ghostwriting – Further Annotations

June, July, August, September Roundup: Dear Hades, keep your wife.

Posted on October 1, 2016 by blablablaandgabbler

So, the monthly roundup isn’t so monthly anymore…

In June, we posted about how authors shouldn’t guilt trip readers and about Theodora Goss on why she writes. One of June’s BookTuber Tuesday posts covered an interesting discussion on Book Packagers, and a GABBLER RECOMMENDS included Maria Bamford’s Lady Dynamite.

In July, we started the EPIC CATALOG category on the blog. Check out all the lists we have categorized so far. That month, we posted about a film written by AI and what not to do with a nom de plume. Also, why we need to consider how ghostwriting/ghostwriters harm our culture.

August led to BLA’s rants on The Cursed Child and this post about how multiple versions of a book might sway opinion of it. Gabbler RECOMMENDED this RadioLab podcast about why Homer never mentions the color blue (not just because he’s never sad; seriously, listen to it!).

In September we celebrated the anniversary of THE AUTOMATION by hosting a giveaway. If you didn’t win, that’s OK, you can read it for free or download it as an ebook on Goodreads. A #BLAThoughtOfTheDay included this post on why we need to talk about Lionel Shriver. And, to end with, we really recommend reading this opinion piece by Amy Hungerford on why you might not want to read ALL THE BOOKS.

Here’s to the next season when we’ll eventually get to our monthly roundup!

BookTuber Tuesday – On Book Packagers and Art and Honesty

Posted on June 14, 2016June 11, 2016 by blablablaandgabbler

Comments from the video on YouTube:

[High art vs. low art argument aside, book packagers’ bottom line is to deceive readers into thinking inspiration wasn’t packaged like processed meat. Instead of allowing cheating in the “system,” perhaps authors and readers should note why cheating was considered in the first place and what this says about their culture and the “art” it produces (or lack thereof).]

Check out other book vlogs we’ve featured here.

Have a book vlog video you want us to check out? Submit a link below in the comments and it could make the CIRCO blog.

[“BLA and GB Gabbler” (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

B&N | Amazon | Etc.

James Patterson will take your $90 to teach you how to write — er, I mean find a ghostwriter.

Posted on May 18, 2015June 1, 2015 by blablablaandgabbler

Someone needs to tell James Patterson to give up the ghost. Ghostwriters, that is.

Original image from: http://bibliodaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/jamespatterson.jpg

“Actually, there may be a trades descriptions issue there – though likely for Masterclass.com rather than Patterson himself. As any fule kno, Patterson co-writes most of his bestsellers with a slew of credited co-writers, so in fact, he’s co-author of most or all of those 19 consecutive No. 1 New York Times Best Sellers. And I’m not clear on whether the class includes advice on how to engage your own co-author and get them to take second billing, but obviously that’s one of his tricks of the trade …” Read the rest at TeleRead.

[BLA and GB Gabbler (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

B&N | Amazon | Etc.

Why Zoella’s book being written by a ghostwriter matters:

Posted on December 13, 2014December 14, 2014 by blablablaandgabbler

Girl OfLies: The First Novel NOT by Zoella

I do not watch Zoella’s YouTube videos, though I had heard her name tossed around before the news broke that her recent book was written by a ghostwriter.

She apparently was breaking some record with this book and people were comparing her sales to J.K. Rowling’s (which is like comparing the Mona Lisa to a spiral notebook doodle, but that’s beside the point). The point being, she is not J.K. Rowling. Her “medium” was barely similar. And this just further highlights the issues within the publishing industry/Big 6.

Here’s why Zoella’s book being ghostwritten matters:

1) It matters because it is a lie. You put your name on something, that should mean you made it. Maybe just endorse a book next time if you aren’t going to be the one who wrote it.

2) It means the publisher didn’t have faith in Zoella’s abilities as a writer. And, since it is clear they didn’t, then why did they offer her a book deal? Doesn’t this show that big publishers are more interested in buying brand names than artists?

3) It means that Zoella didn’t care enough about her fans to actually create something for them.
Granted, she’s probably a busy woman. Making all those videos. Then again, maybe she should just stick to making videos. That seems to be what she’s good at. That, and taking our money.

-BLA

[“BLA and GB Gabbler” (really just a pen name) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, and goodreads.]