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Updated October 2026Famous Ghostwriters and the Bestsellers They Secretly Wrote
Some of the most famous memoirs of the last half century were written with a professional ghostwriter. Here are the collaborators behind them, and what their work teaches anyone thinking about hiring one.
Quick answer: The best known ghostwriters include J.R. Moehringer (Open, Spare), Alex Haley (The Autobiography of Malcolm X), Sam Lansky (The Woman in Me), Hilary Liftin, Mark Dagostino (The Magnolia Story), Lisa Dickey, Daniel Paisner and Andrew Crofts (Sold).
J.R. Moehringer
Open (Andre Agassi, 2009) and Spare (Prince Harry, 2023)
A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author of the memoir The Tender Bar, Moehringer is probably the most famous ghostwriter working today. Andre Agassi’s Open is widely regarded as one of the best sports memoirs ever written, and Prince Harry’s Spare set sales records on release. He also helped Nike founder Phil Knight with Shoe Dog. His books show what a great collaborator does: find the emotional truth of a life and tell it in the subject’s voice.
Alex Haley
The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965)
Before Roots, Haley spent about two years interviewing Malcolm X and shaping those conversations into what became one of the most influential American autobiographies. It is the classic “as told to” book, and Haley’s epilogue about how it was made is still a lesson in collaboration.
Sam Lansky
The Woman in Me (Britney Spears, 2023)
A novelist and former Time magazine editor, Lansky was widely reported as the collaborator behind Britney Spears’ memoir, which became one of the fastest selling celebrity memoirs in years. It is a recent example of how much the right writer matters when a story is complicated and closely watched.
Hilary Liftin
Celebrity memoirs with Tori Spelling, Miley Cyrus and Teri Hatcher
Liftin’s website credits her with sixteen New York Times bestsellers. She is unusual in having written openly about the craft, including a novel narrated by a movie star.
Not sure which ghostwriter fits your book? Our free five-question Writer Match Quiz looks at your book type, stage, budget and timeline, then points you to the right kind of writer.
Take the Writer Match QuizMark Dagostino
The Magnolia Story (Chip and Joanna Gaines)
A seven-time New York Times bestselling co-author whose books are known for their warmth and optimism.
Lisa Dickey
Books with Jill Biden, Patrick Swayze and George Stephanopoulos
A collaborator with 12 New York Times bestsellers to her name, according to her website, working across politics, music and media.
Daniel Paisner
80+ books, including 17 New York Times bestsellers
Paisner hosts the As Told To podcast, where ghostwriters talk openly about how famous books get made.
Andrew Crofts
Sold (Zana Muhsen), close to four million copies
Britain’s best known ghostwriter wrote the guide that Robert Harris quotes throughout his thriller The Ghost.
Mildred Wirt Benson
The early Nancy Drew mysteries, as “Carolyn Keene”
Fiction has a long ghostwriting history too. Many of the original Nancy Drew books were written by Benson under the house pseudonym Carolyn Keene for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, which used the same model for the Hardy Boys.
What famous ghostwriters have in common
Read enough of these books and a pattern appears. The best collaborators spend a long time listening before they write. They find the one or two turning points that give a life its shape. And they disappear into the subject’s voice so completely that readers never think about who held the pen. You do not need to be famous to work that way with a writer, but you do need to choose someone whose strengths match your story.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the most famous ghostwriter?
J.R. Moehringer is probably the best known today, as the writer behind Andre Agassi’s Open and Prince Harry’s Spare. Historically, Alex Haley’s work on The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the most influential example.
Do famous people write their own memoirs?
Many do not, or not alone. Most celebrity and political memoirs are written with a professional collaborator, sometimes credited with “with” or “as told to” on the cover, and often not credited at all.
Is using a ghostwriter cheating?
No. The story, memories and ideas are the author’s. A ghostwriter supplies the craft of shaping them into a book, much as a speechwriter does for a speech.
Can I hire the ghostwriter who wrote a famous memoir?
Top collaborators mostly work on publisher-funded projects and are booked far ahead. Many equally skilled writers work with private clients. Our Writer Match Quiz helps you find one who fits your budget.
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