—professional Book Ghostwriting Services
Book Ghostwriting Services. Your Voice, Your Name, Your Royalties.
Ghostwriting and co-authorship run through every category of publishing, from celebrity memoir to first-time business non-fiction, debut fiction, and children’s books. Prince Harry’s Spare was written with J.R. Moehringer. Keith Richards credited James Fox as co-author of Life. Andre Agassi’s Open, widely considered one of the best sports memoirs ever written, was also a Moehringer collaboration. The list of bestsellers written with a co-author runs longer than most readers realize, and nobody returns the books when they find out.
—WHAT YOU GET
What a real professional ghostwriter quote covers (and the $4,000 line item cheap quotes leave out)
Cheap ghostwriting quotes look like a deal until you read the second invoice. Read this section before you compare.
A $12,000 quote from a content mill and a $24,000 quote from AuthorWings are not the same product priced differently. They are different products. The $12,000 version typically includes one round of revisions, a writer pulled from a rotating pool, no formal voice-capture process, and a manuscript that has not been edited by anyone.
To make that manuscript publishable, the author then pays $4,000 to $8,000 for editing on the back end, often to a separate company, which is how a $12,000 book quietly becomes a $20,000 book that took fourteen months and three different writers.
AuthorWings works the opposite way: a built-in editing pass is included at every tier (line, copy, and proofread on Starter; developmental, line, copy, and proof on Growth; all four levels in sequence on Authority). A manuscript without editing is not a manuscript. It is a draft, and you cannot publish a draft.
The AuthorWings tier price covers structural outline, voice-capture interviews (hours by tier, see pricing below), full drafting at 2,000 to 3,000 polished words per week, the revision-round count for your tier, the built-in editing pass for your tier, and a clean manuscript handoff. Any additional editing scope beyond the built-in pass (deeper developmental work on shorter tiers, sensitivity reading, or beta-read passes outside the Authority inclusion) is quoted transparently on the same intake document at rates inside the EFA published rate medians.
One writer, assigned to you, from outline to final handoff, closing the gap between the story you have and the 800 hours of craft a professional brings to the page. Your voice, written by a human, with your name alone on the cover, and 100% of the royalties in your account.
Your voice. Your name on the cover. 100% of the royalties in your account.
—HOW IT WORKS
The 6-step ghostwriting services process that prevents the horror stories on author forums
Most ghostwriting horror stories trace back to the same root cause: no documented process. The author signed a contract, paid a deposit, and then waited. We work the opposite way. Every project moves through six steps with named deliverables, signed approvals, and a writer you can email by name. Week numbers below show the longest-scope Authority timeline (24 to 36 weeks). Starter (8 to 12 weeks) and Growth (16 to 24 weeks) run the same six steps on a proportionally shorter calendar.
I
Week 1
Discovery and Fit Call
A 45 to 60 minute consultation with our intake team, not a sales call. We map what you are writing, what stage you are at, your timeline, your budget tier, and whether ghostwriting is actually the right service for you. If coaching or editing fits better, we say so. If we are the right fit, you receive a written proposal with tier, scope, timeline, payment plan, and editing quote on a single document, typically within two business days.
II
Week 1 to 2
Contract, NDA, and Writer Assignment
Once you sign the contract and mutual NDA, you are matched with a ghostwriter from the specialty pool that fits your genre. You see the writer’s profile, sample prose, and finished manuscript count before assignment is confirmed. If the chemistry feels off after the first interview, we reassign at no cost. One author, one writer, no rotating pool.
III
Weeks 2 to 5
Voice Capture and Outline
Your writer conducts the interview hours your tier supports (two to three hours on Starter, eight to ten on Growth, ten to twelve on Authority), transcribed and reviewed. From those interviews plus any source material you provide, the writer builds a chapter-by-chapter outline averaging 8 to 15 pages. You approve the outline in writing before any drafting begins, which is the single most important checkpoint in the entire process.
