Anne Nolan Autobiography

magicman

Hi everyone. I'm feeling somewhat melancholy today and I have the feeling that you, my fellow writers, will understand more than most. Some of you may have caught my last year's post (in the claim to fame thread) how I had been deeply involved with Anne Nolan, eldest of the Nolan sisters, in the writing of her autobiography. The more shocking part of her story has just been published in the last two Sunday Mail editions and the book is launched on the 27th March.

When I first got involved with ghosting her story (at the time she was my next door neighbour) it was to help her write the story and guide her in the right direction to achieve publication. I knew the story would sell due to the explosive nature of some of the content. My instinct always told me that, when a publisher wanted the story they would almost certainly want their own professional writer to rewrite it. I told Anne in the early days that, should that prove the case then I would gracefully step back without complaint as I accepted that the story was more important than my personal involvement. My instincts proved correct. Anne had to pay a writer of their choice a substantial sum of money to ghost her story. I supplied them with a synopsis and nearly 50,000 words which will have saved the writer a whole lot of time (although he spent many hours with Anne himself).

I do not begrudge what was happened and I am immensely pleased that I was instrumemntal in Anne achieving her wish. But I am saddened now, at the stage when publication is imminent, that after all the hours, days, weeks and months I spent with her story, to see it now with another author's name alongside Anne's, yet read the stories that are so familiar to me, the secrets that only I knew outside of the family, I feel I have suffered a personal loss. I would dearly have loved to finish the project with her (we got to the last 10 years before I lost it to the publishers). To rub salt into the wound, three days after I had packed up the story and sent it away to London I received a letter from Harper Collins describing the first three chapters as 'incredibly moving and compelling'. Enough compliment there to convince me that, had Anne stayed with me we would have achieved her goal together and it would have cost her far less money.

Sorry to unload this on you all but I needed to get it off my chest and find some, hopefully, sympathetic ears. Final last word, I dearly hope the writer used his words and not mine - for obvious reasons

Carol

Magicman, it must be very hard for you.

I would not have just handed over the synopsis and 50,000 words without a guaranteed acknowledgement in the book and/or a courtesy payment.
Obviously you did it to help a friend, but that was a lot of work, and time spent.

But as long as you were happy, that is the important thing.

Island Girl

No one could expect you to feel anything other than annoyed, Magicman, and I'm pretty sure if he used your words it would be considered plagiarism. Wouldn't it?

We've just had an extract published down here in one of the dailies. What's the big 'shock' in the book? That she is working a nine to five job and lost all her money? Doesn't seem like anything too drastic to me unless there's something in another part of the book we don't know about.

Did I read in a previous post that Anne has moved away from your area now? Are you still in contact with her? If so, surely she will vouch for the fact most of the first section of the book are your words if the new author hasn't changed them. Even knowing the way it was going to be taken out of your hands, you have every right to feel frustrated and cheated now. At the very least, there should have been some mention of your contribution, either on the forward or in the dedications. I'm with you all the way.

magicman

I have just this moment received a phone call from Anne. She apparently requested the publishers to allow her to finish the book with me but they refused. She told me that she has acknowledged my help in the front of the book and is coming round soon with some complimentary copies and some 'remuneration'. It makes me feel better but I will always regret not being there at the end. But as you say Carol, I did it for a friend.

Carol

Well that is a good news Magicman. :)

Mutley

I can understand your pain Magicman. When you write, you create something and give it life. Giving it away is akin to givingit up for adoption and never being able to tell anyone that you are the parent. (THat is not intended to belittle the pain of giving a child fro adoption, but reflect the magnitude of giving away one's writing to another.) Take heart that your help has at least been acknowledged and that the slight is that od the pulisher and not of someone you regard as a friend.

Celtic C

This is a tough one for you magicman - Mutley has summed it up well above about letting go your baby and not being acknowledged as the parent.
At least Anne appears to understand - which is a big plus - but there seems little you can do now than put it down to bitter experience.
Nothing I can say to make you feel any better so have a virtual hug (((:))) - it's the best I can offer in way of consolation I'm afraid.

