His skill when it comes to writing may not actually be that relevant. These days, people consume stories - and entertainment in general - in lots of different forms: novels, newspaper articles, blog posts, tv series, video games, forum threads and even tweets. Patterson may not be a master artisan when it comes to prose, but he's clearly dedicated to the goal of giving people interesting stories in an accessible format. Perhaps the use of co-authors is his way of addressing deficiencies in his own abilities?<p>at least when it comes to video games, one's ability to write prose is not a good indicator of an ability to tell interesting stories. I've personally seen talented writers work hard to deliver an ultimately boring game story while non-writers with a knack for plotting and creative thinking can come out of left field with a game like Silent Hill 2 (widely recognized for a gripping and unorthodox plot).