The Challenges of Writing in Another Author’s Universe
Do you dream of making money as a writer? Are you struggling to get your voice heard? Perhaps you’re a massive fan of a particular book series and would love to write the next installment. Or maybe you have a passion for telling other people’s stories?
The life of a ghostwriter is varied and rewarding, but the art of committing other people’s words and stories to the page has its complications. And when you’re channeling your creative energy into an established series, how do you prevent your own voice from infiltrating a much-loved narrative tone?
This article explores the challenges of writing in pre-established fictional universes or contributing to series created by other authors. We’ll explain how to write convincingly so that your piece fits perfectly with the existing lexicon.
Ready? Let’s go!
Where do writers fit into fictional universes?
You might be surprised to discover that many book series rely on ghostwriters to satisfy their audience’s hunger for new content. Sometimes, the series is written under a single author’s name, like many book series developed by Relay Publishing.
However, established writers write under their own names for other collections — such as the hugely popular Doctor Who series of novels.
So, how do they ensure the Doctor Who audience gets what they want and expect when they pick up the latest installment in their beloved time-lord series?
Paul Magrs has written multiple Doctor Who novels alongside many other writers, including Douglas Adams, Mark Gatiss, Stephen Moffat, and Russel T. Davies. Magrs says of contributing to a much-loved universe of books:
It’s something I’ve done for 26 years now, and it’s still a challenge. You need all kinds of expertise in the lore of the pre-existing series. You need to understand what they’ve done and said in books you haven’t written, which means a lot of reading to keep up. Luckily, you work with experienced editors to ensure that you never contradict what another writer has written.
But most importantly, you have to love the material it’s based on. It’s like modern retellings of old myths (King Arthur, Robin Hood, etc) — every generation writes its own version, and I feel utterly privileged to be a part of it.
Paul Magrs, author
How do ghostwriters portray other people’s words?
One of the significant challenges of ghostwriting is ensuring that the tone of voice on the page accurately represents the named author or sits comfortably within the existing compendium of content.
The narrative voice starts with the storyteller, giving personality to the words on the page. But as a ghostwriter, you’ll likely write in a completely different voice than you would if you were writing your own novel.
So, how do you find the author’s voice?
Approaches to adopting an author’s voice
If you’re writing in someone else’s voice, listen to them speak. Text message conversations and emails don’t count here. Have live, person-to-person discussions (or if that’s not an option, look for interviews they may have given). If possible, record your conversations (with consent), and make notes and listen for:
- Speech rhythms: Do they ramble or speak with precision and focus?
- Pace of delivery: Short sentences on the page can reflect a faster pace, while longer sentences suggest a more thoughtful approach.
- Colloquialisms: Pick out the way they speak. Do they have words for things that represent their background?
- Attitudes: Are there subjects that rile or calm them? You’re going to have to express their attitudes on the page (and they might differ from your own).
- Vocal tone: Do they speak in high-pitched staccato phrases? Or is their voice deep and resonant?
More specifically, consider:
- Do they use long words and complex sentences, or are they conversational?
- Do they get to the point, or do they meander until they find the essence of what they’re trying to say?
- Do they pause, speak quickly, slowly, or think out loud?
- Do they quote others?
- Have an accent?
- What does their body language tell you?
Read what the client has written previously, even if it has been ghostwritten. Read books and speeches; even emails can inform you how they communicate with others.
Listen to the author speak
While it’s not possible to express the pitch of a person’s voice on the page in a narrative style, it helps that voice come to life in your head if you can replicate it while you write.
Playwrights are great at this. They define their characters through the words they say (and don’t say). They’re experts at writing in different voices other than their own.
Meet in person
While remote working is often more convenient, if possible, insist on at least one in-person meeting before you start writing.
Of course, there’s a lot you can glean from video calls, but meeting in person gives you a sense of their proxemics.
Vocal dynamics are often lost in video calls because the sound is compressed. Being in the room together is a surefire way of getting to know them enough to write in their voice.
Try to see them in different situations. Are there videos of them speaking publicly or socializing? How do their unconscious behaviors change in other environments?
What is “narrative voice”?
We get most engaged in a novel when the voice ‘telling’ the story is convincing and consistent. This is the ‘narrative voice,’ the voice of the storyteller that invites us into the action. It’s the tone, style, and perspective from which the story is told, and your chosen one can determine whether the reader sticks with your story.
So, when you’re working with a client in a ghostwriting capacity, it’s essential to get the narrative voice right. Are you trying to replicate the client’s public-facing voice or something more intimate? Or do they want you to write it from a different perspective?
The narrative voice is either in the first or third person, although occasionally in the second person. Just for clarity:
First-person
First-person is “I.” As in, I did this, I saw that, I said this.
This is where the narrator is a person within the story, telling it from their perspective, typically using the “I” pronoun (or occasionally “we” if they’re speaking about a group). The “I” might be at the center of the action or observing it. Either way, you’re reading and listening to their perspective on the action.
The character’s mood, opinions, or past experiences often affect first-person. Sometimes the narrative voice is not to be trusted, offering an unreliable or biased perspective of what is happening.
