How do you find a good ghostwriter for your book?
The short answerStart by deciding what you need: a writer who builds the book from interviews with you, or an editor for a draft you have already written. Then ask everyone on your shortlist for samples in your genre and references from past clients, read who owns the rights and royalties in the contract, and get the price and payment schedule in writing. Choose the writer who can show you how they will capture your voice and who tells you exactly who else works on the book.
See the questions to askFirst, decide what kind of help you need
The right person depends on where your book is today. Answer this before you start looking, because it changes who you should talk to.
You need a ghostwriter who writes from interviews
- How it works: you talk through your ideas and stories, and the writer turns those conversations into the manuscript.
- What to look for: a writer who interviews well, asks good follow-up questions, and can show you books that sound like their authors, not like the writer.
- Your time: mostly spent in interviews and reviewing chapters, not writing.
You may need an editor, not a ghostwriter
- How it works: an editor works on the pages you wrote, from big structural changes to line edits.
- What to look for: someone who has edited books in your genre and can tell you plainly what is working and what is not.
- Your time: spent revising your own draft with their notes.
Where people look for a ghostwriter
You can find a good writer in any of these places. What changes is how much of the vetting, contracting, and publishing you handle yourself.
Ask authors you know
Ask people who have published a book with a ghostwriter who they used and whether they would hire that writer again. A referral comes with an honest review built in.
Search writer listings
Marketplaces give you many writers to compare. You do all of the vetting yourself, and editing, design, and publishing are usually separate hires.
Hire a team that includes writing
Some agencies and publishers include the writing along with editing, design, and publishing. You pay more than for a writer alone, and one team runs the project.
How to vet any ghostwriter
There is no neutral ranking of the best ghostwriters. Ask everyone on your shortlist the same questions and compare the answers in writing.
- Can I see samples in my genre? Ask for books or chapters they have written in your category. A great novelist is not automatically the right writer for a business book, and the reverse is true too.
- Can I talk to past clients? Ask for two or three references and call them. Ask how the writer handled feedback, deadlines, and disagreements, and whether the finished book sounds like the author.
- Who owns the rights and the royalties? Find out whether you keep all of the rights and all of the royalties, and whether the writer is credited. Get the answer from the contract, not the sales call.
- What is the price, and when do I pay it? Get the full price and the payment schedule in writing. Ask what is included, what costs extra, and what happens if the project runs long.
- How will you capture my voice? Ask how many interviews they do, how long each one is, and when you will first see pages. You should be able to judge early whether it sounds like you.
- Who else works on the book? Ask whether an editor, a proofreader, a cover designer, or a project manager is involved, and who publishes and distributes the book when the writing is done.
Deciding between a single writer and a full team? Read ghostwriting company or freelance ghostwriter, and see how much ghostwriting costs.
When a freelancer is the better fit
A company is not the right answer for every book. A freelance ghostwriter is often the better choice when:
- Your budget is tight, and you would rather spend it on the writing alone.
- You only need the writing, because you will publish the book yourself or you already have a publisher.
- You have hired and managed creative freelancers before and are comfortable doing the vetting.
- You already have a draft and mainly need an editor to shape it.
How Scribe Media answers those questions
Scribe Media is one option to put on your list. Here is what our pricing pages say, word for word, so you can compare it with anyone else.
What kind of writing help is it?
Both are written from interviews with you. Scribe Professional: “We interview you and write your book. You talk, we create.” Scribe Elite: “The premier ghostwriting experience. White-glove, start to finish.”
Source: scribemedia.com/pricing
Can I choose my writer?
On Elite, yes. The Elite agreement says: “After speaking with 2-3 of those scribes, you'll select the best match for you and your book.” The Elite service page puts it this way: “Interview two or three ghostwriters and choose the voice that becomes yours.”
Sources: scribemedia.com/pricing/elite and scribemedia.com/service/ghostwriting
Who owns the rights and the royalties?
The Professional and Elite packages each list “100% of All Rights and Royalties” and say: “All book profits and rights are yours. All accounts are yours.”
Sources: scribemedia.com/pricing/professional and scribemedia.com/pricing/elite
What is the price, and when do I pay it?
The prices are listed below. On payments, the pricing page says: “Your total investment is split into equal monthly payments.” The full agreement is on each package page, and on timing it says: “Most projects finish within 10 to 12 months.”
Sources: scribemedia.com/pricing, scribemedia.com/pricing/professional and scribemedia.com/pricing/elite
How do you capture my voice?
Through interviews. Scribe Professional includes “10 Content Interviews”: “Two-hour sessions. What you say on these calls becomes your book.” Scribe Elite includes “20 In-Depth Content Interviews” and a “Premier Ghostwriter”: “A dedicated writer who captures your voice and expertise.”
Sources: scribemedia.com/pricing/professional and scribemedia.com/pricing/elite
Who else works on the book?
Both packages include a “Dedicated Publishing Manager”: “Your single point of contact from start to finish.” The pricing page says every package “includes professional editing, cover design, interior layout, publishing, and distribution.”
Sources: scribemedia.com/pricing/professional, scribemedia.com/pricing/elite and scribemedia.com/pricing
Every price, out in the open
The two Scribe ghostwriting packages, as listed on our pricing pages.
Scribe Professional
$4,667 / month
12 monthly payments, $56,000 total
We interview you and write your book. You talk, we create.
See Scribe ProfessionalScribe Elite
$9,000 / month
15 monthly payments, $135,000 total
The premier ghostwriting experience. White-glove, start to finish.
See Scribe EliteIf those numbers are more than your book needs, a freelance ghostwriter may be the better fit, and that is a fine choice.
Questions authors ask
How do I find a good ghostwriter for my book?
Start by deciding what you need: a writer who builds the book from interviews with you, or an editor for a draft you have already written. Then ask everyone on your shortlist for samples in your genre and references from past clients, read who owns the rights and royalties in the contract, and get the price and payment schedule in writing. Choose the writer who can show you how they will capture your voice and who tells you exactly who else works on the book.
Where do people find ghostwriters?
Most people look in three places: referrals from authors who have worked with a ghostwriter, freelance marketplaces where writers list their services, and agencies or publishers that include writing in what they offer. Each can lead to a good writer. The difference is how much of the vetting, contracting, and publishing you handle yourself.
What should I ask a ghostwriter before I hire them?
Ask for samples in your genre and references from past clients. Ask who owns the rights and royalties, and check the answer in the contract. Get the price and payment schedule in writing. Ask how they capture your voice, and ask who else works on the book, such as an editor, a proofreader, a designer, or a project manager.
When is a freelance ghostwriter the better choice?
A freelancer is often the better fit when your budget is tight, when you only need the writing because you will publish the book yourself or already have a publisher, when you have experience hiring and managing creative freelancers, or when you already have a draft and mainly need an editor.
Who owns the book when a ghostwriter writes it?
It depends on the contract, so read it before you sign. For Scribe Media, the Professional and Elite pricing pages list “100% of All Rights and Royalties” and say: “All book profits and rights are yours. All accounts are yours.”
What does Scribe Media cost for ghostwriting?
Scribe Professional is $4,667 a month for 12 months ($56,000 total). Scribe Elite is $9,000 a month for 15 months ($135,000 total). Every price is listed at scribemedia.com/pricing.
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