These kinds of thing don't work for me, but everyone's process is different. Creative inspiration is very personal, I think.

Thank you!

Obvs not the point, but someone at The Spectator needs to read GRRM's books before abusing them. No such things occur.

Bit murdery

Yes - I guess some novels have a kind of meta story that reveals itself - eg Owen Meaney and Use of Weapons. I’d be tempted to read those again.

These things can edge towards snobbery, ie some novels are ‘worthy’ of repeat reads and others not, and I don’t accept that idea at all.

It’s so personal, isn’t it? I wouldn’t read Agatha Christie twice, but I know people who do. Whereas I might read James Ellroy or Walter Mosley more than once. I think it’s more about the reader than the writer.

There are grey areas here between 'written by', 'story by' and so on. I've heard of some celebs who genuinely think they wrote something which has been heavily edited / borderline ghosted by the publisher.

Yes. My only caution is that celeb books are propping up publishers' revenues, & it isn't clear whether they're cannibalising proper books or are additive. Some of each, probably. As a first step, a specific recognition of who actually wrote the book - preferably on the cover - would be positive.

Top stuff. Love it.

Yep, for sure. He's messing with the WRONG demographic.

He's not easily bullied at corners and is a decent stopper. Old school, but good as a back-up.

I agree. I truly don’t want to cut off a revenue stream for publishers, but they should be clear when a work is written to a great extent by someone else. As you say, this should be addressed more strongly by SoA, CWA, etc.

Yes, agreed. I daresay ghost writers like the income, and fair enough. I’m not against ghost writing per se at all. I just think the publisher should be more clear - find a form of words by which an interested reader can see who did what. It doesn’t seem a lot to ask.

This is a very good point.

Agreed, most likely, and sadly.

True, of course, and the books may actually be great. But can’t they be honest anyway?