IV
Weeks 5 to 28
Drafting
Drafting proceeds at roughly 2,000 to 3,000 polished words per week, delivered in chapter batches every two to three weeks. You read each batch as it lands, flag concerns in the margins, and your writer adjusts in real time. No author waits nine months to read what was written in month two. The book is built in front of you, not behind a curtain.
V
Weeks 28 to 34
Revision Rounds
Revision rounds run by tier (two on Starter, three on Growth, unlimited within scope on Authority), each based on your written feedback. The first round addresses structural and chapter-level concerns. Subsequent rounds handle voice, pacing, and line-level rewrites where flagged. Each round runs roughly two to three weeks. Most manuscripts are 90% finished before the first round even begins, because of how Step 4 was structured.
VI
Weeks 34 to 36
Final Delivery and Handoff
Final manuscript delivered in your preferred file format, with full transfer of intellectual property documented in writing. Any additional editing scope you engaged at intake (beyond the built-in pass already inside the manuscript) runs from this point on the timeline you saw in Step 1. The book is now yours, in every legal and creative sense, with no claim, credit, or rights retained by the writer or AuthorWings.
—INVESTMENT
Hire a ghostwriter at $5,495, $9,999, or $24,999 (the only difference is scope, not skill)
Tier price covers writing, voice capture, revision rounds, and a built-in editing pass. Tiers differ by manuscript length, revision round count, and project management depth, never by who writes the book. Same writer pool across all three.
| Feature |
Starter $5,495 Choose Starter |
Most Popular
Growth $9,999 Choose Growth |
Authority $24,999 Choose Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope and timeline | |||
| Word count limit | Up to 20,000 | Up to 50,000 | Up to 90,000 |
| Book type fit | eBooks, business guides | Memoirs, full non-fiction | Novels, comprehensive memoirs |
| Timeline | 8 to 12 weeks | 16 to 24 weeks | 24 to 36 weeks |
| Payment options | Single / 50-50 / 3 mo | Single / 50-50 / Milestone / 3 mo | Single / 50-50 / Milestone / 12 mo |
| Writing and editing | |||
| Voice mapping interviews | 2 to 3 hours | 8 to 10 hours | 10 to 12 hours |
| Revision rounds | 2 rounds | 3 rounds | Unlimited within scope |
| Built-in editing pass | Line + copy + proofread | Developmental + line + copy + proof | All four levels in sequence |
| Chapter pacing audit | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beta read pass | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Management and protection | |||
| Dedicated project manager | ✗ | ✓ | Senior PM + priority response |
| Mutual NDA before kickoff | ✓ | ✓ | + Individual writer NDA |
| Outline-stage legal-risk review | ✗ | ✗ | Optional, included |
In every tier
- 60-minute discovery consultation
- Chapter outline approval before drafting
- Full manuscript drafting
- 100% IP transfer on delivery
- Source files with revision history
- Same writer pool across all three
—BUNDLE OPTIONS
Launch-Ready Bundles pair ghostwriting with cover, formatting, and marketing for up to 17% off
A finished manuscript is roughly half of what it takes to launch a book. The other half is cover design, formatting, distribution, and a marketing runway that exists before launch day instead of getting scrambled together the week of — and most authors discover this after the manuscript is done, when the budget is gone and the energy is lower than it was nine months ago. Launch-Ready Bundles solve that by pricing the full path on day one, in tiers built around the three ghostwriting tiers.