Examples of first-person fiction include The Hunger Games, Twilight, The Martian, The Catcher in the Rye, The Handmaid’s Tale, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Second person
The second person is “you,” and is less commonly used in narrative fiction.
It’s where the narrative voice describes what “you” do, say, or think. The reader is the character directly within the narrative, offering insight into what you do and think, enforcing a fictionalized story upon you.
One of the most well-known examples of narrative fiction written in the second person is Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney. “Choose your own adventure” novels are typically written in the second person, asking you to make the principal decisions that direct the story.
Third person
The third person is “he,” “she,” or “they.” As in, he said, she did, etc. This is, perhaps, the most common voice perspective in narrative fiction.
There are three types of third person:
Third person omniscient
This is where the narrator is “all-knowing.” They know the characters’ thoughts, motivations, and feelings — even if the character chooses not to reveal some of those elements to other characters in the story.
A good example of third-person omniscient is Little Women by Lousia May Alcott, where the narrator isn’t a character in the story but relates what the four sisters do, think, and say. The characters don’t acknowledge the narrator’s presence in this voice.
Third person limited
This is where the narrator relays the events from the outside without knowing the other characters’ motivations. One character becomes the driver of the story (he/she/they), offering the reader insight into their thoughts and motivations. In contrast, the other characters remain as enigmatic to us as they do to the narrator we follow.
The Harry Potter books are written in the third person limited: we follow Harry as the protagonist and are immersed in his thoughts, but he remains uncertain about what drives the actions of the other characters.
Third person objective
This perspective reports what happens without describing or knowing the characters’ thoughts or motivations. Everything we know about the characters arises from what they do or say — we’re not privy to their thoughts. The tone is often factual and intriguing.
The Dead by James Joyce is an excellent example of third-person objective, using a detached narrative offering descriptions of conversations and events without delving into the characters’ inner psyches until we finally gain some insight as the book concludes.
Know the universe you’re contributing to
If you’re writing an installment of an existing book series, the best advice is to read the existing lexicon. Know the world and the characters and recognize how they interact.
Aim to fit into the world you’re creating. Consistency is key.
Be true to the narrative voice. Don’t try to write something better than the previous works. It’ll stand out from the existing world too much to fit in. By that, we don’t mean to dumb it down.
A ghostwritten novel in an existing universe is a challenging art form for any writer. Respect the reader’s desire to be immersed in the world of their favorite characters. The narrative voice should be as “transparent” as possible; it shouldn’t feel distinct from what came before.
Be thorough
It might be tempting to read a couple of chapters and think you have the tone and the character dynamics. But if there are several books, it’s potentially several years of those characters’ lives on the page that may evolve.
If you’re working on a well-known franchise, there might be Wikipedia pages about the characters or the world of the books. But remember that many books, TV, or film-based Wiki pages are written by fans, so you’ll need to cross-reference and check that the information is correct.
Trust your editor
All ghostwriters who produce work for Relay Publishing are paired with an experienced editor because we know how important it is to nurture talent while ensuring consistency. The writer/editor relationship is vital to producing excellent books that readers love.
It’s essential that you develop a trusting relationship with your editor. They want you to produce your best possible work. So, don’t be offended by feedback and rewrite requests. They want to help you create something unputdownable.
Now get writing
All the listening in the world won’t create the content, so start writing specifically in your adopted voice. See how easily it comes to you. Do you have to work hard to find the nuance?
Some tips for where to begin:
- Write a chapter and approach your client or editor for feedback before writing the whole piece. Early feedback will help guide your progress.
- Agree on milestones and timelines for delivery and feedback. This will help keep the work flowing. Ensure they stick to their agreed feedback turnaround time; it’s impossible to keep the work moving without it.
Remember, if you’re ghostwriting for a client, they’re probably a busy professional, which is why they’ve hired you. So, their schedule might not be as flexible as yours.
Feedback is where you learn whether you’ve accurately captured the author’s voice. Getting that feedback early in the process is essential, but once everyone’s happy that you’ve captured the voice and the tone, you won’t need as much guidance and support.
Be prepared to back down
A ghostwriting project is not about your personal craft. You’re representing your author’s voice; not your own talent. Of course, your talent got you the job in the first place, but if the client insists that they wouldn’t use a specific phrase or word, listen to them.
Remember, your name is unlikely to be directly associated with it, so if a client wants you to simplify, do so.
If they suggest that they wouldn’t use a particular word or phrase, ensure all instances are eradicated. Use the Find and Replace function — all word-processing apps have one.
Be humble
A ghostwriter should “disappear” behind the author’s voice: adopt their voice, and you can’t go wrong. Be humble and accept feedback in the spirit in which it’s given.
Nonetheless, one of the great things about ghostwriting is that you typically get to do the fun part: the writing. The structure and the storyline will likely be given to you, or you’ll develop it with your editor before you start the writing.
Ghostwriting (or writing for an established book series) is a great job. You get to spend time with beloved characters, bringing their stories to life for generations of readers to enjoy.
Relay Publishing wants to hear from you!
We’re always on the lookout for new ghostwriters, editors, and designers to help bring our bestselling book series to life. So, if you have what it takes, we’d love to hear from you.
Find out more About Us, and check out our latest recruitment call-outs.
We can’t wait to hear from you!
