TL;DR
Book ghostwriting services pair you with a professional writer who turns your ideas and stories into a finished book published under your name. The best services include editing, publishing, and marketing, not just a manuscript. selfpublishing.com offers 2 packages: Standard Ghostwriting ($50,000), which uses AI-assisted drafting with human writers, and Premium Ghostwriting ($100,000), which is fully human-written and includes so much more.
Not everyone has the time, resources, or writing skills to write their own book – and that’s where book ghostwriting services come in.
Professional ghostwriting services help you to write the book of your dreams without ever having to put your fingers to the keyboard.
Sound too good to be true?
It’s not!
At selfpublishing.com, we help thousands of authors to write their stories, and we have the best ghostwriting services on offer to back you up.
But how do book ghostwriting services work? And what is a ghostwriter in the first place? Let’s talk a little bit about the craft before diving into what our company can offer you.
What are book ghostwriting services?
Book ghostwriting services hire a professional writer to write your book from your ideas, stories, and expertise. Your name goes on the cover, and you own the book.
A ghostwriter interviews you, builds an outline with you, and drafts the book in your voice. You review and revise each stage until it sounds like you. The ghostwriter is paid a fee and doesn't take credit or royalties.
And yes, it's completely legal. Here's more on what a ghostwriter does and why ghostwriting is legal.
Manuscript-only vs. full-service ghostwriting
This is the most important distinction to understand before you compare prices.
- Manuscript-only services hand you a finished draft. Editing, cover design, formatting, publishing, and marketing are up to you.
- Full-service ghostwriting carries the book from first interview through publishing and launch, so you aren't left holding a document with no plan for it.
Most professional freelancers charge $15,000 to $60,000 for the manuscript alone. Full-service firms typically run $50,000 to $150,000. Our ghostwriting cost guide breaks down the full market.
Why would you hire a ghostwriter?
There are many reasons someone would hire book ghostwriting services. If you are the busy CEO of a business, you probably don’t have the time to sit down and write a book. In which case, you’re going to be looking for a business book ghostwriter.
By doing so, you get the very best possible lead magnet for your business. Having a book (ghostwritten or not) will boost your authority, build awareness of your brand, and increase your sales exponentially.
Maybe you’ve always had a book inside you, but you were never good at writing. You might want professional ghostwriting services to help you out, and that’s totally fine! If that’s how you can get your story out in the world then do it!
You can look into memoir ghostwriting services or fantasy ghostwriting services – whatever you need for your great book idea.
There is no wrong reason to hire book ghostwriting services – unless, of course, you are going to go for the cheapest service you can find and fall into a trap. Because not all book ghostwriting services are created equally.
So let’s talk about what you should look for in the best ghostwriting services.
What to look for in good ghostwriting services
When seeking good book ghostwriting services, consider the following factors:
Experience and expertise
Look for writers with a proven track record in your genre or industry. Their experience should align with your project’s needs.
Writing style
Request samples to ensure the writer’s style matches your voice. They should be able to adapt their writing to fit your tone and perspective.
Research skills
A good ghostwriter should demonstrate strong research abilities, especially if your project requires in-depth knowledge of a specific topic.
Communication
Choose someone who communicates effectively and is responsive to your needs. Clear communication is key to a successful collaboration.
Confidentiality
Ensure the service has a solid confidentiality agreement to protect your ideas and work.
Process and timelines
Inquire about their writing process and how they manage deadlines. A clear timeline can help keep your project on track.
Client testimonials
Look for reviews or testimonials from previous clients to gauge satisfaction and reliability.
Revisions policy
Understand their policy on revisions. You want a writer who is open to feedback and willing to make changes as needed.
Extra add-ons
The best ghostwriting services will offer editing, formatting, book cover design, marketing, and publishing services to help you through every step of the publishing process.
Who should hire a ghostwriting service?
Book ghostwriting services are built for busy leaders, experts, and storytellers who have a message worth sharing but not the time or desire to write it themselves.
Ghostwriting is a strong fit if you're:
- A CEO, founder, or executive who wants a book to build authority and open doors, without losing months of focus on the business.