| Bundle |
Launch-Ready Starter $6,495 Save $1,742 (21.2% off) Choose Starter |
Most Popular
Launch-Ready Growth $12,495 Save $2,296 (15.5% off) Choose Growth |
Launch-Ready Authority $28,495 Save $5,396 (16% off) Choose Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manuscript scope | |||
| Word count | Up to 20,000 words | Up to 50,000 words | Up to 90,000 words |
| Best for | Short books, business guides, professional launches | Memoirs, full non-fiction | Novels, comprehensive memoirs |
| What's included | |||
| Cover design | Ebook + paperback cover | 3-format cover (ebook, print, hardcover) | Custom illustrated cover, all formats |
| Formatting | Ebook + print formatting | Ebook + print, up to 50,000 words, no overage | Ebook + print, up to 90,000 words, no overage |
| Publishing | KDP publishing | Full global distribution | Full global distribution + audiobook setup |
| Marketing | Foundation setup (website, Amazon listing, email list, lead magnet) | Foundation + 30 days Amazon Ads + launch prep | Foundation + 60-day multi-platform, email, sales page, paid review, PR wire, book trailer |
| Author copies shipped | 5 paperback | 50 paperback + 10 hardcover | 100 paperback + 20 hardcover |
| Pricing | |||
| Bought separately | $8,237 | $14,791 | $33,891 |
| Bundle price | $6,495 | $12,495 | $28,495 |
| You save | $1,742 (21.2% off) | $2,296 (15.5% off) | $5,396 (16% off) |
| Formatting overage waived | Included to 20,000 words | Up to $240 near 50,000 words | Up to $720 near 90,000 words |
In every bundle
- One contract covering writing through launch
- One project manager start to finish
- Same writer pool across all three
- Same designer and publishing teams
- Editing, design, publishing, and marketing combined
- No per-service invoices to chase
—YOUR PROTECTION
What a real hire a ghostwriter contract protects (six specific clauses, signed before kickoff)
Ghostwriting horror stories almost always trace back to what was not in the contract. Vague NDAs, unclear rights language, AI clauses written in invisible ink, no off-ramp if the writer disappears. Every AuthorWings engagement starts with these six protections in writing, signed before any drafting begins.
Mutual NDA Signed
A mutual non-disclosure agreement is signed by AuthorWings, your assigned writer, and any project manager touching the file before kickoff. The NDA keeps your manuscript content, your name, your subject matter, and the existence of the engagement itself confidential. Your project does not appear in our portfolio, on staff LinkedIn pages, or in any case study without your written permission.
100% Rights Retention
Every word written for you transfers to you on delivery, full copyright, full subsidiary rights, full derivative work rights. AuthorWings retains zero claim, zero royalty, and zero credit. The writer signs a separate work-for-hire agreement assigning their authorship rights to you, which is the only structure that holds up legally if your book becomes a film, an audiobook, or a translated edition years later.
Human-Only Drafting
Your contract explicitly prohibits AI-generated drafting, AI-generated dialogue, and AI-generated scene work. AI is permitted only for transcription of your interview audio and for routine grammar checking on already-written prose. If AI drafted your book, you cannot copyright it (per US Copyright Office guidance), which is why this clause is in writing, not just in our marketing.
Writer Reassignment Right
If the chemistry with your assigned writer is wrong after the first interview, or if the writer becomes unavailable mid-project, you have a contractual right to reassignment at no cost. The new writer inherits the full transcript, outline, and any drafted material. You do not start over, and you do not pay twice.
Milestone-Tied Payments
Payment is structured around documented deliverables, not calendar dates. Each 25% installment unlocks against a specific milestone (contract, outline approval, mid-draft, final delivery). If a milestone slips on our side, the next payment slips with it. This is the protection that keeps a project from drifting into month fifteen.
Off-Ramp Clause
Every contract includes a defined exit clause. If you need to cancel mid-project, the contract specifies what you receive (drafted work to date, transcripts, outline, partial refund formula) and what you owe. No hostage scenarios where the manuscript sits behind a final invoice. The off-ramp is written before kickoff, not negotiated under stress.
—WHEN NOT THE RIGHT FIT
When professional ghostwriting is the wrong fit, and the 3 cheaper services that beat it
Ghostwriting is the right answer for a specific kind of author. It is the wrong answer for at least three others. Read this before you sign anything.
You Want the Experience of Writing It Yourself
Some authors think they want a ghostwriter when what they actually want is two things at once: a finished book and the memory of having written it. Those two do not coexist. A ghostwriter hands you the manuscript, but the writing was theirs, not yours. If the doing is what matters to you, a book coach is the honest answer. Coaching costs less, takes longer, and leaves you with pages you can truthfully say you wrote, which was the point all along. Buy the wrong service and you end up with a book you cannot honestly claim as your own work.
