: Re: How much work does a (nonfiction) ghostwriter typically do? I just finished the charming short memoir from actor Cary Elwes, As You Wish, about his experiences while filming The Princess Bride.

@Kevin153

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In wikipedia I read that Cary Elwes co-wrote a screenplay. I imagine that when you co-write a screenplay, the work might be just as collaborative, i.e. non-independent, as when you publish a book with your byline along with a "with" byline.

So it seems quite plausible that the ghost writer / co-writer of the Bride book played a substantial role. But I don't think heavy copy editors would be considered ghost writers. I think the ghost writer takes a more active role in structuring the work, deciding what's needed, eliciting what's needed, etc.

I'm basing this on having read ghostwritten / co-written books and having read these authors' descriptions of the process used. For example, Malcolm X and Alex Haley wrote about their process in writing The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

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