You need to know two things before reading on to have any idea what I’m talking about. First, Zoella is a very popular YouTuber. Second, her novel Girl Online had the best opening sales week ever for a debut novel in the UK. It was just released at the end of November.
Okay. If you don’t know what the fuss is about, well that’s what I’m here for. I’ve read blog post after blog post and article after article criticizing Zoella for her book. Why are all these people criticizing her? Because she used a ghostwriter. See, I have a theory. The criticism she’s getting really has nothing to do with that fact, though she had to release a statement on Twitter admitting that she had help. No. I think UK readers have issue with the fact that her book has outdone JK Rowling in some way. Because this young online star is somehow unworthy of selling a lot of books. What bullshit.
Just about every article I’ve read mentions JK Rowling. “Zoella outsells even JK Rowling and Harry Potter” or “This 24-year-old has best debut sales week ever in UK; besting JK Rowling.”
I know some people have issue with the use of ghostwriters. That’s fine. But why is this girl somehow being treated differently than other “authors” who have used them in the past? Oh. Because she sold a lot of books. The funny thing is that readers really have no idea how many authors actually use ghostwriters. No idea at all. Because some publishers and authors are a lot more open about that fact than others.
Lastly, I have no issue with her great opening sales week. As a matter of fact, I think she should be congratulated. I mean, she has more than six million YouTube subscribers. Did you think that she would release a book that didn’t sell well? Come on. JK Rowling was a debut author. Zoella is a debut author with millions of fans and followers. I’m quite certain that the author of the Harry Potter series is perfectly fine with not having the record for most sales in the opening week for a debut novel. (If she ever had it in the first place.)
So everyone needs to calm down about all this. Zoella has built up a brand of herself over the last few years on the internet. And now she gets criticized for wanting to write a book. No. I’m not a fan of celebrities “writing” books, but this girl is getting way too much negativity thrown her way when she’s doing something that so many celebrities have already done before her. She’s not even the first YouTuber to release a book. Just stop.
You can check out Girl Online here.
You can check out Zoella’s YouTube channel here.
Johnny Reads 
No question for us?
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Not today. I’ve just read way too many articles about her and felt tge need to chime in.
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I had heard of this book because I love YA fiction, but it didn’t real appeal to me and I have no desire to buy it. I wouldn’t have a clue who this girl was before she sold this book, but I agree with you. James Patterson this huge author that everyone knows and so many people love doesn’t write his own books. He outlines them and gets another writer to write them for him. No one seems to have a problem with that. If one of the one direction boys brought out a book written by a ghost writer and out sold J.K.Rowling in it’s first week would they still be saying the same thing? I’m inclined to think not.
Great post.
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Hm. Good point. I wish no one would say anything. But I think you’re right. Which is just ignorant. There are a lot worse things than using a ghostwriter or outselling JK Rowling.
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I agree. Honestly, I think that if JK Rowling’s book wasn’t released at the same time no one would be giving out about how well Zoella’s novel has done.
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I just don’t understand how come the book can’t be judged on its own merits.
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Never heard of her, but I take issue with anyone that uses a ghostwriter. If you can’t write the book yourself, don’t write it. Period.
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Agree. But not with her. Any other person who uses a ghostwriter gets no negative response for doing so, but she does it and suddenly she’s a terrible person. No.
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Oh, I don’t think she should get any more flack than anyone else, I just think the wealthy people that hire a ghostwriter should not get accolades. I don’t think she’s any worse than anyone else and no one should be harping on her.
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I’m not a Zoella fan, I really didn’t know much about her other than what other Youtubers have said. I just think that if she has dressed up the book as hers and told her fans that she was working hard on it when she wasn’t, it’s disrespectful… Particularly considering her demographic, who may not know that using a ghostwriter is likely in cases like hers.
A friend’s sister, who is a massive fan, was devastated by the news, since she’s 13 and never knew this sort of thing goes on. I feel bad for her, Zoella was a role model and she had saved up all her pocket money to buy it and was so excited.
I have heard the book isn’t very well written anyway, but since it seems it was written in 6 weeks, you can’t expect much better anyway.
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Well….I disagree. Yeah her fans are young, but every celebrity or author or athlete who has had a book ghostwritten has decribed it as “my book.” How else are they going to describe it? I don’t think there’s any misleading here.
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They do, but those who are old enough to be reading political and celebrity autobiographies tend to realise they are likely to be co-authored at the very least- often they have a co-authoring credit on the cover anyway. She has repeatedly told her fans she’s writing her book, when she didn’t. But we’re both entitled to our opinions 🙂 it’s a very divisive issue!
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I’m not a fan but she seems pretty harmless to me. I’m not a fan of celebrities ‘writing’ stuff. I also think youtubers can be over-hyped. In the end though, these bright young things are doing SOMETHING with their lives. Good on her, ghost-writer or no, she did have a hand in the production of her book and she does do work.
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Exactly.
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I think that there are 2 types of groups that are angry about this book. #1 the media, who doesn’t take people who function outside of traditional forms of media seriously. Then the fans who aren’t just apart of a fandom. I am apart of this group. I’ve followed her vlogs for years now. But what you have to understand is that the majority of her audience are children & teens. They feel like they really KNOW her and are lashing out because they’re dissapionted.
Since I’m older I wasn’t surprised by this. Its pretty common for celebs to not write books that they put their name on but the viewers of the youtube community are VERY vocal about everything not just her book. So what I don’t understand is why people expected them to not speak their mind about this.
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Okay. But there’s being disappointed (which I think is dumb in itself) and then there’s blatant disrespect. I cab’t remember this much attention being given to a particular author and book because of a ghostwriter. And I read this stuff everyday.
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Believe me, I know what you’re saying. To me, you, and the rest of the world this is something that happens every day. But to them it’s like having the mask ripped off of their favorite super hero.
I don’t excuse the things that people are saying but I also don’t think that calling their feelings dumb is the most constructive thing to do. I think it can be looked at as a learning experience if more people took the time to EXPLAIN the situation. Nobody deserves that kind of hate but if they don’t understand why what they said was unwarranted they’ll never approach the situation differently. That sounds really momish lol, not a mom but I just think that instead of being so flippant people should look at all sides of a situation and really try to understand every point of view not just the one that they agree with.
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Great delivery. Sound arguments. Keep up the good effort.
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Thanks.
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