The Process
Every book is different, and every author brings a unique story, voice and vision. While every project unfolds a little differently, here's what the journey typically looks like.
Getting to Know Each Other
Every project begins with a phone or video call — a chance for us to get acquainted, talk about your book, and explore your goals. Writing a book is a deeply personal experience, so having the right chemistry and trust from the beginning is essential.
The Project Proposal
After our initial conversation, I prepare a detailed proposal tailored specifically to your book, rather than a generic template — outlining the scope of your project, the process we'll follow, timelines and costs, so you know exactly what to expect before we begin.
Creating the Foundation
Once we're ready to move forward, we begin shaping the book together. I usually conduct one to three recorded interviews to explore your ideas and the message you want readers to take away, then build a detailed outline that becomes the blueprint for the entire manuscript.
Deep-Dive Interviews
With the overall structure in place, we move into a series of in-depth interviews, recorded and transcribed so that none of your ideas are lost. By the end of this stage, it's not unusual to have hundreds of pages of transcripts filled with the stories and insights that will become your book.
Writing the Manuscript
This is the stage where I disappear into what I jokingly call my "writing cave." Drawing from our conversations, transcripts and outline, I begin crafting the manuscript in your voice. Depending on the size and complexity of the book, this phase can take anywhere from three months to a year.
Your Voice, Your Book
When the first draft is finished, it comes back to you. Some authors enjoy diving into every paragraph, adding stories, refining wording, and expanding ideas. Others simply make a handful of changes because they already feel the book sounds exactly like them. My goal is to make sure the finished manuscript genuinely feels like your book.
Editing & Publishing
Once we're both happy with the manuscript, it moves into professional editing and preparation for publication. By this stage, the hard creative work is complete, and your manuscript is ready for its final polish.
From our first conversation to a completed manuscript, most projects take between eight and twelve months, depending on the complexity of the book and your schedule. Occasionally a shorter project comes together much more quickly — I once completed a shorter manuscript in just three months, published a month later. The exception, not the rule, but proof it can move quickly when circumstances allow.
Investment
Hiring a professional ghostwriter is a significant investment, and it's worth knowing what to expect. According to Reedsy, a professionally ghostwritten nonfiction book — memoirs, biographies, and similar projects — typically costs between $18,000 and $50,000.
I take on a limited number of projects at a time, which allows me to offer experienced, professional ghostwriting at a more affordable rate than that industry standard. If your project feels like the right fit, reach out and let's talk — together we'll find a price and payment plan that works for you.
Get in Touch