# Does Pratchett ghostwrite?? (or) Noticed that his writing style fluctuates from book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934 "2004-03-23T17:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/1 "2004-03-23T17:25:33Z")
to book. (I think my $4.99 should grant me more space for thread titles) I just finished reading book 7 (Pyramids) and picked up book 10 (Moving Pictures) It struck me how incredibly different the writing styles were between the two books. Pyramids was characteristically witty, well structured, well refined. Moving Pictures so far is (by comparison) linear, less humourous, more basic (a lot of he said, she said, he replied, type stuff) I’ve noticed this with his books before as well. Does he just get bored writing some books? Does he qhostwrite? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/2 "2004-03-23T17:29:41Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I just finished reading book 7 (Pyramids) and picked up book 10 (Moving Pictures) It struck me how incredibly different the writing styles were between the two books. Pyramids was characteristically witty, well structured, well refined. Moving Pictures so far is (by comparison) linear, less humourous, more basic (a lot of he said, she said, he replied, type stuff) > > I’ve noticed this with his books before as well. Does he just get bored writing some books? Does he qhostwrite? Grow a brain, Lobsang. (Mods, can we move this straight to the Pit where it belongs?) ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/3 "2004-03-23T17:46:02Z")
Moving Pictures is my least favourite Discworld book\* (And yes, I have read them all) Too _high concept_. The style does vary, some books are much darker than others. Wait 'til you get to Night Watch and Monsterous Regiment Are you trying to suggest that some books are actually written by Neil Gaiman or that Harry %$\*@ing Potter bint? I think we’d’ve spotted that before now. \*maybe it was just an off day? ---
**Author:** ![Shortie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Shortie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shortie)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/4 "2004-03-23T17:48:37Z")
To the best of my knowledge he does not. I’d agree that _Pyramids_ was better than _Moving Pictures_, but I don’t think the latter was as bad as all that. He does like to change his style a bit between books though, especially when switching series. I also think that part of the problem might just be that you weren’t caught by the overall concept of MP, I know many people can’t stand some of his books, even though they love others, because of the subject. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/5 "2004-03-23T17:54:23Z")
Pratchett wrote all of the Discworld books. No ghostwriter. _Moving Pictures_ is probably the worst book in the series – concept OK, but not particularly funny. It’s especially weak compared to the brilliance of **Pyramids** , one of his funniest. Pratchett has also matured as a writer. His newest stuff is not as funny, but still a pleasure to read, and he touches on some more serious issues. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/6 "2004-03-23T17:55:41Z")
I didn’t mean to offend anyone. It just seems like the jokes in MP are not as clever as in Pyramids. It’s as if he wrote MP earlier in his career (but released it after later books). The writing, although very good in it’s own right, seems less ‘evolved’ than in the other books. Don’t get me wrong - I am enjoying MP. Just not as much as I enjoyed Pyramids. **Evil Death** I’ll assume you are being facetious as it’s hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/7 "2004-03-23T18:01:47Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > It’s as if he wrote MP earlier in his career (but released it after later books). The writing, although very good in it’s own right, seems less ‘evolved’ than in the other books. That’s exactly what I thought about _Moving Pictures_. It seemed like it fell much earlier in Pratchett’s evolution of Ankh-Morpork. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/8 "2004-03-23T18:33:29Z")
Moving Pictures wasn’t one of his best, however I believe he writes all his own books. For one, you can still see enough of his style in everything and it’s not unusual for an author to change a style for a different theme or point of view. Also, everything I have read about Terry Pratchett, from people that know him or have met him even only briefly and from my impression of him in my own brief meeting, is that he is one of the most sincere, funny, friendly and unassuming people around and he would not be the type to take credit for someone else’s work. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/9 "2004-03-23T18:44:21Z")
