Never met Shatner. I had breakfast with Nimoy once, when I worked on a project with him.
Ghostwriting celebrity books is an old gig for writers. Some of the celebrities have more of a hand in it than others.
Nimoy's second biography, for instance, he had help, but he wrote the first thirty thousand words himself; he also did some play- and scriptwriting, and other things on his own.
The book he and I worked on, he insisted I get sole cover credit as the writer.
Shatner's contributions, at least early, including long voice recordings in which he offered general ideas and specifics. I dunno if he actually put pen to page.
I understand he has written parts of some script stuff.
In interviews, he is usually pretty careful not to claim authorship, if you listen carefully.
Usually you can tell the writers of celeb works, either by a cover credit, or in the acknowledgments. Sometimes not. I heard a ghostwriter tell a funny story once wherein she was watching her client on TV talking about sharpening her pencils and sitting on the veranda working on her yellow legal pads. According to the ghost, the client never wrote a single word.
Nice shot of the Captains table, where did it come from?
ReplyDeleteA convention, in London, I think.
ReplyDeleteNeat picture. Ever run into Shatner at any of your sci fi get togethers Steve? I believe he has done some writing too.
ReplyDeleteWell, books were published with William Shatner's name on the cover; I'm not sure that's the same as "William Shatner wrote books".
ReplyDeleteNever met Shatner. I had breakfast with Nimoy once, when I worked on a project with him.
ReplyDeleteGhostwriting celebrity books is an old gig for writers. Some of the celebrities have more of a hand in it than others.
Nimoy's second biography, for instance, he had help, but he wrote the first thirty thousand words himself; he also did some play- and scriptwriting, and other things on his own.
The book he and I worked on, he insisted I get sole cover credit as the writer.
Shatner's contributions, at least early, including long voice recordings in which he offered general ideas and specifics. I dunno if he actually put pen to page.
I understand he has written parts of some script stuff.
In interviews, he is usually pretty careful not to claim authorship, if you listen carefully.
Usually you can tell the writers of celeb works, either by a cover credit, or in the acknowledgments. Sometimes not. I heard a ghostwriter tell a funny story once wherein she was watching her client on TV talking about sharpening her pencils and sitting on the veranda working on her yellow legal pads. According to the ghost, the client never wrote a single word.