Was Enid not writing her own books?

[Chrissie777]

I just found this when I was reading Enid Blyton's chronology in the EBS:

1955
Enid Blyton starts legal proceedings to quash rumours that she doesn't write her own books.

This is the first time I ever hear about such a rumour.
What did the court decide? Does somebody know?

[Fiona1986]

People have always said that she didn't write all her own stuff - that no-one could write as many books and stories that fast. There's never been any proof that anyone else has ever written anything for her. She kept meticulous records as well, noting what she wrote and when, who it was for and what she was paid.

[Chrissie777]

Thanks, Fiona .
I was just wondering how this rumour ever came up.
Not for a moment did I believe it...just curious.

[Enikyoga]

I just found this when I was reading Enid Blyton's chronology in the EBS:

1955
Enid Blyton starts legal proceedings to quash rumours that she doesn't write her own books.

This is the first time I ever hear about such a rumour.
What did the court decide? Does somebody know?

I guess the rumours started by some South African critics at the time. I believe EB won that court case. Even nowadays, the few Americans that are aware of her literary output still believe that her books were published by a syndicate, in the same manner as The Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys had been published in the USA, rather than having published all her books by herself.
Stephen I.

[Chrissie777]

That makes sense.
Thank you, Stephen.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Barbara Stoney says in Chapter 12 of Enid Blyton - a Biography that the rumours began circulating in the mid 1950s (in South Africa as Stephen said, Australia and - I think - Britain). Enid Blyton wrote to her solicitor Mr. Arnold Thirlby in 1955 that such accusations were damaging and would make her trusting readers feel deceived. She took action against a librarian who had claimed in a speech (to parents at a school) that Enid Blyton didn't necessarily write all the books bearing the author's name. The librarian was made to apologise to Enid in open court and "reports of this affair helped to scotch some of the rumours, but stories that Enid ran a 'company' of ghost writers still circulated, for the cynics refused to believe that one woman could produce such quantities on her own."

[Moonraker]

She took action against a librarian who had claimed in a speech (to parents at a school) that Enid Blyton didn't necessarily write all the books bearing the author's name.

I wonder if she'd want to do that today, in which case she wouldn't win!

[Chrissie777]

Barbara Stoney says in Chapter 12 of Enid Blyton - a Biography that the rumours began circulating in the mid 1950s (in South Africa as Stephen said, Australia and - I think - Britain).

Hi Anita,

I guess it's time that I read the entire Barbara Stoney biography. I also have the new edition since 2008 (but that's a paperback) thanks to my husband. He ordered it while he was working in Uxbridge, UK, for me. Even though he is not interested in Enid Blyton (he read "Five on a Treasure Island", the original, politically incorrect version) , he is very supportive with my Blyton passion and it was actually him who found the book on Eileen Soper and her father 4 years ago and he ordered it for me.

Probably I've mentioned it before, I bought Stoney's biography (my first book in English language) on the 28th of April 1978, I have the date written inside the book. And even though my intention way back then was to read the entire book, I just couldn't do it. My English was not good enough. The major reason why I bought it was to find out more about the making of the movie "Five on a Treasure Island", a movie that I had watched on German TV when I was 7.

To my delight the book contained a bibliography and helped me after each of my 14 moves over the past decades to sort my Blyton series of books in chronological order.
On page 152 it mentions that "Five on a Treasure Island" was filmed in Dorset, but there was no mention of Corfe Castle Village.
So when I visited Corfe Castle for the first time in May 1981 (19 years after having watched the movie on German TV), it didn't ring a bell and of course way back then there was still no Ginger Pop Shop (at least I didn't see it). So I didn't make the connection with Enid Blyton (NIgel, please forgive me, I know you imagine Kirrin Castle somewhere else ).

Then in 1995 when Christine Alexander, the wonderful lady who ran Bookends of Fowey in Cornwall (and who found me so many old Blyton hardcovers and several old Norman Dale books from the forties and fifties thanks to her book search) encouraged me to call CFTF, CFTF told me it has been filmed at Corfe Castle, in Corfe Castle Village and at Stairhole Cove (landing spot for George's boat) and Durdle Door. I think CFTF also mentioned Lulworth Cove, but I might be wrong. However, Lulworth Cove has the round shape that Kirrin Bay seems to have, so it might have been the inspiration for Blyton when she wrote about Kirrin Bay (well, that's at least what I like to imagine ).
Now I will read chapter 12.

[mistermxyztplk]

As I understand it, a journalist wrote an article (I think in South Africa) claiming that Enid employed ghost writers, which was of course untrue, and offended EB. I don't recall the full details, but EB was certainly ultimately the winner.

[Francis]

This reminds me of George Orwell who wrote an article stating
that the Billy Bunter stories were written by a team of writers
(he couldn't believe that Charles Hamilton could write the
equivalent of 60 books a year!). Charles Hamilton wrote a reply
which put him right. Both Enid and Charles were very fast and effortless
writers.

[Katharine]

In Journal No. 2 there is an article about a series of 12 little books. From my understanding of this article these books were French stories which were translated into English and just had Enid's name added to them. If that's the case then technically speaking Enid DIDN'T write every single story she's credited with, and could that be how the rumour started?

The article is on page 26 if anyone wants to check that I haven't mis-read it.

[MJE]

... rumours that she doesn't write her own books.

     Ironically, the rumour would probably be true today, with a number of books written after her death appearing with her signature on the front and the real author's name either not given, or given far less prominently.
     I'm quite receptive to additional books in series, provided they are done well and an honest attempt to continue with further books in the spirit of the original series - but they should be prominently labelled with the real author's name.

Regards, Michael.

[Chrissie777]

This reminds me of George Orwell who wrote an article stating
that the Billy Bunter stories were written by a team of writers
(he couldn't believe that Charles Hamilton could write the
equivalent of 60 books a year!).

Hi Francis,

Who is Billy Bunter?

[Moonraker]

Google is your friend!!!

[Lucky Star]

Who is Billy Bunter?

He's the Fat Owl of the Remove.

He is a very fat schoolboy whose misadventures and tireless efforts to get out of anything and everything resembling physical exercise kept millions of children entertained for decades. Forever borrowing money against the imminent arrival of a postal order he is usually in some form of trouble or other with the long suffering Mr Quelch, his form master. The books are well worth reading if you can get hold of them. Like Blyton's books they were written decades ago and reflect the times they were written in but the humour is pretty timeless. I loved Bunter.