How to Hire a Ghostwriter
Hiring a ghostwriter is one of the best decisions a busy professional can make. But the process, finding candidates, vetting them, negotiating contracts, managing the project, can feel overwhelming if you've never done it before.
This guide walks you through every step so you hire the right person (or service) the first time.
Step 1: Define Your Project Before You Start Looking
Before you contact a single ghostwriter, get clear on:
- What type of content do you need? (Book, article, speech, social content?)
- How long should it be? (A 100-page business book is very different from a 400-page memoir.)
- What's your timeline? (Realistic timelines range from 4 weeks to 12 months depending on scope and writer.)
- What's your budget? (See our ghostwriter pricing guide for benchmarks.)
- How involved do you want to be? Some clients want weekly check-ins; others hand over their notes and check back at the end.
The clearer you are on these upfront, the faster and smoother the hiring process goes.
Step 2: Choose Your Hiring Path
There are three main ways to find a ghostwriter:
Freelance Platforms (Upwork, Reedsy, Contently)
- Pros: Wide selection, all price points, you can read samples and reviews
- Cons: Significant vetting time, quality varies widely, you manage the project yourself
- Best for: Smaller projects or buyers comfortable managing a freelancer
Ghostwriting Agencies
- Pros: Managed process, senior writers, experienced project oversight
- Cons: Expensive ($25,000–$100,000+), long timelines (6–12 months), heavy involvement required
- Best for: High-stakes books where you want white-glove service and have the budget
Done-for-You Services
- Pros: Fixed price, guaranteed timeline, no sourcing or vetting required
- Cons: Less customization than bespoke agencies
- Best for: Professionals who want a full-length book delivered fast without the overhead
TurnkeyBook is a done-for-you service: $2,800 flat, human-written, delivered in one week.
Step 3: Vet the Writer or Service
If you're hiring a freelancer, check for:
Writing samples in your genre A business-book ghostwriter and a memoir ghostwriter have different skills. Ask for 2–3 samples in the same category as your project. Read them critically, does the prose flow? Is the voice consistent? Does it hold your attention?
A defined process Good ghostwriters have a clear workflow: discovery → outline → draft → revision. If a writer can't explain their process, that's a red flag.
Client references Ask for one or two past clients you can contact. A quick 10-minute call with a former client tells you more than any portfolio.
Contract clarity Before signing anything, confirm: Who owns the copyright? Is there a confidentiality clause? How many revision rounds are included? What are the payment terms?
Step 4: The Discovery Call
Before committing, most ghostwriters offer a free consultation. Use it to:
- Gauge whether they actually listen and ask good questions (or whether they pitch immediately)
- Explain your vision and see if they can reflect it back to you accurately
- Ask how they handle revisions when the tone doesn't feel right
- Discuss timeline and deliverables explicitly
If a writer talks more than they listen in the discovery call, keep looking.
Step 5: Nail Down the Contract
A solid ghostwriting contract covers:
- Scope of work, word count, format, number of chapters or sections
- Timeline and milestones, outline by date X, first draft by date Y
- Revision rounds, how many are included, what counts as a revision
- Payment schedule, typically 50% upfront, 50% on delivery
- Copyright assignment, explicitly states that you own all rights on delivery
- Confidentiality, the writer agrees not to disclose the arrangement
- Kill fee, what happens if you cancel partway through
Don't skip the contract even if the writer seems trustworthy. It protects both parties.
Step 6: Set Up for a Smooth Collaboration
Once you've hired a ghostwriter, give them everything they need upfront:
- Any notes, outlines, or previous drafts you have
- Books, articles, or speakers you admire (to calibrate voice and tone)
- A list of topics to cover and topics to avoid
- Your audience, who will read this, and what do they need to take away?
The more context you give at the start, the fewer revision cycles you'll need later.
What to Expect After Hiring
Week 1–2: Discovery and outline. Your ghostwriter interviews you and produces a structured outline for approval.
Weeks 3–8+: Drafting. The first draft arrives in sections or all at once, depending on the writer's process.
Revision rounds: You review and provide notes. The writer revises. Most professionals include 2–3 rounds.
Delivery: You receive the finished manuscript in your agreed format (Word doc, PDF, .epub, etc.).
The Shortcut: Done-for-You
If vetting freelancers and managing a months-long project sounds like more work than you have time for, there's a simpler option.
TurnkeyBook handles everything for a flat $2,800:
- Submit a short intake form
- A writing agent contacts you within 1 business day
- We write, edit, and deliver your book within 7 days
- PDF + Kindle .epub, full copyright, 100% human-written
No sourcing. No contracts to negotiate. No timeline uncertainty.