- A coach, consultant, or speaker whose framework belongs in a book that brings in clients and stage invitations.
- Someone with a powerful life story who wants a memoir that captures it well, even if writing isn't your strength.
It's probably not the right fit if you:
- Want to write the book yourself and need structure and accountability.
- Can't invest at least $15,000 in a professional ghostwriter.
- Need a finished book in a few weeks.
If you'd rather write it yourself, our Become a Bestseller coaching program gets you from blank page to published for a fraction of the cost.
Ghostwriting services at selfpublishing.com
selfpublishing.com offers Standard Ghostwriting at $50,000 and Premium Ghostwriting at $100,000. Both cover writing, editing, publishing, and launch marketing.
We built both packages around a frustration we kept hearing from authors: "I paid a ghostwriter, got a manuscript, and then had no idea what to do with it." So instead of handing you a document and wishing you luck, both packages carry your book from the first outline through launch. You can also see the full program on our ghostwriting services page.
Standard Ghostwriting (AI assisted)
Price: $50,000
Our most basic package of professional ghostwriting services is anything but basic. It includes private coaching, editing, marketing, and publishing help on top of just ghostwriting services.
The package includes:
Coaching
- 12 Private Coaching Calls
- Unlimited Group Coaching Calls
- Unlimited Daily Office Hours
You receive unlimited coaching with your ghostwriting services, whether they are ebook ghostwriting services, memoir ghostwriting services, or for any type of book. We will be available to help whenever you need.
Workshops & Hackathons
- Monthly Hackathons
- Quarterly Workshops (1 In-Person)
Attend monthly hackathons and regular writer’s rooms with a larger community and coaches for added support and accountability.
Professionally Written Manuscript
- Ghostwritten Manuscript
You will receive a professionally written manuscript with as many revisions as needed to ensure that the voice, scope, and important details of the project are completed as you envisioned.
Editing Package
- Developmental Editing
- Content Editing
- Line Editing
- Copy Editing
- Proofreading
We will supply multiple rounds of editing with our ghostwriting services to ensure that your manuscript is polished, error-free, and completely ready for publishing. We edit with the help of Wandering Words Media, a vetted, professional editing company.
Publishing Package
- Book Cover Design
- Interior Layout / Book Formatting
- ISBN Assignment
- Keyword & Category Selection
- Optimized Book Description
- Book Distribution (Amazon / KDP Upload)
We offer a full publishing package with our professional ghostwriting services. This includes a book cover design, book formatting, an optimized book description, and more.
We’ll help you get an ISBN for your book, and get you all set up for publishing on Amazon KDP, complete with the best Amazon keyword categories.
Author Marketing Materials
- Amazon A+ Content
- Book Promotion Services (5)
We’ll give you Amazon A+ Content, which helps you showcase your book on KDP by adding videos, enhanced images, customized text placements, shoppable product comparison charts, and more to your book’s product page.
We’ll also give you five book promotion services tailored to your story and your target audience.
Digital Course Access
- Lifetime access to associated program courses (Become a Bestseller, Fundamentals of Fiction & Story, Children's Book School)
- Lifetime access to Market Your Book (MYB) or Full-Time Fiction (FF)
- Lifetime access to PR & Speaking (PRS)
Along with our ghostwriting services, you’ll receive lifetime access to our writing and marketing courses in case you want to learn how to self-publish a book on your own.
Community
- 1-Year Access to selfpublishing.com Mastermind Community
- Private Author Advantage Accelerator Mastermind Community
You’ll get a year of access to two Mastermind groups to help you through the publishing process from start to finish.
Additional Author Benefits
- Full Ownership Rights
- Full Book Royalties
- Full Creative Control
When it comes to our ghostwriting services, you’ll retain full creative control and ownership of your material – and that includes full book royalties.
Premium Ghostwriting
Price: $100,000
Our Elite ghostwriting services contain everything that the standard package includes, plus some extra marketing help and gifts.