Island Girl

It's nice to know that Anne recognises and appreciates the work you put in, Magicman. :-)

salwrite

I am not sure what to say. Anne obviously still sees you as a friend, I assume the book was written as a kind of therapy for Anne. I have been surprised her family has not come forward after the news that was revealed in the paper. I was also surprised at the timing of the book and wonder if it was too soon. I just hope she was not pushed into the book deal at timing to suit others.
I hope your meeting with Anne goes well and wish you well with future writing. You helped with the book for all the right reasons, just remember that

Rosalie

Magicman, you are clearly a generous and noble person who has put the well-being a friend before his own claims to fame and money. It sounded from your first message as though you had been shoddily treated, though the phone call you later received may go some way to ameliorate that. But as a writer, like others here I can understand your sense of pain and loss and perhaps even betrayal.

I hope the hurt will lessen over time, and that this will only serve to strengthen your resolve to write in the future. Best of luck :)

mcbemused

I'm glad to see you have been acknowledged by Anne. Maybe the publishers will recognise your talent for future work? You can but hope!

Jay Mandal

Rosalie summed up my thoughts. Take care.

magicman

Thank you all for your support and understanding. I feel better knowing that I am not being shallow or peevish with my feelings of loss. A few answers for you. Firstly you are correct in seeing Anne as a friend. She is a dear and generous friend who would never put any ambition for publication before me. It was me who said that her story was more important than any individual. It was never about money for either of us. Just a desire to see justice done and the timing was a lot later than originally intended. It was always difficult to pin her down as she is so busy but it had to be after the death of her mother. Her sibblings reactions are varied, though most support her. She has moved away from next door but lives less than a mile away. She has a busy time coming up - I think the first tv date is Lorraine Kelly on Tuesday 1st April. I am waiting for an e mail to confirm her schedule. To you, Island Girl, the scandals are the continual sexual abuse by her father from about the age twelve and the missing millions the sisters earned...still a mystery, probably never to be solved. Finally, yes, plagiarism if he has used my words. Difficult to prove and I am sure he will be professional enough to do the right thing. I would hate to have to sue but, if it ever came to it, I would do what was necessary and if I won I would share any awards with Anne as I feel she will have been 'stitched up' too by not getting value for her money.

Love to you all. I will post my further thoughts when I have my copy.

I will be interested to see how much she opened up to the eventual pro, writer as she still protected her father's memory to a degree. She told me many stories which she refused to allow me to write as she said she had harmed her father's memory enough and she had her family to think of.

dorothyd

I've not read or heard about any of this, so the thread came as a surprise in many ways, not least by your generosity and the way you have been treated. I would have been only too pleased to count someone in if they had given me 50,000 words already done, thank you! You're not being shallow at all, but standing up for that which is rightfully yours, the work.

joey blow

I don't think you need to feel sad, magicman.

You said from the beginning that you expected it to be taken out of you hands, and that the money didn't mean anything. It seems that you are going to end up with some kind of financial reward, an acknowledgement in the book, and a deepening of your friendship with Anne. Good news all around. Congratulations!

Verica

You're right about your feelings, magicman. It's good to know Anne appreciates your friendship. She, like you, must be an exceptional person still to want to spare her father's memory as much as she can, after the abuse she suffered; also, the fact that she'll come to see you and show her appreciation. This sounds a lot more than a friend of mine, who is a writer and who ghost-wrote a minor celebrity's autobiography and was in the bookshop when this person was doing her book-signing, without even acknowledging her and there was certainly no acknowledgement in the book.

Daisy

The whole issue of ghost writing is a strange one isn't it? Who is the author or writer? The person who did the actual writing surely. Their name should be on the cover.

Celtic C

Sounds like you are as satisfied with the ultimate resolution now as will be possible.
Have you read the book yet? Are you going to?

Liz

magicman, what a kind person you are. I'm sure Anne Nolan is grateful at least.

And if you are able to tell her story so well, you can do it again - or any story in fact. You are clearly a talented writer.

Good luck with your next writing, it will surely bring you fame.

amboline

Yes - I've just read your piece in the Members' News bit in WN, it's good to know that all your hard work wasn't in vain and that it will hopefully stand you in good stead for your next project. Congratulations.