Any hint that Pratchett used ghostwriters would be a huge, front-page scandal in Britain. Since you’re from the UK, **Lobsang** , I assume you know that until J. K. Rowling came along Pratchett was the best-selling author in the country. Period. Of any genre. And he has also made several very public comments about his lack of recognition when awards time rolls around. So the revelation that he didn’t write his own stuff would knock the latest about Di and Jacko right out of the tabloid headlines. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/10 "2004-03-23T19:09:13Z")
What’s wrong with **Moving Pictures???** Okay, I’m still undecided over whether or not [CENSORED CHARACTER NAME] should have died in the end or not, but storywise I thought it was just fine. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/11 "2004-03-23T19:10:34Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I didn’t mean to offend anyone. It just seems like the jokes in MP are not as clever as in Pyramids. It’s as if he wrote MP earlier in his career (but released it after later books). The writing, although very good in it’s own right, seems less ‘evolved’ than in the other books. > > Don’t get me wrong - I am enjoying MP. Just not as much as I enjoyed Pyramids. > > **Evil Death** I’ll assume you are being facetious as it’s hard to tell. I think the two are deliberately written differently. MP is much more allegorical, where Pyramids is a swashbuckling fairy tale. Both of them, however, have a very Pratchett feel to them. I think it would be glaringly obvious if one were truly ghostwritten. And don’t worry about Evil Death. He was quite serious, but that’s just the way he is. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/12 "2004-03-23T19:42:14Z")
I regret bringing up the ghostwriting thing, and that title is grammatically incorrect anyway. It suggests that Pratchett ghostwrites for other people, which is not what I was suggesting. The reason I even thought of the idea of ghostwriting was that while reading MP I thought to myself “Did Terry get his wife to write this bit?” and then I ran with that train of thought. And let me repeat - I am enjoying MP. Just not as much as the others. I am not far into it, I am sure it gets better as TPs books always do. What’s more I have picked up Discworld books before and thought the same thing early on, and ended up thoroughly enjoying the book. It _COULD_ be that Terry himself doesn’t get enthusiastic about the story until he’s well into it. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/13 "2004-03-23T20:15:05Z")
**Blasphemer!** It’s the Quisition for you!! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/14 "2004-03-23T20:26:01Z")
OK, **Lobsang**. For talking dirty in class, you must now eat a sausage inna bun…WITHOUT MUSTARD!!! :eek: If it happens again, it’s off to the Scorpion Pit for you! ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/15 "2004-03-23T20:32:56Z")
Try asking this on one of the Pratchett newsgroups. You may get an answer directly from Terry. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/16 "2004-03-23T20:34:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > OK, **Lobsang**. For talking dirty in class, you must now eat a sausage inna bun…WITHOUT MUSTARD!!! :eek: > > If it happens again, it’s off to the Scorpion Pit for you! Please tell me there are onions!! (the beauty of reading the books one by one is that one day I will understand _all_ the discworld references and jokes on the sdmb 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![sghoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@sghoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sghoul)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/17 "2004-03-23T21:15:04Z")
I have always felt that his stuff varies. One book will have more science references, and another will be more satirical. And he has grown as an author. Some books may have less laughs, but much better blots, character developement, or ideas in general. But they all feel Pratchett-y to me. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/18 "2004-03-23T22:10:01Z")
I’m of the opinion they just keep getting better and better. The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are my least favorite…but compared to everything else out there they still rock. And although the style has changed a bit over the years - I’ve never had any doubt every word was his. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/19 "2004-03-23T22:35:18Z")
I’ve met him a couple of times, and he seems to spend all his time doing nothing but writing. He doesn’t need a ghostwriter. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934/20 "2004-03-23T22:59:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Please tell me there are onions!! \*Onions? \* Onions, **Mr. Lobsang**? Just what do you think this is, **The Rhoxie**? This isn’t even **Harga’s**! This is the SDMB, mister, and you are just one step away from a visit from The Agony Aunts! Or Ole Ron’s Smell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-pratchett-ghostwrite-or-noticed-that-his-writing-style-fluctuates-from-book/235934.md?page=2)