Posted on March 27, 2019 at 4:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Writer Nora Roberts has had enough of the speculation — enhanced by romance’s recent plagiarism scandal — about the “true” authorship of her books.

So she took to Facebook recently to explain to the world just how she manages to produce what she does.

(The tl;dr version? Discipline, drive, desire. No ghostwriters or co-authors.)

Read Roberts’s (in her words) “probably doomed” effort to outline her writing process on her Facebook page.

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Categories: Today in Books

Tagged As: Romance, Writing advice

Comments
Love your books!
Terry Clark | 3/7/24 at 2:23 PM
Currently reading Identity and was left gobsmacked that the main character bought a hybrid vehicle and once of her justifications was that there were charging stations at her place of employment...Hybrids are NEVER charged from an outside source, there is no port. It's all internal. So disappointed this made it through proofreading, editing and final print
Sharon | 6/15/23 at 7:40 PM
In reading these criticisms of Nora Robert’s’ last few novels, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe these commenters were reading these works with a somewhat jaundiced eye. Maybe, having heard the rumors about Roberts’ possibly using ghost writers BEFORE they read the works, their reading was tainted by this slant? I don’t know. I’m not a fan of the romances, but I love her J.D. Robb series, and I have enjoyed the last few every bit as much as I did the first ones I read. But I had not heard these rumors prior to my reading, so…………..
Susan Wood | 3/18/23 at 1:45 PM
I’m reading Nightwork which is a very slow read, unusual for a Nora Roberts book. Now I’ve just come across a major error which bothers me no end. She referred to the Chicago White Sox as the Socks! Not once but several times! So maybe she isn’t a baseball fan, but surely an editor should have caught this.
Margaret Hedlund | 6/17/22 at 9:28 PM
I have always liked MS Roberts books even the fantasy ones which I am not usually fond of. I have wondered about her prolific writing, but decided not to worry about something I can't do anything about and just enjoy not question
Caro?um Pitzer | 12/24/21 at 11:32 AM
I love Nora Roberts books and have enjoyed them for years. One of the last I've read, however, and I can't remember which title as I've read so many, had a distinct stylistic change in a chapter about midway through. I felt after finishing the book that it could have been written by 2 or 3 different authors, each covering discrete chapters in the book. I've often wondered how it is possible to be such a prolific writer as Roberts is. At any rate, most of her writing is exceptional in topic and depth of character. Thank you,Nora Roberts! 🌷💗🌷
Karin Bergman | 8/8/21 at 7:58 AM
I read some of the other comments, and I have to say, Shadows in Death is the first time that I noticed the writing was just off. The feel, the word choice, the cadence of the narrative did not at all feel like Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb. Even Roarke’s being inside the crime scene is way off.
Virginia | 2/14/21 at 3:53 PM
I have loved Nora Roberts for so many years I can't even count them. And her writing is JD Robb was one of the best series I've ever read. I have fallen in love with all of the characters. And it pains me to say that I agree with so many of these reviews did state that the last several books have seemed very much out of character. The interactions between Eve and Peabody are nowhere near as funny and connected as they used to be. And the relationship between Eve and roarke does not have the passion or Spark. I'm reading the latest book faithless and death and I and more than three-quarters through the book and Roark has only appeared twice. I don't know if the ghostwriting rumors are true but I do feel like Nora isnt writing like she used to. I miss the connection to all these characters. The dialogue is nowhere near the way it was in previous books. I agree that the words and phrases that all of them are using are very off the norm. I will always continue to be a fan and will always wait for the new installment. That I'm sincerely hoping we can get back to the eve and roarke and the rest of the characters that we dearly love.
Tiffany Irene Dahl | 2/12/21 at 7:14 AM
I have read Nora Roberts for 30 years. I am very familiar with her voice in her books. I haven't enjoyed that voice in a while. I haven't read a JD Robb since Delusions in Death where the ghost writer had Eve happy that she found a restaurant that "served real meat that a cop could afford." When every book till that point had real meat as a luxury that only the ultra mega rich could afford. As for the Chronicles of The One - I've only read Year One so far... there were no sensual scenes, no central female and male protagonists (in past each book of a series would focus on 2 people and tell their story and not change until the next book), and the birth scene was told from the man's view point (no woman is going to write as if his crushed hand was more important then the mother's experience). I am not being disrespectful of her talent. I am missing her writing. More, while I except that big name authors are "encouraged" by their publishers to use ghostwriters because the big name sells, I wish the publishers would use talented writers who have read the author. (Orson Scott Card was a ghostwriter before his own books became big)
Krista | 1/3/21 at 9:20 PM
To all who complain about Nora Robert’s last books let me ask you something. Do you not have good and bad days at your work? She isn’t a robot and I don’t believe she is a liar. For Ms. Robert’s a question. When you began writing did you ever have trouble taking your decision to write seriously? I’m a wannabe writer but was told I’d never earn a living. I took in 4 kids and a mother and it stopped being a question. Though I used to write every day of my life. I had too many depending on me to take a risk. So I became a whiner and full of excuses. If you had that issue how did you overcome it? I’ve let writing be a dream for much too long. Thanks for your time.
Patricia Mensch Shell | 11/22/20 at 8:06 PM
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