Book writing services
You know you have an amazing story to tell and you know that you can help others and make a mark in your field when you get it out there by writing a book. But maybe you don’t have the time to sit down and write it or you don’t know how to get started. That’s where I come in.
I work with authors at various stages of book development to help in whatever way they need assistance to get their book out in the world. Through our book ghostwriting, book proposal-development, and editing experience, I focus on highlighting the essential components of your big idea, your work and expertise, and, especially your voice through the complete work.
These are some of the ways we can help you get your book out into the world
Book proposal writing and editing
My knowledge of the publishing industry will help us craft a compelling book proposal whether we’re writing it for you or editing what you’ve already written.
Book ghostwriting or co-authorship
We will sit down to interview you and review materials you’ve already written to establish your voice and the story you want to tell. I conduct all other interviews and research associated with the book and hand over full drafts to you to review, edit, and provide feedback on. I also work with the editor/publisher to integrate feedback and can provide logistical support.
Book editing
I can edit your book drafts along the way or at final manuscript and help you integrate feedback from the editor/publisher, but you will be writing the majority of the content.
Book advising
For authors writing and editing their own work, we provide advising services to help provide a framework for your process, establish a timeline, and advise on an approach and other resource sthat can help you on yoru writing journey.
The Process
I work with individual authors’ needs at whatever stage they’re at. If you’re considering writing a book or you’re in the process already, here are some questions to consider. These are questions that we’ll walk through during our initial intake sessions.
How much of the book do I want to write? How much of the book do I have time to write?
These questions can often come into conflict, especially if an author has the desire to write a book, but has a demanding schedule that doesn’t allow for the time. However, the world of publishing is fast-paced and if you don’t think you’ll be able to turn drafts over with a tight deadline, you may want to consider hiring a co-author or ghostwriter.
Do you already have a manuscript or do you want to write the full manuscript?
If you already have a manuscript or you’re interested in writing the full manuscript alone and need some additional eyes on the project, then we can assist you with editing your manuscript–either at certain intervals or along the way.
Do you want a ghostwriter or a co-author?
The process and rates for ghostwriting and co-authorship are essentially the same, but there are some differences. In both cases, you are the primary author who comes up with the ideas for the book. It is your book, your voice, your ideas, and your work.
Ghostwriting: We will write the book, but it will be published solely in your name. The process involves conducting in-depth interviews with you and completing a compelling story based on our interviews and the resources you send along the way. You will, of course, provide edits and input along the way, but the writing will be fully in our hands.
Co-authorship: This is more of a partnership where you can be involved in as much writing as you choose. It is a similar process to ghostwriting, but may be more collaborative depending on how involved you’d like to be. We provide insights and ideas on how to shape elements of the idea and we work in partnership on the manuscript.
Typically, we do most of the writing (for either ghostwriting or co-authorship), but it is much more of a back-and-forth with co-authorship. In either case, we can come to an agreement on whether I should receive credit for that work or if my part is completely behind-the-scenes. Ultimately that is your decision.
What is your budget and where are you getting the funding?
In many cases, book development is funded primarily by the author. There may be grants available to you to pay for our services, but usually, this will be paid for out-of-pocket by the author. The rates can vary based on the length, rigor, and level of research, but typically, we start at a base monthly retainer of $3,000 and 20 hours/month of work (that rate will increase beyond that based on any hours over 20 completed each month). Books can take between 12-18 months to complete depending on the topic, the level of research, and the contract with your publisher.
Do you have a publisher for your book?
Finding a publisher for your book is typically the author’s responsibility. We can help craft book proposals and query letters, but the publishing partner is your relationship to build as your name is one of the major selling points of the book.
If you do not have a publisher, we recommend seeking out people in your industry who have written a book and connecting with them about how they were published as a starting point.
Next steps
If you’re ready to talk about writing your book, here are the next steps based on the typical book project.
Complimentary introductory conversation: As an introduction, we’ll meet, talk about your project idea, what you’ve already done, your ideas, and your objectives, and discuss where we should start.
Project agreement discussions: Once we’ve established your objectives, we’ll hone in on the details of our partnership which include how much work you intend to do, how much will be needed by us, the process by which you want to write, and any other details essential to creating a successful project partnership.
Sign contract: We will create an author-ghostwriter/co-author project contract. This is distinct from your contract with the publisher. Since you will be paying us directly, we will not be subject to any of the royalties or advances from the publisher, rather we are beholden to the contract between us and the author.
Begin work: Once the agreement has been set, we’ll begin the project based on our agreement and your agreement with the publisher.
Project management: Throughout the project, we will guide the process and remain in contact with the publisher based on our agreement. We will create project benchmarks and we will follow the process agreed upon in the earlier details. All drafts and edits will be sent to the author for final review and approval before sending to the editor.
Project delivery: I will ensure we keep to project deadlines and respond to all the editor’s suggestions and updates.
Marketing agreement process: Marketing is typically in the territory of the author, but if we decide that you need additional assistance with marketing elements such as writing website content or drafting marketing materials requested by the publisher, we can create a separate agreement once the publication date is set.
Ready to get started?
Set up a free consultation to discuss your project now!