—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.
That last sentence is where most agencies get caught. The cheaper quote you saw on a competitor site quoted the writing only. Editing was a separate $4,000 to $8,000 line item nobody mentioned until the manuscript was already drafted. AuthorWings ghostwriting services include a built-in editing pass 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. Your voice, written by a human, with your name alone on the cover.
Professional book ghostwriting services close the gap between the story you have and the 800 hours of craft a writer who has done this before brings to the page.
Your voice. Your name on the cover. 100% of the royalties in your account.
—OUR SPECIALTIES
The four book ghostwriting services we run, and why we never cross-assign writers
A memoirist and a thriller novelist do not write the same way, do not interview the same way, and should not be assigned the same ghostwriter. Our writer pool is sorted by specialty before it is sorted by availability, which is why your intake call starts with what you are writing, not when you want it finished.
—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.
Discovery and Fit Call (Week 1)
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.
Contract, NDA, and Writer Assignment (Week 1 to 2)
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.
Voice Capture and Outline (Weeks 2 to 5)
Your 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.
Drafting (Weeks 5 to 28)
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.
Revision Rounds (Weeks 28 to 34)
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.
Final Delivery and Handoff (Weeks 34 to 36)
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 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 that includes line, copy, and proofread work inside the manuscript. Editing is genuinely included at every tier, not bolted on at month nine. Tiers differ by manuscript length, revision round count, and project management depth, never by who writes the book. Same writer pool across all three.
Starter
$5,495
Growth
$9,999
Authority
$24,999
| Feature |
Starter $5,495 |
Most Popular
Growth $9,999 |
Authority $24,999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manuscript Scope | |||
| 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 |
| Voice Capture & Drafting | |||
| Discovery consultation | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Voice mapping interviews | 2-3 hours | 8-10 hours | 10-12 hours |
| Chapter outline approval | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Full manuscript drafting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revisions & Editing | |||
| 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 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project Management & Protection | |||
| Dedicated project manager | ✗ | ✓ | Senior PM + priority response |
| Mutual NDA before kickoff | ✓ | ✓ | + Individual writer NDA |
| 100% IP transfer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Source files with revision history | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outline-stage legal-risk review | ✗ | ✗ | Optional, included |
—BUNDLE OPTIONS
Launch-Ready Bundles bundle ghostwriting services with cover, format, and marketing for up to 16% off
Three bundles, one invoice, one timeline. Save up to $5,396.
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. 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. Three tiers built around the three ghostwriting tiers, each adding cover design, formatting, publishing distribution, and marketing on a single contract with a single timeline.
Starter
$6,495
Save $1,342
Growth
$12,495
Save $2,296
Authority
$28,495
Save $5,396
| Bundle |
Launch-Ready Starter $6,495 Save $1,342 (17.1% off) |
Most Popular
Launch-Ready Growth $12,495 Save $2,296 (15.5% off) |
Launch-Ready Authority $28,495 Save $5,396 (16% off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 formatting | Ebook + print formatting |
| 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 to your door | 5 paperback | 50 paperback + 10 hardcover | 100 paperback + 20 hardcover |
| Pricing | |||
| Individual total | $7,837 | $14,791 | $33,891 |
| Bundle price | $6,495 | $12,495 | $28,495 |
| You save | $1,342 (17.1% off) | $2,296 (15.5% off) | $5,396 (16% off) |
—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.
—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 actually want to learn to write the book yourself
Some authors think they want a ghostwriter, but what they actually want is a finished book and the experience of having written it. Those two goals do not coexist. If the second one matters, hire a book coach instead. Coaching costs less, takes longer, and leaves you with a manuscript you genuinely wrote, which is what you wanted in the first place.
You already have a finished draft
If your manuscript is structurally complete and you are looking to “polish it up,” you do not need a ghostwriter, you need an editor. A ghostwriter rewriting an existing draft costs roughly the same as ghostwriting from scratch, because the work is the same work. An editor working on a finished draft costs 30 to 60% less and gets you to publishable faster. → See book editing
The budget pressure is real and the timeline is flexible
If $5,495 is genuinely outside what you can commit, please do not stretch into a project you cannot complete. The single most painful customer story in this industry is the author who paid a 50% deposit, ran out of money at month four, and lost both the deposit and the book. Coaching, self-paced writing, or saving for six months until the budget is comfortable are all better outcomes than a ghostwriting contract that breaks at the halfway point.
We say this on the consultation call too. If a different service or a different timeline serves you better, that is what we recommend, even though it costs us the project.
—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.
Hire a Ghostwriter: What $1,500 and $80,000 Actually Buy You
Four options. Price plotted against author protection. Hover any row for the full breakdown.
Freelance Platforms
Upwork, Fiverr, marketplace listings
Price Range
Protection (0 / 5)
NDA Signed
Not included
Rights Transfer
Not included
Editing Built-In
Not included
Reassignment Right
Not included
Documented Process
Not included
Solo Freelancers
Independent ghostwriters quoted directly
Price Range
Protection (1.5 / 5)
NDA Signed
Informal only
Rights Transfer
Informal only
Editing Built-In
Not included
Reassignment Right
Not included
Documented Process
Variable
Boutique Agencies
Premium-priced full-service agencies
Price Range
Protection (4.5 / 5)
NDA Signed
Included
Rights Transfer
Included
Editing Built-In
Varies
Reassignment Right
Included
Documented Process
Included
AuthorWings
Mid-market price. Full protection.
Price Range
Protection (5 / 5)
NDA Signed
Included
Rights Transfer
Included
Editing Built-In
Included
Reassignment Right
Included
Documented Process
Included
The Five Protections, In Order Left to Right
—Frequently Asked Questions
What authors actually ask before they hire a ghostwriter
Ten questions, ordered the way they typically come up on intake calls. None of these rehash content from earlier sections.
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.
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.
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.
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
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