Try this instead
A book coach guides your writing chapter by chapter. Cheaper, slower, and the byline is one you actually earned.
You Already Have a Finished Draft
If your manuscript is structurally complete and you just want to "polish it up," you do not need a ghostwriter, you need an editor. A ghostwriter rewriting a finished draft costs roughly the same as writing one from scratch, because it is the same work either way. An editor working on a completed draft runs 30 to 60% less and gets you to publishable faster. Paying ghostwriting rates to refine pages you already wrote is paying twice for work you already did. Match the service to the stage the book is actually in.
Try this instead
Book editing services is the right service to start with when the draft already exists.
The Budget Is Tight and the Timeline Can Wait
If $5,495 is genuinely more than you can commit, do not stretch into a project you cannot finish. The most painful story in this industry is the author who paid a 50% deposit, ran dry at month four, and lost the deposit and the book both. A contract that breaks at the halfway point is worse than no contract at all. Coaching, self-paced writing, or saving for six months until the number feels comfortable are all better outcomes than a ghostwriting deal that collapses mid-manuscript. Wait until the budget is real, then commit fully.
Try this instead
Spend the gap coaching or drafting on your own, or save until $5,495 is money you can lose and not feel it. A book finished slowly beats a book abandoned at month four.
—COMPARE
Why book ghostwriting services at AuthorWings cost less than agencies and protect more than platforms
Four options exist when you decide to hire a ghostwriter. Three of them carry risks that are not visible on the sales page.
What $1,500 and $80,000 actually buy you
Four ways to hire a ghostwriter, with price plotted against the five protections that decide what happens when something goes wrong.
Boutique agencies come closest — and start at $35,000, more than six times our entry price. The half mark they drop is editing, which is in every one of our tiers.
The five protections are: a written confidentiality agreement before work begins; full copyright assigned to you in writing; a professional editing pass included rather than billed on top; a guaranteed replacement writer if yours falls through; and a written workflow with defined milestones. Price ranges reflect typical quotes for a 50,000 to 90,000 word manuscript, from EFA published rates and Authors Guild industry reporting.
—Frequently Asked Questions
What authors actually ask before they hire a ghostwriter
Fourteen questions, ordered the way they typically come up on intake calls.
What if I read the first chapter and it does not sound like me?
That is what voice mapping and the chapter outline are designed to catch before drafting begins. If chapter 1 still misses the voice, you flag it in writing, and your writer rewrites at no extra cost inside revision round one. If after a full rewrite the voice match is still wrong, that is grounds for the writer reassignment clause in your contract. The new writer inherits all interview transcripts and outline work. You do not start over financially.
Do you use AI to write any part of my ghostwritten book?
No. Your contract explicitly prohibits AI-generated drafting, dialogue, and scene work. A human writer writes every word of your manuscript. AI is used only to transcribe your interview audio and for routine grammar checking on prose a person has already written. This matters beyond principle: the US Copyright Office holds that work generated by AI cannot be copyrighted, so a human-written manuscript is what protects your ability to own, register, and license your book.
Can I cancel mid-project if my circumstances change?
Yes. The off-ramp clause in every contract specifies what happens. You receive all drafted work, all interview transcripts, the chapter outline, and any partial chapters in source files. The refund formula depends on which milestone you have reached, since the writer has been paid for completed work. The clause is written before kickoff, so the answer is on paper before you ever need to ask the question.
What happens if I have a half-finished manuscript already?
This is one of the most common starting points. Your writer reads the existing material in the discovery phase and either continues it (matching the existing voice and structure) or restructures it (if the early chapters are not load-bearing for the rest of the book). The pricing tier is determined by the final word count, not the words remaining, because the existing material still requires editing, integration, and voice continuity work.
Is hiring a ghostwriter ethically the same as a celebrity using one?
