10 celebrities who have written novels: from Millie Bobby Brown and Kendall and Kylie Jenner to Britney and Lynne Spears, Madonna, Tom Hanks, and Naomi Campbell – so are they worth reading?
- Millie Bobby Brown just released her first novel Nineteen Steps, but she’s not the only celebrity to produce a work of fiction – Britney Spears, Hilary Duff and Ethan Hawke all scored book deals, too
- However, stars often court controversy by working with ghostwriters, leading to accusations that they’re only using their names to sell books they didn’t actually write, like supermodel Naomi Campbell
There’s a well-known saying: everyone has a book inside them.
And while many literary critics might suggest that’s where they should remain, some of the world’s biggest names have nevertheless used their fame to fast track themselves to publishing deals.
Many have followed the adage “write what you know” and penned semi-autobiographical novels about characters navigating their way through Hollywood or the music business, while others seem to have a genuine talent for fiction writing and creating characters who readers come back to again and again.
So which celebrities have found success in the publishing industry, and which are better off sticking to their day jobs?
1. Millie Bobby Brown
The British 19-year-old set the internet alight last week with her debut novel Nineteen Steps. The book is inspired by her grandmother experiencing a crush on the London Underground during the Second World War. Described as “a sweeping and evocative tale of star-crossed love and tangled secrets in wartime”, the novel has nevertheless received criticism online for being ghost written.
The book’s author Kathleen McGurl has leapt to the Stranger Things star’s defence in The Guardian, pointing out that “it doesn’t diminish her involvement, because ultimately it is her family story, and it wouldn’t be happening without her”.