Ghostwriting

Hiring a Ghostwriter

Ghostwriting involves writing a book  from scratch or creating whole new sections to be added to an existing manuscript. The price varies depending upon the length and complexity of the finished manuscript (this is all up to you and your budget).

printing-pageThe ghostwriter will produce the manuscript based on phone or in-person interviews with you as well as any materials you choose to provide. And most books can be written in fewer than 120 days. Payment is divided into installments and you get to approve all material before additional payments are due. We will be happy to speak with you on the phone to go over all the details and provide you with a price quote.

If you want your book ghostwritten, the prices generally run between $2,500 and $50,000+ (.25 to .75 cents a word) depending upon the genre, the writer, and the length and complexity of the manuscript you want. This is determined by YOU in a pre-contract discussion with our staff.

You do not pay everything upfront. Payment is divided into installments (you pay as we write), and you get to approve all material before additional payments are due.

Arbor Services is the number-one ghostwriting and editing firm in the world. We are:

  • 100% insured against plagiarism and defamation
  • Known for the hottest-selling independent books in the country
  • Staffed by reporters, columnists, and best-selling writers
  • The top choice of celebrities and CEOs as well as Fortune 500 companies
  • A seminar leader at major universities: Hofstra, St. John’s University, Pratt, CUNY

Best of all, with Arbor Services you own 100% of the rights to your book and keep 100% of the profits.

How to Choose a Ghostwriter or Ghostwriting Company

Before you sign a contract with an independent ghostwriter or a ghostwriting company make sure you are provided with the following:

  • Direct supervision of your writer. Make certain you’re NOT hiring a referral agency farming out your work to  unsupervised writers.
  • Insurance against plagiarism and defamation lawsuits.
  • A written guarantee that you own 100% of ALL the rights to and profits and royalties from your book.
  • A good rating with the Better Business Bureau, your state department of consumer affairs, your local department of consumer affairs, your state attorney general’s office, Dun & Bradstreet, and Literary Market Place.
  • Total confidentiality and nondisclosure.
  • Full publishing and promotion services including TV, radio, and print.
  • All promises in writing!

Not All Ghostwriting Companies Are the Same

The Arbor Ghostwriters Difference—and Guarantee
ONLY with us do you:
Keep 100% of ALL the profits from your book.
Keep 100% of ALL the royalties from your book.
Keep 100% of ALL the rights (including copyright and movie rights) to your book.
Get everything clearly spelled out in a contract.

What to Watch Out for with Other Companies

So you can make an informed decision, please review the following checklist:

  1. Manuscript Length: Always pay by the word, which is the most accurate way to determine what you are getting  for the price you pay. Never pay by the page or by the hour.
  2. Rights: With Arbor Ghostwriters you retain 100% of the rights to your book: movies, TV, foreign, publishing, all adaptations, etc. Many other ghostwriters keep a percentage of the rights to your book—which means you have a partner for LIFE!
  3. Insurance Protection: In this day and age of plagiarism and defamation lawsuits, most ghostwriters don’t carry any insurance. This could cost you millions. We are insured by a top carrier.
  4. Termination: With Arbor Ghostwriters, should you terminate your contract, you maintain all rights to your book. With many other companies, they own the rights to your book once you terminate. Be careful to read the fine print in contracts.
  5. Bait and Switch: Some companies use a practice of having a ghostwriter with great credentials act as the “deal closer,” but that will not be the person actually writing your manuscript. Be certain to approve your writer before signing any contracts.
  6. Payment Plan: Always pay in installments, and never pay more than one-third up front.
  7. Approval: Make sure you are paying for material you approve. Some companies consider that anything they put down on the page is OK. With us, only the words you approve are considered OK.
  8. Marketability: Get an analysis of the sales potential of your book. Why spend money if there is no target audience for your book? We can tell you if your book has sales potential.
  9. Customer Service: A writer is your employee. But some writers think it’s the other way around—that you work for them. You deserve respect and courtesy. What you may get is just the opposite.
  10. Price: Remember, a book takes hundreds of hours to write. If the price you are being charged is too good to be true, you most likely won’t be getting a quality manuscript.
  11. You’re the Boss: Ghostwriting is a collaborative effort between you and your writer. However, in the end, you should always have final say as to the content.
  12. Reputation: Longevity matters. Make sure to find out how long a ghostwriter or ghostwriting company has been in business before you hire them. Better companies stand the test of time.
  13. Confidentiality: Does your ghostwriter offer a nondisclosure agreement to keep his or her role in your book’s creation confidential? If privacy is important to you, be sure the contract offers you protection.
  14. One-Stop Shopping: Most writers have no sense of marketing books or creating the hooks that can lead to a best seller. If you don’t hire a ghostwriting firm with marketing experience, chances are you will be disappointed in the outcome of your book. Knowing your target reader is the first step—even before a single word is written.