own voices. It is their story to share, not ours. Why should ghostwriters receive credit beyond payment and professional validation?

But perhaps, just perhaps, times are changing. The publishing industry itself is in crisis and inhouse staff are beginning to speak out about their own grievances, of which there are many.
According to a new survey by The Bookseller, “industry-wide burnout” is endemic with 89% of staffers who responded saying they experienced stress during the course of their work over the last year. A staggering 69% reported burnout. Many respondents bitterly complained about excessive hours, workloads and very poor salaries reflecting their commitment to the job.

Every single in-house editor I’ve met works crazy hours and juggles numerous projects for relatively low pay. I’ve never failed to admire their stoicism and immense talents in the face of a workload that most would feel overwhelmed by.

People choose to join publishing for the promise of glamour and an interesting job. They stay because of their love of literature and books but the profession cannot be said to be a kind one. It’s both slow and then incredibly fast-paced, unforgiving and at times deeply conservative.

There have been public calls for greater transparency on the massive profits made by the major publishing houses, especially after the pandemic. Observers have demanded pay rises for those stoic staff who keep things running.

But what about the ghostwriters beavering away, almost always freelance at home, behind the scenes?

Publicity around ghostwriting and our vital role is also heating up. Prince Harry recently announced the manuscript he is working on is with a ghostwriter, J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer-winning journalist and writer who previously worked with Andre Agassi and the co-founder of Nike on their own money-spinning memoirs.

The Prince has been upfront from the start to tell the world, he is using a ghostwriter and naming him. There has been no criticism of him doing this either.

Britney Spears has also recently spoken out about using a ghost, Eliza Smith and called writing her memoir ‘therapeutic’.

The concept that using a ghostwriter is a dirty secret is rapidly falling away at last. We have seen more publishers choosing to add a ghost’s name on the cover of memoirs recently, especially memoirs written by ordinary people who specialise in a job other than writing.

The more authors admit to using a ghostwriter, the less shame will exist and this makes perfect sense. We use professionals in all walks of life, so why wouldn’t you use a professional writer for the most important legacy ( a book!) you’ll leave behind?

Publishers, sometimes notoriously slow to catch up with the times, might soon even agree they have nothing to lose by publicly supporting the ghostwriters they regularly use.

Perhaps the veil of secrecy will soon be lifted and ghosts will begin to enjoy a new found status.

Because if ghosts really did disappear, so would most of the publishing houses successes and vast profits.