The marketing package includes:
Author Marketing Materials
- Amazon A+ Content
- Book Promotion Services (10)
- BookBuB Setup & Promotion
- Goodreads Author Program Setup & Promotion
- Times Square Takeover
- Feature on selfpublishing.com
- Book Trailer
- Social Media Templates
As an Elite member, we’ll promote your book on BookBuB and Goodreads, as well as through 10 promotion services tailored to your book’s genre and audience.
We’ll also get your book featured on a Times Square billboard so you can have bragging rights during your book marketing.
On top of all that, you’ll also receive a VIP Ticket to Author Advantage Live, the hottest writing conference of the year for self-published authors.
Side-by-side comparison
| What you get | Standard Ghostwriting ($50,000) | Premium Ghostwriting ($100,000) |
|---|---|---|
| Your ghostwriter | Best-fit professional writer, selected by our team | Best-fit senior professional writer, selected by our team |
| How your book is written | AI-assisted outlining, content mapping, research, and drafting, with expert human oversight on every chapter | Written entirely by our ghostwriting team. AI is only used for note-taking and call summaries |
| Kickoff | Remote | 3-day in-person deep dive at our Austin, TX headquarters |
| Calls with your ghostwriter | Monthly, 1 hour each, for up to 12 months | Weekly, 1 to 2 hours each, for up to 18 months |
| Revisions | 3 rounds at every stage | Up to 10 rounds at every stage |
| Private 1:1 coaching calls | 24 | 24 |
| Group coaching and daily office hours | Unlimited for 1 year | Unlimited for 1 year |
| Editing | Developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading | Same |
| Publishing | Cover design, interior layout and formatting, ISBN assignment, keyword and category selection, optimized book description, and Amazon KDP upload | Same |
| Marketing | Amazon A+ Content, 50 virtual assistant hours, a feature on selfpublishing.com, a 15-second book trailer, a Times Square Takeover, an author spotlight email, and an author spotlight interview | Everything in Standard Ghostwriting, plus studio-recorded launch team videos, social marketing videos, and up to 2 YouTube videos, all filmed and edited by our team |
| Courses | Lifetime access to Become a Bestseller, Fundamentals of Fiction, Children's Book School, Market Your Book or Full-Time Fiction, and PR and Speaking | Same |
| Community | 1 year in the selfpublishing.com Mastermind Community, plus the private Author Advantage Accelerator Mastermind Community | Same |
| Ownership | Full ownership rights, 100% of royalties, and full creative control | Same |
| Payment options | $50,000 in full, 2 payments of $25,000, or $15,000 down plus 5 payments of $9,000 ($60,000 total) | $100,000 in full, 4 payments of $25,000, or 12 payments of $10,000 ($120,000 total) |
| Availability | 5 new authors per month | 1 new author per month |
Find out if ghostwriting is right for your book
Book a free strategy call. We'll look at your idea, goals, and timeline and give you a straight answer on which path fits, whether that's one of our ghostwriting packages or coaching you to write it yourself. Spots are limited each month. Book your free strategy call.
Frequently asked questions about our ghostwriting services
How much do selfpublishing.com ghostwriting services cost?
We offer 2 packages: Standard Ghostwriting at $50,000 and Premium Ghostwriting at $100,000. Both include writing, editing, publishing, and launch marketing. Payment plans are available for both.
Does selfpublishing.com use AI to write books?
Standard Ghostwriting uses AI-assisted outlining, research, and drafting, with expert human writers shaping every chapter. Premium Ghostwriting is written entirely by humans. AI is used only for note-taking and call summaries.
Who owns the book and the royalties?
You do. Both packages include full ownership rights, 100% of your royalties, and full creative control. Your name goes on the cover.
How long does it take to ghostwrite a book?
Standard Ghostwriting includes calls with your ghostwriter for up to 12 months. Premium includes weekly calls for up to 18 months. Most full-length books take 6 to 12 months to write and revise.
Is audiobook production included?
No. Neither package includes audiobook production. If you want a narrated audiobook, plan for it as a separate project after your book is published.