Yes. The ethical and legal standard is identical for a celebrity memoir, a CEO leadership book, and a first-time author business guide. As long as the rights have been transferred to you in writing through a work-for-hire agreement, you are the legal author. Industry practice and copyright law have agreed on this for over a century. The Authors Guild has written publicly about ghostwriting as a legitimate professional practice.
Do I need to disclose that I used a ghostwriter?
Legally, no, in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. There is no disclosure requirement for trade fiction, business books, memoirs, or self-help. The exception is academic publishing, where ghostwriting is generally prohibited. Some authors choose to credit a collaborator publicly ("with [name]") for marketing or transparency reasons. That is a personal choice, not a legal one, and we support either decision.
How is my information kept private during the project?
The mutual NDA covers your manuscript content, your name, your subject matter, and the existence of the engagement. Files are stored in encrypted project folders accessible only to your assigned writer, project manager, and the editing pass team. Your project does not appear in our portfolio, on staff bios, or in marketing materials without your written permission. NDAs persist after the project ends.
Can my writer be located in a specific country, time zone, or have a specific background?
Yes, within the available pool. Many authors request US-based writers for tax and IP simplicity, UK-based writers for British English voice, or writers with specific subject expertise (medical, legal, military, religious). Specify your requirements in the discovery call. If we do not have a roster match, we say so on the call rather than promising and hoping. Most requests are met from the existing pool.
What format do I receive the final manuscript in?
A clean Word document is the default delivery format, with PDF as a secondary file for review. If you have specific formatting requirements (Scrivener, Google Docs, Vellum-ready), specify at intake and the writer accommodates. The Authority tier delivers all source files including draft history, which is useful if you ever need to demonstrate authorship lineage to a publisher or agent.
How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter for a book?
Ghostwriting a book at AuthorWings runs from $5,495 to $24,999, set by three tiers. Starter ($5,495) covers books up to 20,000 words, Growth ($9,999) covers up to 50,000, and Authority ($24,999) covers up to 90,000. Every tier includes voice capture, revision rounds, and a built-in editing pass, so the price you see is the price to a finished manuscript, not a writing-only quote with editing billed later.
What if my book ends up shorter or longer than the tier word count?
The tier word count is an upper limit, not a target. If your book is genuinely complete at 38,000 words, that is what you receive. We do not pad to hit a number. If your book genuinely needs more than the tier supports (a 60,000 word book in the Starter tier, for example), we discuss tier upgrade pricing transparently before drafting begins. No surprise overage fees mid-project.
Can the same writer do my next book?
Yes, and many authors return for a second or third book with the same writer. The voice work is already done, the working relationship is already established, and the second project typically moves faster on the schedule. We track writer-author pairings and prioritize continuity on repeat engagements. Pricing on book two follows the same tier structure, with no founder loyalty penalty.
How much of my own time does working with a ghostwriter take?
Plan on the discovery call plus your tier's interview hours, then reading time as chapters arrive. That means one 45 to 60 minute consultation, two to twelve interview hours depending on tier, and roughly an hour every two to three weeks to read each chapter batch and flag notes. You are not writing, but you are steering. The more present you are during voice capture and chapter review, the closer the final book sounds to you.
What is the difference between hiring a book writer for hire and engaging full manuscript development?
A book writer for hire writes a draft from your interviews, source material, and outline. Full manuscript development is the longer arc: structural outline, voice mapping, drafting, the built-in editing pass, and the protections and rights transfer in your contract. AuthorWings sells the second one at every tier, because a draft that has not been developed and edited is not a publishable manuscript. The Starter tier supplies development on shorter books; Growth and Authority extend it to full-length non-fiction, memoir, and novels.
Next Steps
❦See exactly what your book project will cost
Build your quote in 60 seconds. Pick your services, see real pricing with no hidden fees, no forms, no waiting for a sales email. When you are ready, book a call with a ghostwriter who will tell you honestly which of three things is true: this is the right fit, a different service serves you better, or now is not the time.
Mutual NDA available before the call on request. 100% rights retention guaranteed. No contracts until you decide.
AuthorWings· Transparent Pricing · 100% Your Rights
Last updated: July 2026